Legal Website Re-branding - Portland Legal Services

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9th June 2009

Legal Website Re-branding - Portland Legal Services

Yesterday we launched our fourth website created using our Simple CMS [content management system]; the first we've created for the legal and professional services sector.

Portland Legal Services approached us to find out why their previous website wasn't performing as well as it should on the search engines. The site was well written and doing well at converting visitors into clients, but most of the traffic to the site was being generated through Google Adwords campaigns rather than through the site appearing in "organic" searches.

Looking into the code for the site, we made several observations about SEO [search engine optimisation] elements that had been under utilised, but the previous CMS was difficult to use and optimise in this way. So after some discussion we were commissioned to produce a new version of the site with our new CMS.

Pictures Speak A Thousand Words

As part of the relaunch we also undertook a re-brand of the site. It is inspired by some of the design elements of the previous site (keeping the grey-orange colour scheme, and a clear, white background to the text) but adding in some texture using the navigation buttons, and re-thinking the whole approach to the images used on the site.

It's a cliché perhaps, but the power of images to convey meaning, intention and context was put to great use on this site. The photography (which had previously only featured on the home page of the site) was put top and centre on every page. The images were chosen for their professional quality, and their ability to convey a sense of the topic under discussion with a clear sense of gravitas and professionalism.

Getting In Touch

The feedback from the site is managed using a contact form so visitors don't have to use an email program to send a message. To try and prevent too much spam being sent via the new form we've also inserted a CAPTCHA field, which most spambots won't be able to decipher and so should be detered from using the form. This neat piece of code generates an image which contains a series of random letters and numbers which sit on a random background of dots and dashes. The human eye can read these characters, but a machine cannot (yet at least).

Search Engine Optimisation

In addition to the continuing use of Adwords to promote the site, it should now begin performing properly in the organic searches on Google too. The CMS takes care of the Search Engine Optimisation required to give the site the best chance of a good listing on the search engines. In addition we have explained to our client what each part of the SEO should be trying to do, and how to write copy for the site that will maximise the site's performance.

We're really pleased with the new site and are looking forward to seeing how it performs when it has been fully indexed by all the search engines.

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