Why should I have reviews on multiple sites?

Small law firms know the importance of reputation in generating business. Word of mouth and personal referrals are key components of building a practice. So also are client reviews. These are evidence to potential clients that you’ve successfully helped others in similar circumstances, and might be able to do the same for them.

With an almost endless list of business review sites on the internet, you might wonder why you should strive to have reviews on as many as possible. The answer comes down to capturing as much attention and referral traffic as you can. 

Why are customer reviews important?

People seek out a lawyer to handle some of the most important, and often stressful, periods in their lives. They might be considering divorce, facing a DUI or criminal charge, or have run into a business dispute. These issues are at the heart of a person’s life and business, and they don’t want to trust just anyone to advise them.

Since most people don’t know many lawyers, they often look online to find someone to represent their interests. In addition to your law firm marketing, reviews from previous clients offer social proof of the good work you do. The feedback about your services from real people can make the difference as to whether or not a potential client decides to contact you.

Reviews are also essential for search engine optimization (SEO). They help send traffic from the review websites to your own digital properties. As a small law firm, it’s essential for you to grab every online mention you can get. More inbound traffic can help elevate your place in search rankings, which is important when you are in competition with other small firms.

Where should you get customer reviews?

There are several sites where you can get customer reviews. There are sites designed specifically for lawyers and law firms such as:

• Martindale
• Avvo
• Lawyers.com
• Nolo

Your clients can also post on general review sites like Google and Yelp which provide a space for customer reviews of a wide range of businesses. Social media sites like Facebook also allow clients to review your firm at your business page. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is another general site dedicated to promoting ethical business practices that invites reviews.

These are just a few of the many potential review sites on the web; your clients are perhaps more likely to post comments on sites like Google since it’s easy to access. Frequently, when people visit a business, Google will prompt them to leave a review.

In addition to review sites outside of your website, consider posting testimonials on your own digital properties. You can have a page dedicated to “testimonials” on your website or elevate positive client feedback on your social media through “pinned” posts that always stay on top of your feed. 

Why try for reviews on multiple sites?

Since there are so many review sites, it’s sensible to ask if it’s necessary, or even advisable, to try for reviews on several. There are many reasons why it’s good for a small law firm to have client feedback on many sites. The bottom line is getting as many people as possible to know about your services, while still elevating your reputation among law firms.

It captures more potential views. Many people have a favorite review site they use to decide whether or not to contact a local business. By having your reviews on several sites, you capture as many of these “single site” users as possible. Simply put, the more places your law firm is listed, the greater the chances potential clients will find you.

It solidifies your brand reputation. Even though some people stick to one review site before making a decision, many more visit one or more site before choosing to contact a local business. According to Brightlocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey 2024, 77% of people check two or more review sites before getting in touch with a company.

It elevates your law firm’s online identity. Part of strong SEO is having your brand mentioned in many places across the web. By having law firm mentions on several review sites, Google starts to recognize your law firm’s brand name. This can help get you higher in local search, when people in your firm’s neighborhood see your firm among the top results for their search queries, such as “divorce lawyers near me.” 

It gives you several sources of referral traffic. Review sites typically post a link to your firm website along with the review. If someone is reading the review and wants to learn more about your practice, they can click through straight from the referral site. They don’t have to open up a new Google search to find you, and you don’t run the risk of losing that interested visitor to another firm that might pop up in the search results.

It attracts a niche audience or a general one. Sites like Martindale and Avvo focus on law firms, while sites like Google and Yelp focus on a wide range of businesses, attractions, and events. By having reviews on both types of sites, you can show how you stack up to other law firms and how you stand on your own as a local business. In the process, you can attract people looking for a firm through a lawyer-specific site, as well as those who are searching general business listings.

As a small firm, it’s important to place your brand in as many places as possible so people can find you. By offering high quality legal services, you can help ensure you have consistently high ratings. 

Make an impact with multiple review site listings

As you build your small firm practice, work with a company like Martindale-Avvo that can help you make an impact. Contact us today to see what our marketing team can do for you.