Posted on January 28,2016 in Mobile-Friendly Sites

Last year around this time, Google announced plans to release an update to its search engine algorithm that, if the volume of press it received was any indication, shook the world of website design to its very core. The online giant scheduled the upgrade—which quickly became known as “Mobilegeddon”—for mid-April 2015, giving site builders and webmasters just a few short months to prepare. Despite its ominous name, the online world was not ending, of course; instead, the update reflected Google’s recognition of the importance of websites being mobile-friendly, and rewarding those that are with higher placement in search engine results. 

Aftermath of Mobilegeddon

In the months that followed the algorithm update, mobile-friendly websites did, in fact, see a bump in search rankings, which, for many has resulted in increased traffic. Those that are not, conversely, have fallen in search rankings, not as a punishment, but in response to the mobile needs of more and more users. Experts point out that this was exactly what Google promised and, rather than threatening web designers with an ultimatum, the announcement two months prior to the release even offered tips and instructions on how to optimize sites for mobile access. But now the big question is: Is your site mobile-friendly? Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to find out.

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 Posted on January 21,2016 in Social Media

In the ongoing battle between social media outlets, Facebook has long dominated the competition, with about 1.1 billion estimated unique monthly users. The site in the number two spot may depend one’s definition of social media. While YouTube claims the next-highest market share when included, when it is not, Twitter sits in second place with more 300 million unique visitors each month. Setting YouTube aside for now, this means that the behemoth frontrunner is nearly four times more popular than its closer competitor.

As you might expect, Twitter has not remained complacent in recent years, as it tries to reclaim a portion of the social media landscape. Early in 2015, the company announced that “tweets”—or posts on the site—would be indexed by Google, making them searchable and increasing site traffic. According to various reports, the partnership began very slowly, with less than 1 percent of all tweets actually being indexed in February 2015, the effort’s first month. The good news is that by summer 2015, the indexing rate had grown more than four and half times; the bad news is that more than 95 percent of tweets were still not being indexed.

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 Posted on January 14,2016 in Reputation Management

As with most professions, an attorney’s reputation is one of his or her most important assets. Training, education, experience, and skill, obviously, are vital to a lawyer’s long-term success, but a poor reputation can impact his or her ability to reach new clients and grow the business. There is little question that the internet has changed the way that people share information, and online reviews can have a major impact on the way the public views you as an individual as well as your law firm as a whole.

You probably realize that that you will never be able to completely satisfy every single client that walks through your door. Despite your best intentions—and, no doubt, your most sincere efforts—the legal world is often unpredictable and, occasionally, a client will be upset by the outcome or some other element of a case. If that client were to leave a negative review on Yelp or Google, your available options may be somewhat limited. A reputation management service, like that offered by OVC, INC., can help you mitigate the review’s impact, but even a disgruntled client is entitled to an opinion—unless the review contains false allegations. Then, as at least one case from Florida demonstrates, the situation may be significantly more noteworthy.

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 Posted on January 07,2016 in Criminal Law

Despite our commitment to serve the marketing needs of attorneys across the country, OVC, INC. is proud to call Illinois home. As such, we are very aware of the constantly changing legal environment as it effects The Land of Lincoln. Recent developments around the state have begun interesting discussion that could potentially effect a social activity popular in countless offices and workplaces. The issue in question is the legality of daily fantasy sports and a push by lawmakers to fully consider the future of such games.

Attorney General’s Comments

Last month, Illinois Attorney General Lisa issued a written opinion on the topic. Daily fantasy sports games, which involve participants selecting a team of professional athletes and competing based on the players’ actual on-the-field performances, have become a multi-billon enterprise in the last few years, led by sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings. Madigan expressed her take in letters to the two companies, stating that, “absent legislation specifically exempting daily fantasy sports contests from the [state’s] gambling provisions, it is my opinion that daily fantasy sports contests constitute illegal gambling under Illinois law.” She went on to say there is pending legislation to exempt the games from gambling prohibition, but that, in the meantime, she expected the companies to notify would-be bettors that they were not able to play in Illinois.

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 Posted on December 24,2015 in Legal Marketing

The legal world is one that is constantly in a state of evolution. Elected officials and government officials are forever attempting to live up to promises made to constituents and to make improvements to the communities they serve. Though we are pleased to offer top-quality online marketing services to law firms around the country, OVC, INC. is proud to call Northern Illinois home. Thus, when changes and amendments are made to Illinois law, they directly affect us and a large number of our regional clients.

