I’ve come to the conclusion that there are three basic blog layout types. This, after twelve years and several thousand blogs designed. Fixed width, Full width, and a Hybrid layout that combines elements from the first two. Each layout type has its advantages.

A Fixed Width layout is very traditional with all content framed in…

A law blogger publishes an awful lot of content. They put in a lot of time. But is anyone listening? Is the insight you’re sharing helpful?

Until someone walks up to you at a conference and says they really liked a post of yours, often a post from a while ago, you don’t really know. And man it feels good to get a request to connect on LinkedIn along with a personal note letting you know the person asking to connect reads your blog all the time.

Allison Volk, who specializes in creating authority and visibility for businesses, suggests, in a piece in The Huffington Post, to slow down and listen to your audience:

“[I]f someone mentions your blog or comments to you in person, pay attention. We’re generally so overwhelmed with prompts to comment, like and share that we shut it off after a while. How many times have you trolled through your Facebook feed without liking, sharing or commenting? You might even see something you like that gets you thinking and not participate—but it doesn’t mean it hasn’t made an impact on you.”

The bottom line is that we all have an impact on our world. We do influence the people around us, and people are listening, especially if we’re truly sharing something authentic.

If you want to find out whether anyone is listening and to find out from those who are listening how you’re doing, just ask. Talk with your audience.Continue Reading Is your law blog having an impact? Ask your audience

Law blogs published by practicing lawyers, particularly blogs published on niches, improve people’s access to legal services.

“People” refers to any and all of us—consumers, small business people, executive directors, corporate executives and in-house counsel.

I’ve never talked with a lawyer publishing a good law blog who hasn’t found that many of the people who contact her or him felt more comfortable doing so because of the lawyer’s blog.

Makes all the sense in the world.

Imagine looking for doctor in a speciality for a relative in another city. Google the city and the speciality. You’re apt to get hospital and clinic websites done by marketing people.

Areas of Expertise: Dr. B’s expertise includes clinical cardiology, interventional cardiology, echocardiography and nuclear cardiology.
Special Interests: Dr. B has special interest in coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease.
Personal Information: Dr. B enjoys literature, arts and the outdoors.

Really, I am supposed to make a decision on a doctor based on that info or maybe by calling another doctor who will say Dr. B is a good guy and does a nice job in surgery.

Now imagine a doctor who blogged, maybe on their approach to working with patients or on topics advancing the treatment of coronary heart disease by referencing the writings of other doctors in the field, nation and worldwide.

Imagine that doctor’s blog posts being cited by doctors and shared on social media. It happens, even in the most complicated fields.

What do you know in your search for a doctor? This doctor stays up to speed in their field, they’re widely respected by peers, they are a giving person—not only to the medical profession, but to patients and the public.

Who do you trust? Who is more approachable?Continue Reading Law blogs improve access to legal services