Why WordPress Rocks – Reason #92

Okay, maybe I don’t have 91 other reasons to love WordPress but almost!  This posting from one of my favorite online marketing blogs – Social Media Examiner points out a new WordPress feature that makes for a seamless and powerful Twitter integration – allowing websites to include their recent Twitter posts along the sidebar of any section of their website.  Maybe you don’t want to include a Twitter feed on your home page but would like to include it in your news section.  This WordPress widget allows you to do that.

WordPress Stays Ahead of the Game

Because its an open platform engaging lots of eager and talented developers, WordPress makes it possible to add this kind of engaging functionality that a proprietary website platform would make you pay dearly for them to code.

One Thing

Lawyer websites like most business website are trying to provide many things – information about services, about the owners, news, events, links, contact forms.

Want Engagement

But from a marketing perspective, you are lucky if a visitor remembers one thing about visiting your website so decide what that thing is you want them to “get” when they click off your website.

If you have a highly influential blogs, make sure your current blog headlines are streaming to the home page.  If you hold events on bankruptcy, estate planning, or employee matters make sure there a “register here” button to drive home the point.  Maybe you want to immediately build trust with your clients through a video tip, then make its posted on your home page.

Technology gives solos a boost

Kimberly Alderman who is a solo with a freelance legal research business touts the value of new technologies – particularly those of the social networking variety – Twitter and the like to help solos connect online with one another and potential clients.

She is absolutely right to zero in on technology as a key component helping solos to re-invent themselves in a changed legal marketplace where Big Law is an injured animal licking its wounds in the corner.  I would add two things to her comments.

Make your website the focus of your social networking hub as that is where you have maximum control over your message and make sure to integrate face to face networking with the social kind.  If you connect with someone online, invite them to a talk you are giving or networking event that you think would be useful.  If they live outside the area, see if there isn’t someone in their geographical area that you know who they should meet.

SEO still a mystery? You are not alone!

Has anyone else notice how many articles, books, seminars, white papers there are on unlocking the secrets of SEO?  Have you found when you’ve started reading or listening that the secrets remain unlocked?  I have.

But I did find a couple books I can recommend that truly make sense in penetrating the mysteries.   

“Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day” by Jennifer Grappone.  This is a very practical guide to setting up an SEO program.  One aspect to SEO is that it requires a strategy, program and ongoing attention.  This book will help you get started with this.

“Search Engine Optimization: Your Visual Blueprint for Effective Internet Marketing” by Kristopher B. Jones.  This book is very practical and gives you actual action items and provides screen shots to implement them.

Downside to both books is freshness.  The hour a day book was published in 2006 and the visual blueprint book was published in 2008.  However, these books have such depth that I think they are still worth purchasing.