The Beginning

No, this is not a CD for the Black-Eyed Peas.  And I am not going to the very beginning.

The beginning for my purposes is when, after moving my practice from Northeastern Ohio to Columbus, I decided that I needed to create some sort of web presence.  In the past I had claimed myself in a number of lawyer directories, and I was getting plenty of work from that, but I needed to have a real live website.

My experience in the past had been mostly frustration with the whole thing.  I had a website when I ran for Judge once.  I had a friend set it up, but it all seemed so complicated.  And then when I wanted quick updates, it was impossible.  I had to wait until my friend was available to make the changes.  I just felt like the experience was overwhelming.

Then I remembered that I survived law school, that I am not a stupid person, and that I could probably figure it out.  It was a Friday night, and I was bound and determined to get the site up by Monday.  I searched the 'net to find ways to do it myself.  Eventually, I came up with Yahoo Web Hosting.  It provided me with templates and did the designing for me.  That was wonderful.  I loved clicking on different designs and trying to figure out how the whole thing would look.  Once the tech side of it was under control, I then realized that the key was content.

I really struggled with content.  At first, I looked at other sites and thought, okay, I should just re-create what they have, only for my particular situation.  I wanted it to look "professional".  I started writing, but it just didn't seem to work for me.  I could go on and on about different family law matters, but realized that I had to put so many caveats into it that it made my content bulky and difficult to follow.

Finally, I realized that I had to decide who I am and what I wanted people to see about me.  I am a passionate advocate for my client, I am knowledgeable about special needs concerns, I am willing to take on even the most difficult and painful cases.

Once I found my voice, content became easy for me.  I just wrote in the same way that I would speak to a client, careful to explain things well and yet making sure that people understood that these matters are very fact driven.  I also knew that because I did a lot of work with domestic violence, I wanted certain language in place to help guide a person in that position.  I imagined that I was someone looking for a Columbus lawyer in the middle of the night, and I tried to understand what that person wants.  For family law, I decided it was important to find someone that they could relate to, that they felt would listen to them and then advocate for them.  I could not be all things to all people, because that would be too generic.  I also had to be true to myself, because I think people can smell a rat.

For each section I wrote, I did scour the internet to get examples and styles.  I worked on this all in one weekend, and I was able to get the site published by Monday.  Was it perfect?  No.  But it was out there.  I let people know about it, listened to their comments and, even to this day, I am constantly tweeking the site.

I am very happy with Yahoo Web Hosting.  It even has analytics!  (I didn't even know what that was until many months after I put the site up!)  Over the next month, I added a blog and a few other things to the site.  I have even added video, but that changes over time, too.  I understand now that my website is a flexible tool that I can change when needed.  I have learned to edit myself before posting.  I try to remember that everyone, even that one judge or lawyer that I am not getting along with well at this time, will have access to the blog.

And so what has happened?  Well, people do find the website but they do not necessarily hire me from the web site.  When I talk to a potential client, he or she will tell me that they found me on the internet, but they can't be more specific.  When they start saying things like the remember reading something about me, then I can pin down where it came from.  That is why I try to give out information a little differently in each venue.  If someone clicks around the internet and only finds the same old information, they are not having a feeling of learning more about you.  (Worse is finding a page that says "under construction." )

And then there is Twitter and Facebook!  I blog about those next.

What about you?  What was your first website experience like?  Or are you not quite there? Do you have a chance to set one up through your internet provider but you don't have the time?  I would love to hear about other people's experiences.

By the way, the website is www.makowskilaw.com.  Check it out and let me know what you think.