Developing a Strong Social Media Presence for Your Law Firm

Building a Killer Law Firm Social Media Presence

Social media has long been a popular marketing channel for major brands. You see companies like Nike, Starbucks, and even Airbnb dominating the landscape with their exceptional social media marketing tactics.

While people enjoy interacting with these consumer brands, it might seem like the legal industry has largely ignored social media as an effective marketing channel. But this isn’t entirely the case as social media use among law firms and independent attorneys becomes increasingly popular.

A recent Attorney at Work survey reveals that 96% of the more than 300 lawyers surveyed use social media. And 70% say their use of social media is part of an overall legal marketing strategy. Here are some of the benefits of developing a social media presence for your law firm and a few steps you can take to get started.

The Benefits of a Social Media Presence for Your Law Firm

Social media isn’t easy, but the results are worth it. Social media still hasn’t reached its peak of popularity, but a stunning 3.5 billion people, or 45% of the population, actively use social networks daily. That’s a massive audience, but why should your law firm bother with social media marketing? Here are a few of the benefits of having a social media presence:

1. Create Brand Awareness

Consumers are spending more time on social media, so a strong social presence can help get your firm’s message in front of its audience. According to the latest Sprout Social Index, 44% of consumer report increasing their use of social media, which is a benefit for brands that want to increase visibility on social platforms. And 87% say they are likely to visit a brand’s website if they follow them on social media.

2. Attract Prospective Clients

Social media is an effective tool for attorneys to attract new clients. The American Bar Association reports that 35% of lawyers who use social media have gained new clients from these channels. But law firms that are active and engaging on social media have the potential to push those numbers much higher.

3. Engage Your Target Audience

Even though many people use social media to connect with loved ones, they also increasingly engage with brands on social platforms. This provides your law firm with a valuable opportunity to deliver engaging content and answer questions, whether it be about auto accidents, family law, criminal defense, or some other area of practice.

4. Build Relationships With Your Target Audience

It is important to post engaging content across your social media profiles so those that find your content feel compelled to interact with you and your other followers. This interaction goes a long way to developing a relationship – one of trust, understanding and a genuine belief that everyone at your firm cares about everyone they interact with. Social for media for law firms is social after all.

5. Establish Your Authority

Most people who are struggling with a legal issue are looking for answers and some reassurance. While you don’t need to provide your services gratis online, you can establish yourself as an authority in your field and gain the trust of potential clients. Share useful information that will interest your target audience and help prove your credibility.

6. Boost Your SEO Efforts

Even though social signals aren’t considered a direct website ranking factor, various search engine authorities report that they can help your SEO efforts. According to Search Engine Journal, Google has changed its story multiple times regarding whether website links shared on Facebook and Twitter are used as ranking signals.

Even so, there continues to be a strong correlation between social signals and ranking position. In short, it’s worth it to build your audience on social media, drive more traffic to your website, and potentially get higher search engine rankings for your efforts.

Some Tips for Using Social Media for Legal Marketing

Even if you’re convinced that your firm needs a social media presence, where do you begin? Here are some tips for getting started with social media marketing so that you get the best return on your investment.

1. Pay Attention to the Basics

No matter where you choose to advertise your business, you need to get the basics down first. Some of the social media marketing details you should focus on include:

• Choosing the right social network to invest in. It might be tempting to pick all of them, but your efforts would be better spent on choosing a few that you know your audience uses most. Facebook is a common choice for law firm social media profiles since it’s the world’s largest social network. Others are Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Set some realistic goals. Before you begin, decide what you’d like to achieve with social media and establish some measurable goals. Do you want to increase traffic to your website? Maybe you want to boost your brand’s visibility and authority. Regardless of which goals you choose, make sure you include them in your marketing plan and measure them on a regular basis.
• Create a detailed content strategy. What type of content do you plan to create for social media? How often will you post?

2. Post Engaging Content

Law firms can use social media to engage people on social media in a variety of ways. Consumers love stories, so share stories about the origins of your firm, its history, and its achievements to build an emotional connection.

In addition to promotional content, provide valuable and credible information that can give readers peace of mind or the information they need to make a decision about hiring your firm. You can share relevant industry news as well as excerpts from blog posts related to your main practice areas.

3. Use Visuals That Pop!

Visuals are essential to engagement on social media. Many people will scroll past a wall of text but will stop to read a colorful infographic or watch a short video. Your social media strategy should include sharing basic legal information, statistics, inspirational quotes, and tips that are in video format or that use strong graphics.

4. Monitor and Respond to Online Conversations

Social media isn’t meant to be a one-way conversation, where your firm tosses out occasional posts and waits for the clicks to roll in. To be successful, you should be actively engaging with your audience.

You can start by searching for social media conversations related to your firm and any related topics, such as “medical malpractice.” You can monitor these conversations to get an understanding of user sentiment as well as join in to make connections and boost the visibility of your brand online.

Want to Explore Your Legal Marketing Strategy?

If you or your law firm are not active on social media, you are missing a massive opportunity to promote your brand, drive potential clients to your website, and increase engagement. Social media for law firms is a great opportunity to separate yourself from your competition. Sundown Legal Marketing can help develop your legal marketing strategy or give you assistance with managing your current profiles. Give us a call at (800) 649-1764 or reach out to us online for a free evaluation.