Expert SEO & Web Design Tips for Real Estate Law Firms

SEO Explained: Be Visible When Clients Are Searching For Help

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) fuels your online visibility. For real estate lawyers, SEO ensures your firm is found by the right people for the right services in the right location.

(A) Search Engine Optimization For Lawyers – SEO Jargon Decoded

Fundamentally, search engine optimization (SEO) is the art and science of improving a site’s ranking (position) on organic (unpaid) search engine results pages (SERPs), such as Google or Bing. The goal is to present your law firm as the most relevant, useful and authoritative solution, when someone searches for a real estate legal service.

This is important because the higher the ranking, the greater the traffic generated to your website – and more importantly, the more qualified the traffic since it optimizes real estate focused user interest in the services offered by the firm. You’re helping people at the exact moment they’re looking for you. Plus, SEO is more cost-effective over the long term relative to paid search advertising.

Do not confuse the result of an SEO strategy with paid channels like Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising or Local Service Ads (LSAs). SEO builds digital assets that deliver traffic over time (authoritative content, website authority, etc.), while paid advertising provides faster, but temporary results that disappear when you stop paying. A combination may work, but a firm SEO foundation is essential for lasting results.

(B) Keyword Research: Enter The Mindset Of Your Clients

Keyword research is the foundation of any SEO campaign for a real estate law firm. Keyword research involves discovering the real search queries entered by potential clients looking for legal help with real estate online. Are they looking for a “real estate closing lawyer,” “commercial property attorney,” “landlord-tenant dispute attorney,” or something different?

Search intent also matters. In other words, why is the user searching? Are they at the research stage (“what does a real estate lawyer do?” – informational intent) or ready to hire a lawyer (“best real estate litigation lawyer near me” – transactional intent)? It’s critical to align your content with the user’s intent, otherwise you’ll generate unqualified leads, wasting your marketing spend. Any disconnect or misinterpretation may result in a focus on keywords that may have nothing to do with the law firm’s business. Trust the data – guessing puts everyone at a disadvantage.

Keyword Strategy for Real Estate Law Firms

Keyword Category	Example Keywords (with Placeholders)	Likely Search Intent	Potential Target Page Type	Supporting Snippets
Residential Transactional	“real estate closing attorney [City]”	Transactional	Practice Area / Local Page	10
Residential Transactional	“lawyer for buying a house”	Transactional	Practice Area Page	3
Residential Transactional	“review residential purchase agreement [City]”	Transactional	Service Sub-Page / Blog	3
Residential Transactional	“what is title insurance”	Informational	Blog Post / FAQ	3
Commercial Real Estate	“commercial property lawyer [City]”	Transactional	Practice Area / Local Page	3
Commercial Real Estate	“negotiate commercial lease attorney [County]”	Transactional	Service Sub-Page	4
Commercial Real Estate	“1031 exchange lawyer near me”	Transactional	Practice Area Page	3
Litigation/Disputes	“real estate litigation attorney [City]”	Transactional	Practice Area / Local Page	6
Litigation/Disputes	“landlord-tenant dispute lawyer”	Transactional	Practice Area Page	6
Litigation/Disputes	“property line dispute attorney [County]”	Transactional	Service Sub-Page / Blog	3
Litigation/Disputes	“how to handle eviction process”	Informational	Blog Post / Guide	3
Zoning/Land Use	“zoning and land use attorney [City]”	Transactional	Practice Area / Local Page	4
Zoning/Land Use	“apply for zoning variance [County]”	Informational	Blog Post / Guide	6
Local General	“real estate lawyer near me”	Transactional	Homepage / Local Page	3
Local General	“property attorney [City] free consultation”	Transactional	Contact / Homepage	4

Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs and others help you determine which words and phrases are being searched for, their approximate monthly search volume – and how difficult it will be to rank for those keywords. General keywords such as ‘lawyer’ or ‘attorney’ are invariably too broad and competitive.

Law firms should focus on keywords directly related to their legal services (e.g., “residential purchase agreement review,” “commercial lease negotiation lawyer,” “zoning variance attorney”) and geographic areas served (e.g., “Miami real estate lawyer,” “Cook County property tax appeal attorney”). Long-tail keywords are more detailed, often question-based terms with lower search volumes (e.g., “do I need a lawyer for a real estate closing in Florida?”). These phrases are highly valuable for capturing qualified traffic within your market.

