Rosenthal DUI & Medical Marijuana Law Firm

Congratulations to the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal.  His website has successfully been at the top of search results for over a year now.  He has one of the top Criminal law sites in Colorado and as a result of such high placement has been able to help those accused of crimes, both felonies and misdemeanors get the best possible outcome and results.

Marketing Your Law Practice in Tough Economic Times

These are tough economic times and marketing your law practice is more important now than ever before.  Your decision to keep doing the same thing that is not working or not doing anything at all is simply not going to work.  You need to embrace the marketing and advertising that is available to you today. And let me tell you, these options are better than ever and can produce results that are superior to the advertising of yesterday.  But please keep in mind that the more avenues you can help people find you at the better off your practice will be.  But not every firm can do it all, TV, yellow pages, newspaper and of course Internet.  I believe very strongly that the Internet has the best bang for your buck.  Why?  Because you can create a presence that is both effective and has an extremely strong return on your investment.
I talk to a lot of attorneys on a regular basis and one of the common threads amongst attorneys that do not advertise or do very little advertising is they seem to be struggling more than the attorneys that have a solid marketing plan. 
There are a lot of good companies out there that can provide you with the right marketing plans.  Do your homework though.  If you are meeting with a web development firm make sure they can actually provide your firm with an effective online presence.  What do I mean by effective?  Simple, it will mke money for your practice.  A question I get from almost every attorney I meet with is how do I know who to trust or who can d the job.  There is actually a simple answer for that as well.  Remember, anyone can tell you anything.  Anyone can make a promise.  Simply ask the Internet Marketing Firm you are speaking with you to provide that they are getting results for their current clients.  YOU, as the attorney should type the phrases into Google yourself so you are sure no manipulation is being done (after all you will be spending your hard earned money so it's ok to be sure they are good).

"Tablet" Computers - How Can an Attorney Utilize These New Devices?

With the introduction of the Applie iPad last week and with companies like HP coming out with similar devices people everywhere are asking how they can justify buying one of these devices and how can they best utilize them?
Well, for attorneys I believe there is a very strong application for such products.  Instead of having t carry all your files into court why not bring one of the new tablets with you instead loaded with all the information you need to help you win your case.  The only drawback so far is the inability to actually write on such a device. 
I do believe that this scenario will start to play itself out over the next several years and will be much more common place than people may be imagining. 

Also, with Google Scholar readily available you can look up information ASAP without having to carry your laptop with you everywhere.

Free US Case Law from Google! - US Federal + 50 State Case Law

Starting November 17, 2009, Google has placed full text legal opinions from the US Federal and State district, appellate and supreme courts using Google Scholar. You can find these opinions by searching for cases (like Planned Parenthood v. Casey), or by topics (like desegregation) or other queries that you are interested in. For example, go to Google Scholar, click on the "Legal opinions and journals" radio button, and try the query separate but equal.

This provides all citizens with a way to learn about the laws that govern us all.  You can explore citing and related cases using the Cited by and Related articles linkson search result pages. As you read an opinion, you can follow citations to the opinions to which it refers. You can also see how individual cases have been quoted or discussed in other opinions and in articles from law journals. Browse these by clicking on the "How Cited" link next to the case title.

Advanced Scholar Search screenshot:

Official Google Blog: Finding the laws that govern us

Official Google Blog: Finding the laws that govern us

ANSWER YOUR PHONE WHEN IT RINGS!! REPLY TO YOUR EMAIL ASAP!!!

This is an article by Tim Ash posted January 11, 2010 in regards to how CRITICAL it is to answer your phone ASAP or reeply to an email immediately, not 20 or 30 minutes from when you get it but NOW.  Why?  Well according to the article by Tim Ash once someone fills out a form and sends it in is probably the most critical point you have with landing that individual as a client.

You have a few choices, call them on the phone or email them back.  Tim doesn't think placing a call is the best use of your time, unless you call within five minutes.  I agree and disagree.  I believe that if you are able to call them, then do so but do it within five minutes.  The chances of them also contacting other attorneys is HUGE.  Don't miss an opportunity.

