The lawyer says to me, “I’ve got 12 websites.” He’s proud of the number. It’s weird how puffed up he gets when he emphasizes the number 12.

“How many visitors are you getting?” I ask.

He replies proudly, “10,000 a month.”

I’m not sure what that pride is all about. Ten thousand visitors isn’t that many in most jurisdictions for most practice areas.

Why You Don’t Need More Than One Website

He’s oddly excited about the number of sites. It’s like the number of websites is now some kind of metric that matters. It isn’t.

Maybe it comes from lawyers talking to vendors who sell websites? Maybe after they talk you into buying one site they’ve got to talk you into buying another one so they can keep the revenue flowing their way? I have no idea why some lawyers think it matters.

Building sites without building traffic is a waste of time. You don’t need a new site for every little thing. I bumped into one lawyer who built a new site for his new book, then built a new site for his mediation practice, and then built a new site for his new office. One site after another, and all of them getting minimal traffic. The only winner is the website vendor.

I’ve heard lots of rationales for building new sites (from vendors). They claim it’s about search engine optimization, local search results, market segmentation, and on and on and on. It’s pointless, however, if it’s not getting you business.

Your Winning Web Strategy

Build one site, get it right, figure it out, and get visitors to come. That’s the first step, and most lawyers struggle to make that happen. After your first site is working—getting visitors and bringing you clients—then worry about doing something new.

If you want a metric to brag about, then I’ve got an idea for you. How about telling us all about your new clients and your new revenue? That might be something to boast about.