See what keywords competitors are ranking for. You can’t rank for everything, but if you know who is ranking for what, you may be able to produce better content and outrank them.

(C) On-Page SEO: Making Your Website Speak Google’s Language

With a solid keyword strategy in hand, attention turns to optimizing the actual content and structure of the website’s pages—a discipline known as on-page SEO.

Content Quality and Relevance

Content that is high-quality and relevant is still king. The website must provide a substantial amount of content, closely aligned with the chosen keywords and tailored to the needs of potential clients. This often includes practice area pages describing various services (e.g., residential closings, commercial leasing), blog posts answering potential client questions, detailed guides, and, in some situations, FAQ pages. Writing detailed content about the firm’s practice area is critical to establishing expertise within that area. In the end, the content needs to be able to provide the information that would be the beginnings of answers to what a potential client wants to know.

Optimizing Key Page Elements

Title Tags

The clickable headline for a search result, title tags are a confirmed Google ranking factor. Title tags should clearly reflect the page’s subject matter and feature the target keyword, ideally at the beginning, while remaining under 60-65 characters to avoid truncation in search engines. It’s customary to include the firm’s name at the end of the title tag if space allows. It’s especially important to ensure the homepage title tag is changed from the default web page title of ‘Home’.

Meta Descriptions

Brief summaries appearing beneath the title tag in search results, meta descriptions have a significant impact on click-through rates. While not a direct ranking factor, a well-crafted meta description can entice more users to visit the site. Meta descriptions should be compelling, concise (under 155-160 characters), and incorporate keywords (which may be bolded by Google when matching the search query).

Header Tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.)

HTML headings structure content hierarchically. The H1, usually reserved for the main page title, should contain the primary keyword where possible. Subsequent H2 and H3 headers are used to organize sub-sections of content, incorporate secondary keywords, and generally make the text easier to scan for readers. Effectively using headers makes content easier for users to read and scan for information.

URLs (Web Page Addresses)

Including keywords in the page URL (e.g., yourfirm.com/commercial-real-estate-lawyer-boston) signals relevance to search engines and users alike. While there’s no strict character limit on URLs, concise and descriptive web addresses are preferred.

Image Alt Tags (Alternative Text)

Alt tags describe the content of images, improving both accessibility (by allowing screen readers for the visually impaired to ‘read’ images), and SEO (by providing image context to search engines). Use short (under 125 characters), descriptive wording and include keywords when appropriate. Make sure you fix any broken images or images without alt tags.

Body Content

Keywords are integrated naturally and logically into the main text of the page. Human readers and their needs should be the main concern; optimize for search engines, but write clear and useful content. Avoid keyword stuffing, the outdated practice of excessive keyword repetition, which degrades readability and can incur ranking penalties.

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

Google places heavy emphasis on E-E-A-T, especially when it comes to “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) topics like legal services. Real estate law firms must demonstrate E-E-A-T by ensuring content is accurate, detailed, and written by legal practitioners, highlighting the credentials and experience of the firm’s lawyers (for example, through lawyer bios), building website authority, and establishing trustworthiness through client testimonials, case studies, professional website design, clear contact information, and more. Trust is the most important of these factors and is contributed to by the others.

Content Freshness and Depth

Search engines tend to favour sites with regularly updated, fresh content. Consistently publishing blog posts, legal updates, or guides, and updating existing pages periodically signals ongoing activity and relevance to search engines and users alike. Moreover, content should strive to be comprehensive and in-depth, providing more value and information than competitor pages. Longer-form, well-structured pages typically perform well in search results, as long as they stay on-topic and provide valuable information for readers.

Internal Linking

Creating strategic links between related pages within a firm’s own website is crucial, such as linking from a blog post on common closing issues to the main “Residential Real Estate Closings” practice area page. These links facilitate easy site navigation for users and help search engines understand the website’s structure and the relative importance of various pages.

(D) Local SEO – Dominating Your Local Market

For most real estate law firms, the bulk of clients originate from a defined geographical region. Local search engine optimization (local SEO) is the process of optimizing a firm’s online presence so it is easily discoverable by clients searching within a particular city, county or region for its services. It is essential for appearing in searches such as “real estate attorney near me,” and for earning a spot in the coveted Google Map Pack (the map interface and three business listings that are often displayed at the very top of local service searches). Overlooking local SEO is considered one of the costliest mistakes a firm can make with a local client base.

Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimization

Claiming, verifying and properly optimizing a firm’s Google Business Profile is arguably the most important element in local SEO. A GBP is a free business listing that appears in Google Search and Google Maps. All relevant GBP fields should be filled out as fully and accurately as possible, including the firm’s official business name, physical address, phone number (NAP), website URL, general business hours, business attributes, services offered, service area, office and staff photos, and possibly pricing information. The profile must be regularly updated with fresh posts, Q&A, and service hours.

Local Keywords

The website must feature localized keywords throughout its content. This includes mentioning the specific city, county, town, neighborhood or landmark in page titles, headlines, body text and meta descriptions where clear and logical. For firms that serve a broader market with multiple distinct locations, multiple location-specific landing pages (e.g., “Real Estate Law Services for Naperville”) should be considered.

NAP Consistency

The firm’s name, address and phone number (NAP) must be 100 per cent identical on its website, Google Business Profile and all other online placements and citations. Even the smallest NAP variations (e.g., spelling out “Street,” “LLC”) can confuse Google search crawlers and drag down local rankings.

Online Directories and Citations

Submitting the firm to reputable online business directories serves as citations confirming the business’ existence and location. These include both industry-specific legal directories (e.g., Avvo, FindLaw) and local directories for any type of business (e.g., Yelp, Yellow Pages). NAP information must be accurate and consistent across all directory listings. Quality should be favoured over quantity, and low-quality directories should be avoided.

Online Reviews

Positive client reviews on the Google Business Profile and other platforms are a top local SEO ranking factor and crucial for building trust and winning new clients from search. Google states that “prominence” (i.e., review quality and quantity) is a core factor for local ranking. Gently encouraging satisfied clients to leave truthful reviews on a Google Business Profile is recommended. Responding professionally to all reviews, both positive and negative, is encouraged.

Much of local SEO depends on factors outside the firm’s website, including GBP reviews, directory consistency, and citations. Google needs to be sure that a local firm is a bona fide business and valued member of the local community. It cross-checks information with as many third-party sources as possible, boosting or demoting businesses based on feedback from local customers in reviews. Therefore, only optimizing a website for local keywords is never enough. Managing a presence on third-party directories with consistent NAP, while building a positive online reputation, are necessary. In this sense, local SEO is inseparable from firm reputation management, as the two have become increasingly interwoven.

(E) Off-Page SEO: Authority Building Beyond the Website

Off-page SEO covers all activities that take place outside of a law firm’s own website to build its authority and improve overall search performance. The most important aspect of off-page SEO is the development of backlinks.

The Importance of Backlinks

Backlinks are links from other websites back to pages on the law firm’s site, acting as “votes” of confidence in the quality and authority of the website. High-quality backlinks from relevant, established websites and industry sources are strong signals of credibility and one of the most important ranking factors. Generally, the more quality backlinks a page and overall site have, the higher the site is likely to rank.

Backlink Quality Matters Most

Focus on the quality and relevance of linking websites, not just the quantity of links. A single link from a respected real estate journal, news magazine, chamber of commerce, or legal directory carries more weight than dozens of links from low-quality sites.

How a Law Firm Can Earn Quality Backlinks

Invest in Link-Worthy Content: Create comprehensive guides, original research, and legal analysis that may be cited by other sites.
Guest Blogging: Write articles for reputable websites in the legal, real estate, or business niches with a link back to the firm’s site.
Media/Expert Contributions: Offer legal commentary to journalists via platforms like HARO to earn media mentions and backlinks.
Directory Listings: Get listed in respected legal and business directories for relevant backlinks and citations.
Content Promotion: Share top-performing content through social media to boost its visibility and share potential.
Build Relationships: Partner with local businesses and organizations for mutual linking opportunities.
Local Events: Gain links from events, local press, and listings by participating in community events and seminars.

Link Building Tactics to Avoid

Avoid black hat link-building strategies, including buying links, using link farms, private blog networks, excessive reciprocal linking, and comment/forum spamming. These practices can lead to penalties from search engines.

Backlink Profile Analysis

Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to monitor the backlink profile. Identify and remove or disavow toxic links, and analyze competitors’ backlinks to inform strategy.