If you are not able to call them within a few minutes of getting their message then do the next best thing and send them a personal email. What's that you say?  Your phone does not get email???  Are you kidding.  You have NO excuse for not getting email on your phone AND being able to respond.  Come join us in the year 2010. 

So this article by Tim says that delaying your first-dial response time from 5 to just 30 minutes decreases your chances of qualifying the lead by 21 times!  WOW!!!!
Even delaying the first-dial from 5 minutes to 10 will cut your lead qualification percentage by a factor of four.
This information comes from a joint study between M.I.T. and InsideSales.com (download the whitepaper)
So if you thought you could take your time contacting potential clients I hope this blog helps you realize that by doing you will be losing clients. 

You can always call me to discuss this further.  You can find my contact information on my website for legal marketing.

Tips for Hiring a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Firm

If you are an attorney looking to get business from the Internet then you need to hire the right SEO firm.  You need to make sure they understand what it takes to be successful online.

The following (in Googles words) are what you need to do to hire the RIGHT SEO for your practice:

SEO is an acronym for "search engine optimization" or "search engine optimizer." Deciding to hire an SEO is a big decision that can potentially improve your site and save time, but you can also risk damage to your site and reputation. Make sure to research the potential advantages as well as the damage that an irresponsible SEO can do to your site. Many SEOs and other agencies and consultants provide useful services for website owners, including:

• Review of your site content or structure
• Technical advice on website development: for example, hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript
• Content development
• Management of online business development campaigns
• Keyword research
• SEO training
• Expertise in specific markets and geographies

If you're thinking about hiring an SEO, the earlier the better. A great time to hire is when you're considering a site redesign, or planning to launch a new site. That way, you and your SEO can ensure that your site is designed to be search engine-friendly from the bottom up. However, a good SEO can also help improve an existing site.
Some useful questions to ask an SEO include:

• Can you show me examples of your previous work and share some success stories?
• Do you follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines?
• Do you offer any online marketing services or advice to complement your organic search business?
• What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe? How do you measure your success?
• What's your experience in my industry?
• What's your experience in my country/city?
• What's your experience developing international sites?
• What are your most important SEO techniques?
• How long have you been in business?
• How can I expect to communicate with you? Will you share with me all the changes you make to my site, and provide detailed information about your recommendations and the reasoning behind them?

While SEOs can provide clients with valuable services, some unethical SEOs have given the industry a black eye through their overly aggressive marketing efforts and their attempts to manipulate search engine results in unfair ways. Practices that violate our guidelines may result in a negative adjustment of your site's presence in Google, or even the removal of your site from our index. Here are some things to consider:

• Be wary of SEO firms and web consultants or agencies that send you email out of the blue.Amazingly, we get these spam emails too:
  
  

  "Dear google.com,
  I visited your website and noticed that you are not listed in most of the major search engines and directories..."
  

  Reserve the same skepticism for unsolicited email about search engines as you do for "burn fat at night" diet pills or requests to help transfer funds from deposed dictators.
  
  
  
  
• No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google. There is no priority submit for Google. In fact, the only way to submit a site to Google directly is through our Add URL page or by submitting aSitemap and you can do this yourself at no cost whatsoever.
  
  
• Be careful if a company is secretive or won't clearly explain what they intend to do.Ask for explanations if something is unclear. If an SEO creates deceptive or misleading content on your behalf, such as doorway pages or "throwaway" domains, your site could be removed entirely from Google's index. Ultimately, you are responsible for the actions of any companies you hire, so it's best to be sure you know exactly how they intend to "help" you. If an SEO has FTP access to your server, they should be willing to explain all the changes they are making to your site.
  
  
• You should never have to link to an SEO.Avoid SEOs that talk about the power of "free-for-all" links, link popularity schemes, or submitting your site to thousands of search engines. These are typically useless exercises that don't affect your ranking in the results of the major search engines -- at least, not in a way you would likely consider to be positive.
  
  
• Choose wisely.While you consider whether to go with an SEO, you may want to do some research on the industry. Google is one way to do that, of course. You might also seek out a few of the cautionary tales that have appeared in the press, including this article on one particularly aggressive SEO: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002002970_nwbizbriefs12.html. While Google doesn't comment on specific companies, we've encountered firms calling themselves SEOs who follow practices that are clearly beyond the pale of accepted business behavior. Be careful.
  