This past year was a fairly busy one for the Illinois legislature, as are most years, with 237 new laws being approved. As usual, many of the new measures to receive approval of the State House, Senate, and the governor are set to take effect on January 1. With just a few short days to go in 2015, here are some new laws that Illinois residents should be aware of for 2016:

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 Posted on December 17,2015 in OVC Lawyer Marketing

As we enter the final phase of the winter holiday season, the team at OVC, INC. would like to take a few moments to thank our clients for another great year. We are sincerely grateful for the opportunity to serve each and every one of you, and we wish you all continued success.

The legal world is one that is often filled with bitterness and acrimony, as many cases can quickly become intensely personal. The holiday season is the perfect time to leave the stress of law at the office and to focus on the company of friends and loved ones. No matter which of the winter holidays you choose to observe, we wish you and your family all of the joys that the season has to offer.

Familiar Friends and New Faces

While we at OVC seek to provide the best in online marketing services for your law firm, we realize that we can only be successful by keeping our clients fully satisfied. We value the relationship we have built with our most loyal, long-time clients and we are proud to play a role in their continued growth and success. In addition, we are also delighted to assist new clients and are always excited to help those looking for improvements to their website and online presence.

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 Posted on December 10,2015 in Mobile-Friendly Sites

Much as the world itself is constantly changing and evolving, so is the landscape of advertising and marketing. Once upon a time—and still to some extent today—the pinnacle of marketing for a company was to attach its name to a popular radio or television broadcast. Consider how after the 1938 debut of Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds, the host radio program, then called The Mercury Theatre, attracted Campbell’s Soup as a sponsor and became The Campbell Playhouse. This weekend, the annual Army-Navy football game will be proudly presented by USAA, a company that offers financial and insurance services to members of the armed forces and their families.  

Name repetition, however, is not enough for most consumers. Companies have quickly begun to realize this, and while Cartoon Network programming will probably always be sponsored by toy companies and cereal makers, marketers have shifted their primary focus toward other avenues. Today, the modern consumer spends several hours per day engaged with a mobile device, including smartphones and tablets. This means that companies must have a plan for reaching prospective customers in a manner conducive to a mobile lifestyle.

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 Posted on December 07,2015 in Legal Websites

Chicago-based attorney and law firm marketing company OVC, INC. announces the launch of the Illinois Child Support Calculator app and website.

OVC, INC. Lawyer Marketing is pleased to announce the launch of the Illinois Child Support Calculator app and accompanying website. The calculator is currently available on Google Play for Android devices and is planned to be released in the Apple App Store.

The Illinois Child Support Calculator tool allows divorcing parents the ability to estimate their child support obligations. The calculator offers important information regarding Illinois child support including the statutory guidelines and the determination of net income. The amount of child support a court orders for any particular legal case may be different from the calculator’s estimation.

While every divorcing couple’s circumstances are unique, the Illinois Child Support Calculator provides a rough estimate based entirely on the non-custodial parent’s gross income from their employer, along with the following deductions from the gross income: 

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 Posted on December 03,2015 in Legal Websites

In executive offices and conferences around the country, business owners and decision-makers are developing their objectives for 2016. It is probably happening in your own office as well. You and your team have likely given a great deal of thought to ways that your firm can improve in the coming year: attracting more clients, increasing revenues, and solidifying your brand. What you may be overlooking, however, is the importance of your company’s website in meeting those goals. For many businesses, their websites are uninteresting, static displays of relatively mundane information, and, once launched, are quickly forgotten about as a useful business tool. If updating your website hasn’t appeared on your company’s list of objectives for a couple years, now is the time to change that.

Increasing Reliance on Web Technology

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 Posted on December 01,2015 in Social Media

When you scroll through your Facebook news feed, do any brands or companies in particular catch your attention? Is it the companies that are desperately trying to generate clicks? Probably not, right? More likely, it’s the businesses that engage in the day’s relevant conversations, and subtly remind you that they, like a trusted friend, will be there when you need them. Now think about your own professional presence on social media. Which type of social media marketer are you? Are you constantly asking for likes, retweets, or shares? If you are, it may be time to reconsider your social media strategy, and to develop a softer, more relatable approach.

What Consumers Look For

A prospective client ready to enter into a business relationship is likely to use search engines and online reviews, but he or she may also look through social media for information. It is not uncommon for Facebook or Twitter users to ask their friends for advice on which company to choose. Getting your name into that conversation is the tough part. If you have a vibrant social media home, such a Facebook page with regular updates, your existing, loyal customers are likely to help by suggesting your company when their friends need advice.

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