How Often Should Law Firms Update Their Website?

Many law firms treat their website like a finished project.

They invest time and money into building it, approve the design, launch the pages, and then move on. For a while, that may feel reasonable. The site is live. The contact form works. The firm has a place to send prospective clients and referral sources.

But a law firm website is not a brochure that sits unchanged for years. It is part of the firm’s marketing infrastructure. It shapes first impressions, supports search visibility, explains the firm’s services, and helps prospective clients decide whether to take the next step.

For estate planning firms, this matters because the website often meets the prospective client before the attorney does. It may be the first place a family member goes after receiving a referral. It may be where a seminar attendee confirms credibility. It may be where an adult child looks for guidance on behalf of a parent. If the website feels outdated, unclear, or neglected, the firm may lose confidence before a conversation ever begins.

The right question is not whether a law firm should update its website. It is how often different parts of the website should be reviewed, refreshed, or rebuilt.

Updates Are Not the Same as Redesigns

One reason firms delay website work is that “updating the website” sounds larger than it needs to be.

Not every update requires a new site. In fact, most website improvements are smaller, routine adjustments that keep the site accurate, useful, and aligned with the firm’s current direction.

It helps to separate website work into three categories:

• Website updates keep information accurate and current.
• Website refreshes improve messaging, design, structure, or user experience.
• Website redesigns involve a more substantial rebuild when the site no longer supports the firm’s goals.

A law firm does not need a full redesign every year. But it does need a steady rhythm for keeping the website from becoming stale or disconnected from the practice.

What Should Be Updated Immediately

Some website updates should happen as soon as information changes. These are the basic trust markers prospective clients and referral sources rely on.

A firm should update its website immediately when there are changes to:

• Attorney or team bios
• Office address, phone number, or hours
• Consultation process
• Practice areas or service offerings
• Workshop, webinar, or event details
• Contact forms or scheduling links
• Attorney credentials, awards, or affiliations
• Broken links or outdated downloadable resources

These may seem small, but small inaccuracies can create friction. A past event still listed as upcoming, an outdated team page, or a broken form can make the firm look less attentive than it actually is.

For estate planning firms, accuracy is especially important because trust is central to the decision-making process. Clients are not simply buying a document. They are choosing a firm to guide them through personal and often emotional decisions. The website should reinforce confidence at every step.

What to Review Monthly

Monthly updates help keep the website active and useful. This does not mean rewriting the entire site every month. It means maintaining the parts of the site that benefit from regular attention.

For many law firms, monthly updates may include:

• Publishing or adding blog content
• Updating workshop or webinar pages
• Adding new FAQs based on recent client questions
• Refreshing calls to action for current campaigns
• Posting new educational resources
• Reviewing whether contact forms and scheduling links still work properly

A consistent blog or resource section is especially valuable for estate planning firms. Prospective clients often have recurring questions about when to update a plan, how to choose fiduciaries, what happens after a trust is signed, or how planning fits into life transitions.

When the firm answers those questions clearly, the website becomes more than a digital business card. It becomes a useful education tool that supports both prospective clients and referral relationships.

What to Review Quarterly

A quarterly website review should focus on performance and alignment. This is where the firm looks beyond whether the website is accurate and asks whether it is helping the firm attract the right people.

At least once each quarter, review:

• Homepage messaging
• Core service pages
• Calls to action
• Lead forms and scheduling paths
• Traffic and conversion patterns
• Blog or resource performance
• Mobile experience
• Pages tied to current marketing campaigns

This review does not need to be complicated. The firm should ask practical questions: Are visitors finding the right pages? Are they taking the next step? Are the calls to action clear? Are the services we most want to grow easy to find? Does the site reflect how we currently talk about our work?

For estate planning firms, this may mean reviewing whether the site clearly supports consultations, educational workshops, newsletters, lead magnets, maintenance programs, or referral-driven inquiries. A website should not simply explain what the firm does. It should make it easier for the right prospective clients to move forward.

What to Review Annually

Once a year, a law firm should conduct a more complete website audit.

This is the time to step back and evaluate the site as a whole. The firm has likely changed over the past year. Its team may have grown. Its services may have shifted. Its best referral sources may have changed. Its marketing strategy may be more focused than it was when the site was first written.

An annual website audit should include:

• A full content review
• SEO performance and keyword alignment
• Design and visual consistency
• Mobile usability
• Page speed and technical performance
• Attorney and team bios
• Practice area pages
• Testimonials or social proof, where appropriate
• Calls to action and conversion paths
• Competitor and market comparison

The annual review is also a good time to remove clutter. Many law firm websites accumulate outdated pages, old event listings, unused landing pages, expired offers, or content that no longer reflects the firm’s priorities.

A cleaner site is often a stronger site. Prospective clients should not have to work hard to understand who the firm serves, what it offers, and what they should do next.

When a Website Needs a Larger Refresh

A website refresh is more than a few text edits but less than a complete rebuild. It may involve revising key pages, improving page layouts, updating imagery, strengthening calls to action, or reorganizing navigation.

A refresh may be appropriate when:

• The firm’s messaging has evolved.
• The design feels dated but the site still functions.
• Important services are hard to find.
• The website does not reflect the current client experience.
• The firm is investing more seriously in SEO or content.
• Traffic is steady, but inquiries are weak.
• The site looks acceptable on desktop but weak on mobile.

For estate planning firms, a refresh can be particularly useful when the firm has matured. A website built for a solo practice may not fit a larger team. A site focused only on basic planning may not reflect a more comprehensive client experience. A site built around attorney credentials may need to shift toward education, clarity, and client confidence.

When a Redesign Makes Sense

A full redesign is not always necessary, but there are times when small updates are no longer enough.

A law firm should consider a redesign when the website is difficult to update, technically outdated, poorly organized, slow, hard to use on mobile, or no longer aligned with the firm’s brand and business goals.

A redesign may also be appropriate if the firm has changed significantly. New leadership, a new market, expanded services, a stronger seminar strategy, a different intake process, or a more focused growth plan can all justify a more substantial website rebuild.

As a general rule, many firms should at least evaluate whether a larger refresh or redesign is needed every three to five years. Some sites will hold up longer if they are maintained well. Others may need attention sooner if the firm has outgrown the original structure.

Signs Your Website Is Overdue for Attention

A website may need attention if it no longer reflects the firm accurately or no longer supports meaningful inquiries.

Watch for signs such as:

• Outdated attorney or team information
• Past events still listed as current
• Service pages that feel thin or generic
• Blog content that has not been updated in months
• Contact forms that produce few qualified inquiries
• A mobile experience that feels clunky
• Messaging that does not match how the firm speaks today
• Analytics showing traffic but few conversions
• Referral sources asking for information that should be easy to find

These signs do not always mean the firm needs a new website. They do mean the site should be reviewed with fresh eyes.

Treat the Website Like a Living Asset

An estate planning website should not sit untouched for years. It should evolve with the firm.

Immediate updates keep information accurate. Monthly updates keep the site active. Quarterly reviews help improve performance. Annual audits ensure the site still reflects the firm’s strategy. Larger refreshes or redesigns may be needed when the site no longer supports the practice the firm has become.

For estate planning firms, the website is often part of the trust-building process. It should answer real questions, reflect the firm’s current standards, and make the next step clear.

The best websites are not necessarily the newest. They are the ones that stay useful, accurate, and aligned with the firm’s growth.

If you’re interested in keeping your website current and easier for prospective clients to navigate, see how Academy’s Online Marketing Group (OMG) can help your firm improve its online presence and generate more qualified leads.

Rita Chaires
Director, Integrated Member Services
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com