  
• Be sure to understand where the money goes.While Google never sells better ranking in our search results, several other search engines combine pay-per-click or pay-for-inclusion results with their regular web search results. Some SEOs will promise to rank you highly in search engines, but place you in the advertising section rather than in the search results. A few SEOs will even change their bid prices in real time to create the illusion that they "control" other search engines and can place themselves in the slot of their choice. This scam doesn't work with Google because our advertising is clearly labeled and separated from our search results, but be sure to ask any SEO you're considering which fees go toward permanent inclusion and which apply toward temporary advertising.
  
  
• What are the most common abuses a website owner is likely to encounter?
One common scam is the creation of "shadow" domains that funnel users to a site by using deceptive redirects. These shadow domains often will be owned by the SEO who claims to be working on a client's behalf. However, if the relationship sours, the SEO may point the domain to a different site, or even to a competitor's domain. If that happens, the client has paid to develop a competing site owned entirely by the SEO. Another illicit practice is to place "doorway" pages loaded with keywords on the client's site somewhere. The SEO promises this will make the page more relevant for more queries. This is inherently false since individual pages are rarely relevant for a wide range of keywords. More insidious, however, is that these doorway pages often contain hidden links to the SEO's other clients as well. Such doorway pages drain away the link popularity of a site and route it to the SEO and its other clients, which may include sites with unsavory or illegal content.
• What are some other things to look out for?
There are a few warning signs that you may be dealing with a rogue SEO. It's far from a comprehensive list, so if you have any doubts, you should trust your instincts. By all means, feel free to walk away if the SEO:
• owns shadow domains
• puts links to their other clients on doorway pages
• offers to sell keywords in the address bar
• doesn't distinguish between actual search results and ads that appear on search results pages
• guarantees ranking, but only on obscure, long keyword phrases you would get anyway
• operates with multiple aliases or falsified WHOIS info
• gets traffic from "fake" search engines, spyware, or scumware
• has had domains removed from Google's index or is not itself listed in Google

• Any questions you may have please don't hesitate to call Jon Reiter at 303-947-1737.  He can help you in your online marketing decisions.

Jon Clarke - Business Bankruptcy Attorney in Denver

Andres Guevara - DUI Roadside Stops

SEO Best Practices: 20 Questions

I found this article at ClickZ and thought it was a great article on what needs to be done to a website for it to have a chance at success on the Internet.  The article was written by P.J. Fusco.

There are all sorts of tried-and-true SEO (define) tactics that can be used to ensure your site is successfully crawled, indexed, and positioned in the major search engines. Though SEO tactics evolve with the technologies used to render Web sites, certain fundamentals remain constant.

How can you tell if your site adheres to current SEO best practices?   Let's start with some honest answers to the following questions:

• Are the keywords you're targeting relevant to site content? Are targeted keywords popular phrases used in search engine queries?
• Do page titles start with your targeted keywords?
• Does your site employ H1 header tags for prominent content titles?
• Is your permanent body copy contextually sufficient and keyword-rich?
• Do text links include targeted keywords that point users to pages within your site?
• Do you use CSS (define) image replacement in graphical navigation on the site?
• Do graphics used in the site have descriptive, keyword-rich alternative attributes that are useful for visitors?
• Does your Web site have a site map with text links?
• Do the URLs of your dynamic, database-driven pages look simple and static?
• Does your site have a flat directory structure?
• Do your site's home page and other key category pages have PageRanks?
• Is your site listed in Open Directory?
• Do you routinely list your site in other trusted, human-reviewed online directories?
• Do all the pages in your Web site have keyword-rich meta descriptions?
• Does your site have a custom error page?
• Do the site's filenames and directory names include targeted keywords?
• Does your site avoid using pop-ups?
• Is the exact same content visible to both users and search engine spiders?
• Do you avoid free-for-all linking offers?

If you answered "yes" to all or most of the above questions, your Web site embraces some of the most common elements essential to SEO best practices. If you're unsure about some of the answers, consider the following additional information.

