Recently, I have been involved in writing content for several lawyer
websites. The bio or “About” page is one of the most viewed pages. This bio or
profile helps new connections or potential followers make decisions about whether
or not to interact with the lawyer. What are the elements of a good biography?
- Description of who the lawyer is
- Reference of how the lawyer got where he/she is
- The knowledge and experience of the lawyer
- The fields of expertise, including court cases on
- The personal touch or other unique traits of the lawyer (or the law office)
An about page is what potential clients want to know about the lawyer. It must address what the clients want to know. This isn’t necessarily the same as what you think they should want to know.
Therefore, the lawyer’s bio should focus on:
- The target audience
- The target audience’s problems or challenges
- The solution and expertise the lawyer offers (how the lawyer helps clients or solves problems for them)
- How the lawyer’s approach is different from other law firms’ solutions
- Clients do not care who you are; they want to know how you can solve their problems. Lawyers need to address their concerns.
- Clients don’t really care which university their lawyer graduated from; they just want to the credentials of their lawyer.
- Clients want to understand what their lawyer is about. Labels, such as “lawyer” or “securities lawyer” confuse. Be specific and talk (or write) about the people the lawyer helped or the problems he/she solved.
- Clients want to see a realistic photo of their (potential) lawyer. People like to do business with people they know, like and trust. Posting a photograph helps (potential) clients to feel that they ‘know’ their lawyer.
- Use social media. A lawyer’s (potential) customers are on social media such as Facebook and Twitter, so the lawyer should be there too. Blogs are a great way to engage. If you as a lawyer do not have the time, use an expert to do the social media for you!