(F) Technical SEO Basics: Building a Healthy, Search-Friendly Site

What is Technical SEO?

Technical SEO focuses on optimizing the backend structure and coding of a website so search engines can efficiently crawl, index, and understand it, while enhancing the user experience.

Site Speed and Performance

Slow websites result in high bounce rates and lower rankings. Aim for load times under 2.5–3 seconds. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights and improve speed by compressing images, minifying code, enabling caching, limiting plugins, and using reliable hosting.

Core Web Vitals:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures load time for main content.
- Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Measures response time to user interactions.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability.

Mobile-Friendliness (Responsive Design)

Ensure the website is mobile-optimized. Google ranks primarily based on the mobile version, so non-responsive sites are penalized. Use the Mobile-Friendly Test tool.

Website Security (HTTPS)

Use HTTPS and an SSL certificate to encrypt user data and boost trust. It’s also a ranking signal and prevents browsers from flagging the site as “not secure.”

Clean Site Architecture and Navigation

Use a clear hierarchy, ideally no more than three clicks to any important page. A typical structure is homepage > practice areas > individual lawyer pages. Navigation should be intuitive and user-friendly.

XML Sitemap

Create and submit a sitemap listing all website pages to aid search engine indexing.

Robots.txt File

Control which site pages search engines can crawl. Ensure important pages are not blocked.

Schema Markup (Structured Data)

Use structured data (JSON-LD) to provide search engines with context about the site’s content. Mark up firm name, address, phone, services, lawyer names, and reviews. This can generate rich results in search listings.

Handling Errors

Broken Links: Fix or redirect 404 pages.
301 Redirects: Ensure moved pages point users to the correct URL.

Avoiding Duplicate Content

Ensure all pages have unique, valuable content. Use canonical tags to identify the main version of a page when necessary.

Technical SEO and User Experience Go Hand-in-Hand

Good technical SEO improves both search performance and user experience. Factors like speed, mobile-friendliness, and security not only help rankings but also improve engagement, trust, and conversions.

Web Design That Converts – Beyond Beauty

While SEO attracts visitors, web design determines what they do once they arrive. For real estate lawyers, it’s crucial that the site conveys professionalism and encourages users to take action.

(A) Appearance: Professionalism & Branding for Lawyers

First Visual Impressions – Conveying Credibility

The site’s visual presentation should immediately communicate competence and trust. A modern, clean design is essential.

Graphic Design and Credibility

The site should be sleek and professional, avoiding dated or busy visuals that undermine credibility. The aesthetic must align with a reputable real estate law firm.

Branding

Maintain consistent branding (logo, colors, fonts, tone) across the website and all marketing materials to reinforce the firm’s identity and reliability.

Custom vs. Template Design

Custom designs better reflect a firm’s unique brand and values. If using a template, customize all elements to avoid a generic appearance. Avoid law firm templates that look overly common.

Photos

Use high-resolution, professional images. Real images—such as lawyer headshots and office photos—build trust more effectively than stock images. Avoid clichés like gavels or scales of justice. Use branded, unique stock images only when necessary and sparingly.

Video

Incorporate video for added engagement—background videos, lawyer introductions, or client testimonials. Ensure they are optimized for speed to avoid slowing the site.

(B) User Experience (UX): Designing for Your Clients

Prioritize Visitors

The design process must be client-centric, focused on the needs and expectations of potential clients. Understand their concerns, goals, and emotional states. Shift messaging from the firm’s background (“we”) to the client’s concerns and goals (“you”).

Intuitive Navigation

Users must be able to easily and quickly find information. This includes clear navigation menus, logical site architecture, and helpful features like breadcrumbs. The ‘three-click rule’ is a useful benchmark—important information should be accessible within three clicks from the homepage.

Readability

Use clean, legible fonts with appropriate sizes (e.g., 16pt for body text).
Limit the number of typefaces for consistency.
Write short paragraphs and sentences.
Use descriptive headings and subheadings (H2, H3, etc.).
Include bulleted and numbered lists for easy scanning.
Apply ample whitespace to avoid clutter.
Ensure strong contrast between text and background.

Mobile-First Design

Design for small screens first. Ensure navigation works well via touch, text is large enough to read comfortably, and forms are easy to complete on mobile devices.