There's no point in angling for high rankings on keywords and keyword phrases no one searches for. If you're not certain what keywords your site's well positioned for, start digging through your referrer logs or Web analytics data to determine which search engines send your site considerable traffic for which phrases.

If you can't access your log files and search engine referral data, use a tag cloud generator to get some visual clues as to how the search engines interpret your pages. You might be surprised as to what any particular page in your site is actually optimized for.

Most subscription-based keyword analysis tools offer a free trial period. You can readily compare keyword popularity using tools such as WordTracker, KeywordDiscovery, and Yahoo's Keyword Selector Tool before deciding what phrases could send you considerable search-referred traffic.

Despite the popularity of individual words, it's best to target two- or three-word phrases on a page-by-page basis. Because of the vast number of Web pages indexed by the major search engines, competing for a listing or two on the first or second SERP (define) for a one-word keyword is a losing battle. Trying to make one page optimal for a multitude of unrelated keyword phrases is almost equally fruitless.

It should go without saying, but the keywords you select to target should be relevant to your business and your site's content. Permanent body text should consist of at least two to three sentences on every page, ideally more. Opportunities vary from industry to industry. At the very least, try to build about 250 words into key category pages.

Of course, site structure plays a large role in how well your site's indexed. The search engines have improved their ability to crawl through dynamic URLs, yet static URL structures tend to rank better. Flash and AJAX (define) present additional search engine visibility issues that can't be addressed in this brief column.

If you have an all-Flash site and answered "yes" to visible text links, you may want to reconsider your answer. Use the control-A function in your browser to see what words are really visible on a page, or use Zippy to take a deeper look at what any particular page or site is actually optimized for.

Better rankings come with better linking. Better linking starts within your site. Having a site map is a no-brainer, as are nongraphical site-wide navigation, footers, and related deep links.

Pursuing well-ranked inbound links is an art form and an ongoing endeavor for nearly every Web site. Just make certain you execute on the fundamentals first, which should include submissions to key directories. Once your site is listed in DMOZ, the Yahoo Search Directory, Gimpsy, JoeAnt, and the like, continually grow you inbound links with vertical directories, local listings, business partners, vendors, and so on.

Implementing the 20 most fundamental elements of SEO best practices (or at least most of them) and avoiding the dregs of worst practices should provide you with a straightforward approach to better visibility for your Web site in the major search engines.

Jared Adams - Attorney at Law

Aggressive Criminal Defense and Dedicated Debt Relief


The Adams Law Firm LLC is a full service law firm with two primary areas of practice: criminal defense and consumer bankruptcy. Whether you have been charged with an offense or are seeking relief from your financial troubles, The Adams Law Firm LLC can provide you with personalized and competent representation to help resolve your situation.
At The Adams Law Firm LLC, attorney Jared Adams leverages a wide breadth of legal knowledge and extensive public speaking and negotiation experience to provide dedicated legal support to clients throughout Colorado. Whether you need assistance with overwhelming debt or have been charged with a crime, attorney Jared Adams' knowledge, passion, and personalized approach will help you find the resolutions you desire.
To schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your bankruptcy or criminal defense needs, contact The Adams Law Firm LLC online or call 720-381-3168 or toll free 888-858-2134 today.
Knowledgeable Representation Tailored to Your Specific Needs

Denver attorney Jared Adams understands that no two legal situations are exactly the same — your criminal charges or financial situation are unique to you. With that in mind, he will work diligently to carefully examine your situation before offering the advice you need to make educated decisions about how to deal with your specific issues.
Moreover, Jared Adams firmly believes that knowledge is power and always strives to provide you with as much information on your options as possible. After all, you will ultimately determine the course of his representation by the decisions you make.
Contact Attorney Jared Adams for the Personal Attention You Deserve

With so much riding on a successful resolution to your legal situation, you need to know that your lawyer will do whatever it takes to help you achieve the best possible result.
To schedule a free consultation to discuss your specific legal needs, contact attorney Jared Adams. Call 720-381-3168 or toll free 888-858-2134 to speak with an attorney today.
We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.

