South Carolina Trial Law Blog

A trial lawyer friend of mine started a blog the other day, but is not a techie like me. He wanted to know why I hired LexBlog to do my weblog hosting. Instead of sending an e-mail, I decided it would make a good post.

1. Professional Design – In the blogosphere, content is King. It doesn’t matter what your site looks like, it matters how you write. True, true. However, many people are not of the blogosphere. I get a few thousand hits a month off Google searches. It’s the people’s first time on the site. First impressions are lasting impressions. If a site is going to reflect my practice, I want it to look good. (In my case, I went beyond the LexBlog design and had the logo professionally designed).
2. Top Level Domain Names –  If I’m going to be on the internet, I want a top level domain name. (e.g. www.SCTrialLaw.com) and not something like DavesBlog.blogspot.com or DavesBlog.typepad.com. I want people to be able to remember the name and get to it easy. The easier I make for them to get to the blog, the more people will visit/read. I know registering a domain and then linking or forwarding a site to that domain name is not that difficult, but I want to spend my time learning how to be a better lawyer, not be a better tech guy.

3. Automatic Links – LexBlog can start off and maintain your blogroll (I maintain mine, albeit sporadically) and in addition to the popular ‘A List’ blogs,  tends to link LexBlog sites to other LexBlog sites. This helps give you a leg up and some linkage when you first get started.
4. Archived by Category – Most of the popular blog sites (typepad and blogger) archive the blog posts by month and not by category. People care what you posted, not when you posted. LexBlog automatically sets up the sites by category and allows you to build a library over a period of time that becomes a much more valuable resource because it’s easily accessed. Add a Google search for the blog (which LexBlog does) and you’re cooking with gas.
5. Credibility – A lot of good legal bloggers have LexBlog sites and there are more every day. So going with LexBlog gives a bit of instant credibility that would take awhile to build on your own. You still have to write good stuff and build the credibility, but it does give you a jump start. Having said that, there are many legal bloggers that started early and have built their credibility from scratch without the LexBlog brand. I don’t want to take anything away from any of them, I just think having a LexBlog site helps a lawyer not to start at Square One.
6. Technical Assistance – There are a myriad of ways technology impacts your weblog. When you want to add different feeds (myYahoo, FeedGator, Bloglines…), when you want to change the design or layout, when you want to add a search feature and so forth.  Most of these things are not that hard to do, but they require time, thought and effort. I like the ability to just pick up the phone and have it done. I don’t want to think about it, or learn about it. I just want it done.
7. Peace of Mind – I’ve given it a lot of thought and I think this is the true value of LexBlog. LexBlog is not that expensive, but it’s not that cheap either. It’s a heckuva lot more than doing it yourself (blogger is free). Most of the things LexBlog does can be done by a web designer for a lower cost. Then why go with LexBlog?? Because they specialize in blogs in general and lawyer blogs specifically. They keep their ear to the ground and stay on top of any new developments. When there’s something new, they get it for you automatically. If you need changes, they do it for you. No problems, no questions asked.
   
   
   

   If you are not tech-minded, you have to rely on someone else to do it for you. I don’t know about you, but I have problems getting a really good computer guy and just when I find one, they move away, move in-house for a corporation or otherwise become unavailable. I like knowing that I have someone that will take care of my blogging needs and puts a lot of time and effort in staying on top of the blogging community and the technology behind it.

   I have a small firm and am tech-minded, but since I stopped programming I don’t set up technology anymore. I know it’s not that hard, but I don’t want to acquire a knowledge basis in technology and computers. I do want to build a knowledge base in trial skills, public speaking, psychology, education, marketing, business and other skills relating to being a trial lawyer and running a trial practice. But I don’t want to spend my thoughts, energy and efforts into becoming a better techie. I want a one stop shop that will be a backstop and will take care of all of my blogging needs and update things when appropriate. Kevin O’Keefe and the gang at LexBlog do that.

   I would especially go with LexBlog if I was going to delegate the task of setting up and designing the weblog.

Excellent design, expertise and peace of mind led me to choose Kevin. Because he offers a turn key product, I can focus on content knowing the rest of the stuff will be handled without my having to give it any thought.

Very nice blog design. We will certainly consider using LexBlog.

Can you spill the prices set by LexBlog???
I think your design is great:)