Accessibility (ADA Compliance)

Use alt text for all meaningful images.
Ensure full keyboard navigability.
Use colorblind-friendly schemes and adequate color contrast.
Include video captions and proper heading structures.
Follow best practices for semantic HTML markup.

Fast Loading Speed

Optimize images and minify code to ensure quick loading. Users expect fast performance, and slow websites hurt both UX and SEO.

(C) Fostering Trust in the Online World: Demonstrate, Don’t Just Claim

Attorney Bios

Include professional biographies and headshots for every lawyer. Highlight experience, credentials, and personality. Photos increase perceived trust and credibility.

Client Testimonials and Reviews

Display credible testimonials prominently. Use written quotes on the homepage, practice pages, or in a dedicated reviews section. Include video testimonials where possible.

Case Studies and Results

When ethically permissible, share success stories, case results, and transaction highlights to demonstrate expertise and track record.

Awards and Credentials

Showcase any relevant awards, bar memberships, and affiliations with professional associations to establish authority.

Authentic Photography

Use real photos of lawyers, staff, and the office. Avoid generic stock images. Authenticity builds trust and resonates with clients.

Clear Contact Information

Make contact details easy to find. Include phone number, email, and address in headers and footers. Embedded maps can help with directions.

Transparency

Clearly define the firm’s services and practice areas. Consider being transparent about processes or fees. Ensure policies and legal pages are easy to find.

(D) Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Motivate the Next Step

Clarity and Directness

Use direct and action-oriented language. Examples include “Contact Us for a Free Consultation,” “Request a Case Review,” or “Book an Appointment Today.”

Visibility and Prominence

CTAs should stand out visually. Use bold buttons with contrasting colors and prominent fonts. Place them strategically—above the fold, after key content, or in sticky headers/footers.

Contextual Relevance

CTAs should align with the user’s stage in their journey. A blog on property taxes could include a free guide download, while a practice page should offer a consultation CTA.

Removing Friction

Make contact simple. Use short forms, offer multiple communication options (phone, email, form, live chat), and avoid excessive steps.

Avoiding Intrusive Pop-ups

Use pop-ups sparingly. If implemented, ensure they provide value and are easy to close.

(E) Must-Have Website Pages for Real Estate Lawyers

Homepage: Highlight the firm’s identity, key services, trust signals, and user pathways.
About Us / Firm Overview: Share the firm’s story, values, and mission.
Lawyer Profiles / Meet the Team: Include bios and photos of each attorney.
Practice Area Pages: Create separate pages for each real estate legal service for better SEO and clarity.
Contact Page: Provide address, phone, email, a contact form, and embedded map.
Client Testimonials Page: Display reviews and testimonials from satisfied clients.
Blog / Resources / Insights: Publish articles, guides, updates, and FAQs to demonstrate knowledge and boost SEO.
Success Stories / Proven Results: Share past case outcomes and success narratives where ethical and allowed.
Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions: Include legally required and standard compliance pages.

Putting it All Together: Achieving Business Goals for Real Estate Law Firms

Lead Generation

SEO brings in targeted traffic; web design converts that traffic into leads. Both are essential for success.

Targeting Specific Services

SEO allows firms to focus on high-value keywords and services, and practice area pages educate and convert those searching.

Brand Building & Authority

High rankings and strong content establish the firm as a leader. Polished design reinforces professionalism and trust.

Expanding Into New Markets

Use SEO and web design to create geo-targeted landing pages for market expansion beyond the primary service area.

Improving ROI

SEO offers long-term value, unlike ads that stop when funding ends. Effective web design maximizes that value by increasing conversion rates.

Differentiation from Competitors

A well-optimized and designed website gives firms an edge over competitors with outdated or ineffective web presences.

Law Firm SEO No-Nos & Web Design Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

(A) SEO Mistakes

Ignoring SEO entirely.
Targeting the wrong or overly generic keywords.
Keyword stuffing and poor placement.
Optimizing all pages for the same keyword.
Neglecting local SEO fundamentals like Google Business Profile or citations.
Skipping technical SEO fundamentals like site speed and mobile optimization.
Using low-quality or insufficient content.
Engaging in black hat link-building tactics.
Failing to use schema markup.
Expecting fast results from SEO.
Omitting image alt text and using duplicate content.

