Why Is A Mobile-First Website Design Important For Law Firms?

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets now account for more than half of all internet traffic. The days of having a mobile-friendly website are over. To remain competitive, your legal practice must prioritize mobile web browsers.

Mobile-first web design prioritizes compatibility with mobile web browsers. Once a website has been optimized for mobile devices, it can be resized for desktop computers.

Websites were traditionally developed in reverse order. Mobile web access used to be seen as a secondary option to desktop computers. Web development has traditionally begun on a desktop or laptop computer before being scaled down rather than up.

An advantage for legal practices is a website built with mobile in mind first. Learn why your law firm website design must adopt mobile responsive web design strategy.

5 Reasons Why Your Law Firm Needs A Mobile-First Website

Mobile-First Websites Look Professional

More harm than good can come from having a website that needs to look more modern and professional for legal practice. About half of the people surveyed in one study agreed that website aesthetics significantly impact their opinions of specific brands. An updated, mobile-friendly website can help your law firm stand out.

If your company's website is difficult to navigate on a mobile device, which is how most people access the Internet today, you risk giving the impression that you need to be in touch with current trends. You may be better off without a website if it looks outdated, reads poorly on mobile devices, or seems to be a scam.

Incorporating Accessibility Features Is Simple

Very few websites provide accessibility options or are ADA-compliant. If you are considering a move to a mobile-first layout, now is the time to do it.

Accessibility features aren't just a nice-to-have; they are the law. It's a great way for businesses to get their products and services in front of people who might only sometimes visit their websites.

The importance of this must be considered when discussing law firms. Several law firms make special accommodations for clients with disabilities. SS(D)I lawyers, those practicing elder law, injury attorneys, and many others should have easy access as a top web design priority.

Websites designed with mobile users in mind usually have a minimalistic layout and are easy to navigate. As a result of their design, they are typically easier to use than sites optimized for desktop computers. You can quickly expand the audience for your law firm's website by adding accessibility features to its mobile-first layout.

Attracting Users with Mobile-First Website Design

Search engine algorithms consider a site's mobile friendliness when ranking results. If your site is optimized for mobile use, it will be more visible to people using their phones to look for a lawyer or legal information.

If the "crawlers" used by search engines to index the Internet have difficulty navigating your law firm's website, it's not likely to appear high in search engine results. The search engines won't give your site preferential treatment in mobile search results when the crawlers report that it doesn't work correctly in mobile browsers. If your website is optimized for mobile use, mobile users can access it, much less use your products or services.

Website Accessible Anywhere

Your new law firm website design will never crash unexpectedly on mobile devices because it has been designed from the ground up with mobile users in mind. Due to the mobile browser displaying a desktop-only site, users won't experience the usual scrolling issues, broken menus, or need to zoom in and squint.

Web users can access your site anytime, anywhere, if it is optimized for mobile devices. After a car accident, a fall at work, or a robbery, your website could be the first non-emergency resource a victim discovers.

However, if your website isn't mobile-friendly, your chances of resolving a customer's problem in the early stages are significantly reduced. Clients are less likely to remember your law firm if they have to go home and use their computer to look you up.

Mobile-First Websites Generate Calls

Mobile-first websites perform better on mobile devices and generate more inbound phone calls.

Websites explicitly built for mobile devices usually have phone call functionality built in. The company's website includes a phone number for customers to dial. It's possible to call from just about any website on a smartphone, but it's much more convenient to do so from one optimized for mobile use.

Wrapping Up Thoughts

Now that you know how a website designed with mobile users in mind can help your law practice thrive, it's time to put what you have learned into practice. The Internet's vast resources can be easily harnessed with a law firm website design and an effective search engine optimization (SEO) campaign.