There would be little reason for the law if we didn't live in a society brimming with complex social interactions. And now that we do more and more of our socializing via social media, it's imperative that law firms take note of the conversations happening online, and form a social media strategy that makes sure they're active participants in the ongoing dialogue.Here are five reasons why you need to make social media part of your firm's business strategy:
An effective online presence will make you visible to potential clients you wouldn't reach via traditional word-of-mouth referrals. It begins with having an eye-catching website to which you will link all of your social media platforms. You'll want to make sure that your website's copy reflects the ethos of your firm (a Fiverr freelancer can help you with this), and that your site incorporates mobile responsive design, since we now do most of our internet browsing on our phones.
Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook allow for instant lawyer-client interactions that are more personal than email. Law firms such as Blumenreich or Allens maintain active Twitter presences that keep followers informed about topics pertaining to their area of law, as well as presenting a more personalized face. The Sam Bernstein Law Firm has close to 35,000 Facebook followers, and makes a point of posting regularly and replying to comments on its page.
Social media allows you to start the conversations you want to have. Effective content marketing can be done via Facebook and Twitter, but it's also worth your time to create a YouTube video channel that will let you demonstrate your legal expertise and explore issues in your field in greater depth. A regularly updated blog, such as Pushor Mitchell's Legal Alert, will provide more content to share and link to across social media platforms.
Just as social media lets you define the conversation, it also allows you to respond in real time to breaking news and events, such as court decisions or new legislation. Social media keeps you in control of the narrative, and helps you to track what your competitors are doing. If your top competitors all have optimized LinkedIn pages for their firms, for example, it's time you did too.
Your online reputation is in many ways more important than your offline one, because potential and existing clients have constant access to it. Social media will help you monitor the conversation about your firm – if anything's being said at all. While social media will help boost your firm's SEO, it also may be time to run an SEO campaign to gain greater visibility.Good social media strategy – which you can find easily on Fiverr – will ensure that your law firm remains engaged in the issues of the day, while giving potential and existing clients confidence in your abilities.
Do you place greater trust in a law firm with a strong online presence? Are there other social media outlets for law firms to explore? Tell us in the comments below!