(B) Web Design Mistakes

Not mobile friendly or responsive.
Slow page load times.
Poor site navigation or unclear architecture.
Amateurish or cluttered visual design.
Overuse of stock images or poor quality visuals.
Missing trust elements like bios, contact info, or reviews.
Weak or absent CTAs.
Lack of accessibility features.
Lawyer-focused rather than client-focused messaging.
Lack of ownership or control over the website domain and hosting.
Autoplaying audio or video content.
Neglecting ongoing maintenance and updates.
Overuse of template websites lacking personalization.

Common SEO and Web Design Mistakes: Summary and Solutions

Category	Specific Mistake	Why It’s Bad	Recommended Solution / Relevant Section
SEO	Ignoring SEO / No Strategy	Missed leads, low visibility	Develop a strategic plan (Sec 2.A, 6.D); Invest consistently
SEO	Targeting Wrong/Generic Keywords	Irrelevant traffic, wasted effort	Conduct thorough keyword research focusing on niche, location, and intent (Sec 2.B)
SEO	Keyword Stuffing	Poor readability, potential penalties	Integrate keywords naturally; write for humans first (Sec 2.C)
SEO	Keyword Cannibalization	Dilutes rankings, confuses search engines	Assign unique primary keywords to each page (Sec 5.A)
SEO	Neglecting Local SEO	Missed local clients, poor Map Pack visibility	Optimize GBP, build local citations, ensure NAP consistency, use local keywords (Sec 2.D)
SEO	Poor Technical SEO (Speed, Mobile, Errors)	Bad UX, lower rankings	Conduct technical audits; optimize speed, ensure mobile responsiveness, fix errors (Sec 2.F)
SEO	Lackluster or Thin Content	Fails to rank or engage users, lacks E-E-A-T	Create in-depth, valuable, unique content demonstrating expertise; update regularly (Sec 2.C)
SEO	Bad/No Link Building	Low authority, missed ranking potential	Earn high-quality, relevant backlinks through ethical strategies; avoid manipulative tactics (Sec 2.E)
SEO	Missing Schema Markup	Missed rich snippet opportunities	Implement relevant schema markup (Sec 2.F)
SEO	Expecting Immediate Results	Unrealistic expectations, premature abandonment	Understand SEO is long-term; be patient and consistent (Sec 5.A)
Web Design	Not Mobile-Responsive	Alienates mobile users, hurts rankings	Implement responsive design; prioritize mobile-first (Sec 2.F, 3.B)
Web Design	Slow Loading Speed	High bounce rates, poor UX, lower rankings	Optimize images, code, hosting; minimize plugins (Sec 2.F, 3.B)
Web Design	Poor Navigation / Site Structure	User frustration, difficult information discovery	Plan logical site architecture; use clear menus; follow 3-click rule (Sec 2.F, 3.B)
Web Design	Cluttered / Outdated Design	Unprofessional appearance, undermines credibility	Aim for clean, modern, professional design; prioritize usability (Sec 3.A, 3.B)
Web Design	Generic Stock Photos / Poor Imagery	Lacks authenticity, reduces trust	Use high-quality, professional, authentic photos of team/office (Sec 3.A, 3.C)
Web Design	Lack of Trust Signals (Bios, Testimonials, etc.)	Difficulty building credibility	Feature attorney bios, client reviews, case studies prominently (Sec 3.C)
Web Design	Weak / Missing CTAs	Lost conversion opportunities	Use clear, visible, context-relevant CTAs; make contact easy (Sec 3.D)
Web Design	Ignoring Accessibility	Excludes users, potential compliance issues	Design with accessibility standards in mind (alt text, contrast, keyboard nav) (Sec 3.B)
Web Design	Firm-Focused Content	Fails to address client needs	Shift focus to client problems and solutions (Sec 3.B)
Web Design	Not Owning Website Assets	Loss of control over domain/hosting	Ensure firm retains ownership of domain name and hosting accounts (Sec 5.B)
Web Design	Autoplaying Media	Annoying user experience	Avoid automatic playback of sound or video (Sec 5.B)
Web Design	Failure to Maintain / Update	Stale content, security risks, poor performance	Regularly update content, design elements, and security patches (Sec 5.B)
Web Design	Using Uncustomized Templates	Blends in with competitors, weak branding	Invest in custom design or heavily customize templates (Sec 3.A)