The Need for a Digital Merger
As more attorneys who are Baby Boomers retire, many of them are choosing law firm mergers as a succession plan. If you're a solo or small law firm owner planning to exit practice in the next 5-10 years, merging with another firm may be your best option.
One challenge in a merger is integrating the websites of the two firms. Maintaining separate websites can confuse clients, dilute brand identity, and complicate communication. A smooth digital transition is essential to preserve client trust and your firm's reputation. A bumpy transition can result in lost clients, reduced revenue, and frustration for both the buyer and the seller. Taking a strategic approach to website integration maximizes the value of your practice and ensures a smooth transition for everyone.
How a Merger Affects Law Firm Websites
Websites are the digital face of a law firm, often serving as the first point of contact for potential clients. They showcase your firm's expertise, values, and unique selling points. A well-maintained and strategically positioned website enhances the perceived value of your practice.
Combining two law firms means integrating different branding elements, content, and online resources. You need to do this carefully to avoid confusing clients and diluting the brand identity of the newly formed firm. Let's explore the process.
Evaluating Websites: What To Look For
The first step in merging law firm websites is a thorough evaluation of both existing sites. Unless you happen to moonlight as a website and SEO consultant, you'll want to hire a professional to do the following:
- Review the two websites' content, design, functionality, and overall user experience.
- Identify what each site does well and where there might be room for improvement.
- Analyze unique elements that should be preserved, such as high-performing blog posts, valuable client resources, or distinctive branding features.
- Conduct a content audit to catalog each website's pages and features.
- Understand the scope of what needs to be merged and identify any gaps or overlaps in the content.
- Look for elements that set each firm apart and consider how these can be integrated into the new site to create a more substantial, unified presence.
Decide What To Do
With a clear understanding of what each website offers, it's time to make the big decision. The options are:
- Shut down both sites and create a new one; or
- Keep one site as the primary and merge content from the other
Each approach has its advantages. The best choice will depend on the specific circumstances of your merger.
If both firms bring distinct brands and significant content that could benefit from a fresh presentation, building a new website from scratch makes sense. Conversely, if one firm's website has a significantly stronger online presence (higher traffic, better SEO rankings, etc.), it's preferable to shut down the other site and merge its content into the more robust website.
Whatever you decide, define what success looks like for this new digital presence. What do you want it to achieve? Do you want to preserve or improve search engine rankings? Enhance user experience? Establish the new firm’s brand identity?
Unified branding is a crucial consideration when merging two law firms. Decide on the new website's logos, color schemes, typography, and overall design aesthetic. This unified branding should reflect the combined identity of the merged firms, presenting a cohesive and professional image to clients and visitors.
Merging The Website Content
Once you have a plan, it's time to execute it. Start by making a comprehensive list of all the content from both websites. This includes pages such as attorney biographies, practice area descriptions, blog posts, client testimonials, and other valuable resources.
Next, decide which content to keep, update, and remove. Some content will be redundant, while other pages may need to be updated to reflect the new firm's identity and services. Prioritize high-quality content that gets lots of engagement and performs well in search engine rankings.
Also, take a close look at the content your firm uses as a resource to acquire or support clients, i.e., an article you often send to prospects or clients about a given topic. Ensure that all the information is accurate, current, and relevant to the new firm's goals.
Additionally, identify any new content needed for the new website. This might include updated headshots for attorneys so all the backgrounds match, new practice area descriptions, and fresh blog posts that address the merger and its benefits.
Keep Your Website Easy to Find After the Merger
Maintaining online visibility is crucial after the merger to ensure that the new website remains accessible and easy to find for existing and potential clients. You must make sure that all the content from the old websites points to the new site correctly. You'll want to rely on an expert in website transitions to do this. They can set up redirects. This means that when someone tries to visit an old page, they are automatically sent to the correct new page. Setting up redirects helps avoid confusion and keeps your website's search engine rankings intact.
An expert will also make sure there are no broken links, which can frustrate users and make your site look unprofessional. You will also want to ensure that you have someone continuously monitoring the website's performance to ensure everything runs smoothly and that any performance problems that arise are swiftly resolved.
Announcing the Merger
Provide clear, transparent, and consistent communication across all channels, covering the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” of the merger to prevent confusion. Your messaging should differ depending on who the recipient is.
Here are some things to consider and ways to do it:
Internal Communication: Inform your staff before making a public announcement. Ensure that they know what's going on and answer their questions, so they can answer questions on your behalf if needed.
Client Communication: Send personalized emails explaining the merger and addressing potential concerns. Provide resources to help them understand the merger and feel supported.
Online Communication: Create a prominent homepage announcement with a dedicated section or page containing FAQs and a leadership message. Provide updated contact details so clients know who to contact with questions. Host a webinar or create videos to walk clients through the changes if needed.
By following these steps, you can effectively communicate the merger and transition in a way that preserves trust and builds confidence in the new entity.
Monitoring Post-Merger Performance
After the merger, continuously monitor the website's performance and promptly address any issues that may arise. Have an expert check for broken links, high bounce rates, and other potential problems that could affect user experience and SEO rankings.
Make sure they use tools like Google Analytics to track key metrics such as traffic, engagement, and conversion rates. Have them regularly review this data to identify trends and areas for improvement. If any technical issues arise, you want to address them immediately.
Merge Your Law Firm With Confidence, Hire The Right Help
In summary, merging law firms with websites requires careful planning and execution. It's not the most straightforward process, but like many things in the legal profession, it's very manageable as long as you bring in the right people and know the right questions to ask.
If you're a solo or a small firm undergoing a merger, retaining professional assistance can be invaluable to make sure there are no surprising missteps. If you have any questions, I would be happy to discuss merging law firms further. You can reach me at 612-524-5837 or you can contact me online.