Andres Guevara - Denver, Colorado Attorney - Do I Need to Speak with an Attorney?

You Can’t Rely on the Yellow Pages Alone: Success Strategies for a New Era of Law Firm Marketing

Years ago there were two ways attorneys and clients found each other — referrals, and the Yellow Pages book that was by everyone’s phone. Times have changed, and while word-of-mouth is still one of the best practice-development tools out there, usage of the print Yellow Pages is declining in many parts of the country. Today, we’re in a new era of law firm marketing and there are many additional marketing channels that law firms can consider to reach new clients.

Why is ad spending on the print Yellow Pages down and expected to decrease another 39 percent over the next five years, according to Borrell Associates(1)? This is partly because for you as an attorney, it’s not an ideal way to promote your law firm anymore. New varieties of Yellow Pages books appear in the mailbox every month it seems due to large books splitting into smaller books or new entrants to your particular market. This makes it increasingly difficult for law firms to determine in which book(s) to advertise. Plus, the format of the books makes it tough to separate your firm from your competition, as the advertisements tend to look similar and offer limited space in which to share your firm’s unique attributes.

More importantly, like other printed information the Yellow Pages have been eclipsed by the Internet, which offers the legal industry much more in terms of information quantity, quality, and creative flexibility. In a 2008 survey about local search user behavior, search engines (e.g., Google) have pulled ahead of print yellow pages as the leading source for local business information.(2)

Consider that today 80% of us have home computers(3), and 55% have high-speed Internet access4. If you need a lawyer, going online allows you to make smart, well-informed decisions. If you are a lawyer, the power of the Internet to reach prospects and provide them with compelling information about your firm can’t be beat. But as Web-savvy attorneys know, it’s not enough to simply launch a Web site. In this new era of law firm marketing, it’s important to think critically about all the ways you connect with consumers — Yellow Pages, the Web, and others — and how you can communicate better, distinguish yourself from competitors, and bottom line, attract and gain new clients. Here are nine law firm marketing keys to success for your firm to consider:

#1: Stay in the book, but be strategic. Keeping your contact information in the print Yellow Pages can still be worthwhile for prospects who are hunting for your phone number, or who just aren’t comfortable using the Internet. This is particularly true for non-metropolitan or rural areas. But is a color ad in every print directory really differentiating your firm — or are you better served with a simple, black-and-white listing in a few select books, and channeling the savings to other diverse marketing tactics? Cast a wide net to catch more fish!

#2: Consider bundling, but as a limited solution. To capitalize on the Internet’s popularity, most Yellow Pages providers now offer print and online directory advertising bundled together. That can be an effective way to expand your reach, but note that an online directory listing is only one piece of an effective Web presence, not a complete strategy. Legal marketing is unique, and your marketing plan should encompass not only directories but also a Web site complete with search-engine optimization and tailored content and design that has the unique needs of legal prospects in mind.

1 Borrell Associates, “Say Goodbye to Yellow Pages, July 2008
2 http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Tmp-Directional-Marketing-908381.html 
3 http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0908456.html 
4 Pew Internet & American Life Project, July 2008

#3: Invest time in your site. You have a law practice to run, but even a few hours a month can go a long way in keeping the content on your Web site fresh, relevant and visible. Adding a newsletter, commentary or blog posting on a current legal topics or cases, or even an automated news feed (which many online providers can arrange for you) — all are effective, non-time-intensive ways to avoid becoming just another Web site that collects virtual dust. Why is that important? Updated site content appeals to both of your key Web site audiences: potential clients and leading search engines, such as Google. Search engines factor in the freshness and relevancy of your information to determine search rankings, so frequent updates are important.

#4: Own your niche. Online, being all things to all people is a great way to reach no one. Instead, differentiate your firm by zeroing in on what makes you unique — your approach to cases, background in law enforcement, Spanish-language expertise — and communicate it in the same keywords, phrases, and visuals online that you would use to connect with prospects when they’re in your law office. One good option: maintain a practice page on your site devoted exclusively to one of the firm’s key areas of expertise. Focused Web sites are more likely to succeed, and the same applies for the other channels you use to promote your firm.

