14 Feb 8 facts about legal copywriting you need to know
Legal copywriting can be a difficult and tedious task. It takes time to turn cases and statutes into paragraphs and bullet points. And when your website’s content doesn’t immediately grab your reader, it’s all too easy for them to walk away bored, without the answers you know they need.
But don’t despair! Making your content stand out on the internet is easier if you know these eight facts about writing legal webcopy for your website.
1. Size matters
Only write as much as you need to get the key messages across. Usually, this means keeping things short. Not just in wordcount, but also paragraph size, sentence length and topic scope. Nobody wants to read a wall of text that goes on … and on. There is more than enough reading in the legal profession as it is! So, opt for small paragraphs, each with several short sentences to help you convey the bite-sized essential information quickly and effectively.
2. You only get one first impression
Get to the point as fast as possible to maximise reader engagement – and therefore reader retention. In the first sentence, establish the topic and why the reader should keep reading. Front-loading important information helps readers determine if your article is what they’re looking for. Signalling relevance is king.
3. Subheadings rock
Break your content into manageable chunks to create digestible packets of information that are easy to skim. This makes it easier for readers to extract what they find relevant. Informative subheadings are perfect for this: they make your information easier to process and navigate. Using them in conjunction with a clear structure allows readers to easily parse your copy.
4. Boredom is death
Attention spans are much smaller online. You might have as little as 1 second to grab your reader. The fastest way to lose your reader’s interest or make them frustrated is to present unnecessary information. Clogging your blog feed with dry, useless articles like news updates or the particulars of case law will only turn them away from the important articles you need them to read. Here’s a tip: if you want to post something and it could be categorised as “general FYI”, then STOP! If you can’t make a topic explicitly relevant for a specific kind of client, then it won’t be worth anyone-in-particular’s while to pay attention to it. In a similar vein, make sure your writing itself is direct and has a clear one-topic focus.
5. Your readers aren’t lawyers
Law is filled with jargon, confusing terminology and the occasional bit of Latin. Yes, this helps in a courtroom when specificity is important, but it harms your communication goals when talking to the layperson, i.e. the clients who pay your bills. Avoid jargon as much as you can, and make sure not to overwhelm your reader with technical legalese. In short, make things as simple as possible … but no simpler.
6: … but they aren’t thick
A clear writing style doesn’t mean you have to dumb things down or be simplistic. It’s important you achieve your goal of communicating deeply and usefully about a sophisticated topic. Making complicated topics seem more straightforward takes some work. There is a fine line between keeping someone engaged and drowning them in information. Rule of thumb: if the article makes sense without it, then leave it out. You can’t give your readers everything. If you still need to turn a topic from broad information into particular advice, direct the readers to your site’s Contact Us page and move on with the article.
7. Accuracy above all
The worst possible result of your writing is to leave readers misinformed. Making sure all your facts are not only correct but clearly conveyed to avoid misinterpretation is paramount. Fact-checking, re-reading and proofing your webcopy will help avoid obvious errors (and most typos).
8. We live in the future
It’s important to consider that your readers aren’t all real people. Most of them are algorithms. The way a lot of readers find legal websites is through a search engine. This means that to even be displayed in the results requires techniques like search engine optimisation (SEO). Making your content SEO-friendly helps put your words in front of real people.
Making legal copywriting work harder
At SASA, we always say that the best type of content is the type that puts the reader first. The easier it is for readers to find, read and understand your content, the more successful your online presence will become. A professional website does more than lift your online brand: it is a reflection of the professionalism you bring to your clients every day.
To find out more, get in touch with us via info@searchandsite.com.au.
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