How much Does a Law Firm Website Cost?

Gone are the days when law firms and attorneys didn't have websites and relied on means such as Yellow Pages, print media, and expensive television advertising to attract new clients. Nowadays, more and more lawyers understand the importance of having an online presence and a professional website. 

Whether you are a new law firm that needs to create its website or an established firm looking to redesign the existing one, the main question often is how much it will cost. Answering this question is not an easy task: on one side, there are agencies charging a fortune and promising the world. On the other, there's always that friend-of-a-friend who offers to do it for peanuts.

The choice can be confusing, but think about this: if all you want from your website is for people who already know about you to be able to find information about your law firm, like your contacts or links to your social media pages, then you don't need to spend a lot of money. But if your website isn’t just an online brochure but a reflection of your firm's professionalism, experience, and commitment to its clients, and you want it to generate leads, you will have to invest more. In the latter case, you also have to understand that simply creating or upgrading your website is not sufficient - effective website marketing requires consistent investments in content marketing and SEO.

So, what are the main factors that influence the price of a law firm's website?  The cost of building a law firm website varies greatly depending on the qualifications of specialists building the website and other factors, such as the complexity of the design, website features and functionality required, and the level of desired customization.

Qualification of Specialists

If you're a solo practitioner on a tight budget and are comfortable with learning new technologies, there is nothing wrong with the DIY approach. If you use a website-creating platform or builder (e.g., WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, etc.), check their plans, and pricing, whether the hosting, SSL, and domain are included in the plans. All-in-one builders will handle the technical details and hosting, letting you design your website without worrying about these complexities. With this approach, you can expect to receive a basic website that people who already know about you will use to find you on the net and get your information. Keep in mind that website functionality may be limited, which will impact lead generation. Additionally, don't expect your website to have optimal performance.

Your next option is to hire a freelancer, which is a suitable approach for budget-conscious solo practitioners and small firms who don't want to spend hours practicing their web design and development skills. You can search for web designers who can get the job done on sites like Upwork or Fever. Once you find freelancers who suit your requirements, check their work portfolios to see if their previous projects meet your aesthetic style and if they have already designed websites for lawyers. Give them more direction by providing links to other websites in your industry that inspire you. Be precise when discussing what you're looking for, the number of pages, and defining the project scope and responsibilities. With this approach, you can expect to receive a website that looks great and may even occasionally generate new leads.

Finally, if your law firm is established and you need a website that will serve its primary purpose of generating leads, then hiring a website design agency is your best option, albeit the most expensive. Creating such a website is more than just creating web pages with a nice design. It is about creating a robust system that includes website analytics, visitor tracking, search engine optimization, and more. Website design agencies not only create websites based on required features but also have SEO specialists, copywriters for content needs, and other marketing experts to handle branding and digital marketing requirements. Although not every big agency is good, when choosing the right website development partners, you can expect to receive a superior website that will generate significant new cases for your firm.

Design

A professional, visually appealing design of a law firm's website often defines the first impression that potential clients will have about your firm. Modern website builders such as Wix or Squarespace allow designing websites with little to no coding experience and offer templates you can use to build your website, ranging from those that are free of charge to those costing just a few hundred dollars. These templates can be customized for content and functionality to a limited extent. You can try a DIY approach or hire a freelancer to create a template-based website. 

While using website builders is an inexpensive and convenient option, as you have a fully functional website that comes with basic features and functionalities, only with custom-built websites can you incorporate as many additional features as you want and have complete control and flexibility over your website. With complete customization you can expect your website to have a unique design aesthetic that truly reflects your firm's brand. For instance, you can have high-quality video, animations, interactive elements, and unique design layouts that may not be possible with template-based solutions. Besides, custom websites often have cleaner code bases, resulting in faster loading times and better performance. Designing and developing custom web pages requires the expertise of experienced designers and developers, which results in higher costs, starting at least from a few thousand dollars.

Functionality and Features

If you want your website to not only provide information but also allow users to perform tasks, adding such functionalities, their number, and complexity will have the greatest impact on the cost of your law firm's website design. Some of the functionalities you may need on your website include online appointment scheduling, client intake forms, live chat, payment gateways, secure client portals, case results databases, email captures, and special search features. Customizing these features will also impact the overall cost of the website.

Content 

Attractive and informative content is an important part of your website and can significantly impact the overall cost. It includes writing attorney biographies, practice area descriptions, blog posts, case studies, industry updates, and other relevant information. If you want your website to serve as a marketing and lead-generation tool, you must invest in compelling content. Content creation costs can vary depending on whether a firm writes the content in-house, hires a freelance writer, or works with a content agency. Depending on the skills, background, portfolio, and experience of the copywriter or marketing agency you hire, you can expect to pay a couple hundred dollars or more per page. If you're redesigning your website and have existing content, it will be necessary to migrate the existing content to the new design. While migration can be automated, unstructured content may require manual refinement. The cost will depend on the volume of data that needs to be migrated.

So, what are the rough figures?

Up to about $500 you can expect to pay if you opt for a DIY approach with any website builder. Expect to receive just a working website for your existing client's contact references. 

The price covers:

• Custom Domain, if you don’t want to go with a free subdomain (e.g., yoursite.wixsite.com or yoursite.wordpress.com), will cost about $2-$25 per year depending on extension (e.g., .com, .net, .org).

• Web hosting: Most website builders include hosting as part of their service, but if you opt for a custom domain or need additional hosting features, it will cost about $40-$150 per year

• SSL Certificate – $0 (free with some hosting providers) - $60 on average

• Website Template or Theme: Many website builders offer free templates or themes that you can use to design your website. However, if you want access to premium templates with more advanced features or customization options, you may need to pay between $0 and $150.

$1,000-$3,000 you can expect to pay if you opt for a freelancer who can do the basic website. You shouldn't expect any custom design, advanced functionality, or unique content for this price. 

• If you expect to spend as low as $1,000, you will receive only a templated website containing the bare essentials. 

• A slightly increased budget often covers template-based designs with basic features and limited customization. While cost-effective, this option may lack the unique branding and functionality crucial for larger firms or those seeking to stand out. 

$2,500 to $50,000 or even more you can expect to pay if you opt for hiring a professional website agency. The cost will largely depend on whether you require advanced content formats such as video and interactive graphics or professional photography, how much new content you require, and whether you need advanced features such as payment gateways or CRM integration. 

• For mid-range $5,000-$15,000, you can expect a custom-designed website with more tailored features, improved user experience, and SEO optimization. It can have a professional aesthetic look and targeted functionality like blog sections, contact forms, SEO optimization, client testimonials, and secure client portals. 

• For a premium range $15,000-$50,000, you can expect a custom-designed website that already caters to complex website needs, including intricate case management systems, multilingual capabilities, and advanced marketing integrations. 

Bottom line:

When deciding how much you want to spend on your website, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, as you need to consider your needs, budget, and growth goals. There's a big difference between a do-it-yourself, freelancer, and professionally built website. However, you have a better understanding of what level of attention your website requires. If you want your law firm's website to be a lead-generation tool that will add value to your business, you should expect it to cost at least somewhere in the $10,000 to $20,000 range. Moreover, building such a website is just the beginning and requires ongoing maintenance. But remember that your website is not just another expense; it is more of an investment into one of the main mediums to get more business back.