Innocent until proven guilty, or so the saying goes. Yet when it comes to your online reputation, it’s more about first impressions.
In the 2015 U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey it was found that 67% of consumers listed “reviews from former clients” as a top two criteria when evaluating an attorney.
A positive reputation builds trust, and earns referrals. Online reviews are no different. If you’re not managing your reputation, it’s probably costing you business.
90% of consumers say their decisions are influenced by online reviews.
In a study by FindLaw it was found that when it comes to online reviews for lawyers and attorneys, 57% of legal consumers have left a review or rating, and 81% that provided a review left a positive one.
If you want to ensure positive online reviews, it starts with the customer experience. Ensure you’ve amazed or delighted your customer. Do everything in your power to exceed expectations. So when you ask for a review, you’ll likely get the outcome you might hope for. Most are willing to provide a review when asked. The thing is, customers aren’t usually asked.
Where To Start
Yelp
Even though Yelp is not a lawyer or attorney website, it is one of the largest review websites, which is important for lawyer reputation management and online reviews.
To get started, register on the site to check whether you have an existing profile, then claim and update as necessary. Be sure to include practice areas that are applicable.
To signup at Yelp
Facebook
Also an important listing to have, if you haven't created a business page there, it's also advised to do so for reputation management.
To signup at Facebook
Google
Even though we’ve listed this last, Google My Business (GMB) should be the first place that you create and manage your business profile. Be sure you know how to get Google reviews here.
To signup at Google
You might be thinking the above are not lawyer review sites, and therefore don't apply. In a survey with almost 3,500 participants it was Yelp that was mentioned the most for attorney reviews. If that wasn't enough of a surprise, it was also discovered that about 70 percent of respondents would consider seeing an attorney in an inconvenient part of town if he or she had better online reviews than one closer to home. Additionally, the study cites the quality of service as most the important consideration by 48 percent of respondents.
Lawyer Review Sites
In addition to popular sites like Google My Business, Yelp and Facebook, there are a number of lawyer review websites to explore and consider as well.
Avvo
Lawyer reviews and ratings for every state, it’s a popular marketplace for legal advice. Avvo contains profiles of most practicing law in the United States and has become a primary resource for those seeking counsel or legal representation.
If you’re not already on Avvo, claiming your profile is relatively easy, and chances are you are already listed among legal professionals in their directory. Due to the online visibility of Avvo, this website is strongly recommended for reputation management of lawyer reviews.
Click the link below, search for your name, claim the correct profile and provide details request like your license to practice and states where you are a member of the bar.
Claim your profile at Avvo
Lawyers.com
An indispensable resource for lawyer reviews, Lawyers.com reviews and ratings is for individuals and small businesses in need of legal services and assistance.
In addition to being a directory of attorney and lawyer reviews, the website is also a vast resource of information concerning legal issues and areas of practice.
To claim a profile (or update a listing) you would need to register as a user and find your attorney profile, then click ‘edit this profile’ to make changes. As the Lawyers.com website is part of the Martindale-Hubbell legal network, you can also follow the link below.
Claim your profile at Lawyers.com
Super Lawyers
Another impressive resource for lawyer ratings and attorney reviews, Super Lawyers is invaluable for answers and experts in over 70 practice areas of law for all states.
Much like Avvo and Lawyers.com, Super Lawyers provides a wealth of information for those seeking legal assistance, along with marketing opportunities for lawyers and law firms.
If not already registered, you would sign up and search to see whether you’re profile already exists on the website, and click ‘Update This Page’ if that should be the case. If it isn’t found, you would register and go through the intuitive signup process.
Claim your profile at Super Lawyers
Lawyer Reputation Management
If you aren’t monitoring your reputation, you can’t manage it. At the very minimum, lawyer and attorneys need to make sure that your Facebook, Google My Business, Yelp, and Lawyers.com pages are managed.
Reputation management software is essential for any business, and lawyers are no different.
It’s easier to manage your reputation and stay ahead of things, rather than come to your own defense later. Also, the longer you put it off, the more difficult it will be. Along with the more catching up you’ll have to do while your competition has been busy collecting their own online reviews.
