How To Manage A Small Law Firm Reviews?

Reputation is crucial for law firms, especially for smaller firms that are in the initial stages of growing their brand. Understanding how to handle a small law firm’s reviews is crucial to improving that reputation. 

Reviews are what bring in the bulk of your new clients and revenue. Your potential clients want to know how they’ll be treated and what kind of results you’ll achieve for them before they reach out to you. Hence, client reviews matter the most.

To fully comprehend the impact of online reviews, you need to be familiar with how clients find your firm in the first place. The majority of your prospects get your name after a Google search. Your firm’s ranking in the Google search results depends on many factors, such as your areas of specialization, the keywords searchers use, location, citations, and backlinks.

Another essential factor is your rating. Anyone on the internet can post a public review of your law firm, whether or not they are your past client. These reviews aren’t always examined, so you may receive negative reviews from people you’ve never worked with.

Understanding how to manage a small law firm’s reviews is paramount, as they play a vital role in deciding your firm’s search engine rankings and public opinion.

Monitoring reviews let you understand what’s out there. It can also help you answer some questions about your marketing strategy. If you are getting fewer customers than you once did, or if there’s a sudden overflow in interest, it makes sense to check if new reviews are the explanation. 

While deleting reviews is usually frowned upon, there are occasions when individuals say things in reviews that are out of line. Popular review forums like Yelp give you the option to report defamatory reviews. You won’t usually get the review removed all the time, but it’s worth trying.

Getting 5-star reviews boosts your firm’s profile. Marketing strategists know that promoting good reviews is essential for managing Law Firm Reputation . Promoting positive reviews on social media platforms is beneficial. Yelp provides the option to share individual reviews with a simple click. 

Defending yourself against negative reviews is a touchy subject in some cases. It may be banned in some states in the legal community.

If you’ve decided to respond to a negative review, your intention should be to politely pinpoint and correct any shortcomings on your end or misconceptions that your client might have.

That said, a few negative reviews are nothing to distress over. Almost every firm has negative reviews. A review section comprising only 5-star reviews can evoke the suspicion of those clients.

Most individuals are used to seeing requests for reviews or “tell us how we’re doing” emails all the time. Many professionals, however, are still uneasy with the idea of asking clients for reviews. Fortunately, there are many ways you can do this. Here are a few examples:

As part of a “wrap-up” email after a case, include a paragraph inviting the client to reach them if they need further legal help. In the same paragraph, you can also ask to leave a review on an external site of your choice. Build an email list to engage with your clients over time. 

Include a “testimonial” section on your website and invite former clients to fill out a form to leave their testimonials. It can be pretty effective, as the testimonial page offers a wide range of reviews.

Platforms where your clients can write reviews.

When learning how to handle a small law firm’s reviews, you’ll need to comprehend that it matters where client reviews are posted. It’s good practice to suggest sites where you want happy clients to leave their feedback.

Most of your clients will know about Google or Yelp, but they won’t be as aware of legal-specific sites. Both of these are important. Here’s a short list of websites and platforms where your clients can leave law firm reviews:

• Google
• Yelp
• Better Business Bureau
• Consumer Affairs
• Facebook
• LinkedIn 
• AVVO
• Martindale-Hubbell
• Lawyers.com

Now that you know where client reviews might go, below are some examples of reviews that would help your firm.

Examples of small law firm reviews

Understand that not all law firms are the same, and neither are all legal disciplines. A criminal defense client might look for an assertive and dynamic advocate, while a mediation client might value kindness and compassion more heavily.

Here are some examples of positive reviews from a cross-section of legal disciplines. Take inspiration from them while exploring how to manage a small law firm’s reviews:

• “I was very disappointed with my insurance company. It was very stressful trying to meet all of their demands. My lawyer took over that procedure, so I never had to call my insurer again.”
• “I was going through a tough divorce. I was anxious about my kids and how I might manage financially. My lawyer listened to my crisis. She gave me options to negotiate custody and support, so we are taken care of.”
• “My attorney was so familiar with my condition. I could ask him anything about my case, and he was always available with a prompt answer.”

While it’s dishonest to influence the reviews that clients leave or provide any incentive, it’s totally acceptable to ask satisfied clients to leave reviews.

Connect with us!

Every law firm has to make its judgment calls when handling online reviews. Our professionals at Oamii can improve your reputation, search engine rankings, and client intake with the right strategy. We have a team of certified digital marketers who are experienced in planning and executing a robust reputation management strategy for law firms. Connect with us today to get a free consultation !