#5: Make a strong first impression. Consider a potential client who gets three referrals and goes online to check them out. Realistically, you’ve got 5–10 seconds to hold that prospect on your site and potentially convert into a client. A Web site filled with informative content is great, but to keep prospects from clicking away to the competition, you must ensure your site is also well-designed for search engines, and most importantly, is easy to navigate for people with all levels of Web experience and legal knowledge.

#6: Reach prospects in new, high-impact ways. Online video and blogs are examples of fast-emerging law firm marketing tools that consumers love. They’re interactive and personal and they dispel the intimidation factor people feel when considering to hire an attorney. Nearly 60% of consumers, for example, say online video makes them more likely to contact a particular firm(5). To take full advantage of a technology like video, however, it’s key to work with a company that knows the legal industry and how to effectively disseminate your message to search engines and popular third-party Web sites.

#7: Use pay-per-click selectively. With pay-per-click, you select a search term relevant to your practice, then pay for a link ad to appear when prospects type in that term. If they click your link, you get charged a set fee. These links are grouped together on results pages, separate from the free (organic) results.

Pay-per-click can be useful as part of a well-rounded online strategy, particularly if your practice is highly specialized. But only 1 in 7 Web users click paid links,(6) so it’s clear there’s not yet a high level of acceptance. Keeping your site updated, providing strong content and design, and adding compelling information tools like online video and blogs should be your firm’s main focus.

#8: Choose the right online provider. You want an online presence that works, but you don’t want to spend all day working on it. If you’re considering partnering with an online provider, the key questions to ask are: 1) does the company provide local representation, so you can get someone to stop by to help you if you need it?; and 2) do they focus exclusively on the marketing for law firms, so you don’t have to settle for a generic, one-size-fits-all solution?

#9: Expand your network. Write articles for your bar association journal. Create a newsletter, or buy one from a company that will create one for you. Get involved in online communities like LinkedIn or FaceBook. Disseminate your message and firm value in many and varied ways rather than relying exclusively on the Yellow Pages or even a Web site to get your message out to potential clients.

5 FindLaw Consumer Online Study, 2007 6 Jupiter Research; Esquiro “Inside the Mind of the Searcher”
Sometimes, it’s a numbers game, so evaluate how often you’re promoting your firm through creative ways your competitors may not be. There are many options to choose from. Attorneys that use them strategically, and don’t allow their marketing effort to stagnate, have a terrific opportunity to generate leads and earn more well-qualified new clients, ultimately delivering the firm a steady stream of revenue.

J. Patrick Rieder - Criminal Defense Attorney - Colorado Springs, CO

Congratulations to J. Patrick Rieder on the release of his new website in Coloroad Springs, COlorado.  Whether you are looking to take action in a military matter or looking for a legal advocate in a criminal law case, it is important to contact an experienced attorney to provide guidance and look out for your best interests. Call the Law Office of J. Patrick Rieder, LLC at 719-387-7534 or contact them online to schedule a free initial consultation.

Worldwide Representation for Military Law

At their Colorado Springs law office, they have the experience to assist clients with a variety of military law needs. Attorney J. Patrick Rieder brings a unique perspective to the practice having served in the military for 22 years, ten of those years as a JAG officer. Additionally, he served in the military police for 12 years and as a law professor at the Air Force Academy for four years.

Andres Guevara - DUI Roadside Stops

David Koppa - Attorney at Law - Colorado Springs

Congratrulations to David Koppa of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Attorney Koppa is a Family Law attorney with the experience and knowledge to help you in your time of need.

Michael Meurer - Greenwood Village, CO Bankruptcy & Estate Planning Attorney

Congrats to Michael Meurer of Greenwood Village, Colorado in the Denver Metro area. His Bankruptcy website was just released today and we look forward tot he results his site will be able to provide him.

Michael also practices Estate Planning and looks forward to speaking with you about your life planning needs.

Andres Guevara - Sentencing Concerns Video

Andres Guevara - Sentencing Concerns Video

John Turner - Bankrutpcy Attorney - Colorado Springs

Congrats to The Law Office of John Turner on the addition of optimized video to his website. The videos look great and should help in converting more potential clients into actual clients.