While some attorneys may be hesitant to adopt social media into their law practices, there are several benefits to doing so. After all, social media can help you connect with potential clients, keep up with the latest legal issues, and establish yourself as an expert in your field. In this post, we’ll discuss some social media tips for lawyers and law firms. Keep reading to learn more!
Is the Use of Social Media Beneficial for Legal Professionals?
The answer to this question is a resounding YES!
Even a recent article on the American Bar Association website discussed how social media made an impact on legal practice areas.
Plus, being quarantined in recent years has changed many professionals’ outlooks on social media. During the height of the pandemic, social media had a great impact on big and small firms alike, especially because face-to-face interactions were limited during this time.
In this post, we’ve listed some benefits of incorporating social media into your law practice.
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Expanded Reach to New Clients
One of the best benefits is that social networks can reach anyone with a social media account. That’s why in today’s times, integrating social media into your firm’s marketing strategy is essential if you want to attract new clients.
It’s likely that people in your target audience are browsing through their feed for legal advice as we speak. When creating a social media strategy to reach these people, think about how you can help them. Then, create short social media posts that casually address legal concerns and help your ideal clients. Posts like this are a great way to keep people interested and provide an opportunity for conversations, and ultimately, increased conversions.
Increased Awareness of Your Law Firm’s Brand
Setting up social media profiles for your firm can drive more people directly to your law firm’s website. Here, they’ll be able to find information about hiring you or making an appointment with one of your attorneys right away. This example of a brand awareness strategy is an effective tactic that many brands use to attract prospective clients.
Improved Attorney-Client Relationship
If you have a LinkedIn profile, Twitter, or Facebook page, you’re already improving your online presence. Through social platforms like these, you can get in touch with your existing clients and strengthen your connection with them. Plus, a strong social media presence establishes trust and an emotional connection with your clientele.
Educating and Engaging Your Prospects and Clients
Of course, social media also offers the chance to educate and engage with not only your clients, but also your target audience and prospects. Among the different ways to engage your social media followers are through posting blog posts, YouTube videos, online forums, and legal podcasts to your social media accounts.
If you’re unsure about what type of content to post on your accounts, think about this: What will hook your target client?
Typically, legal content that can educate your clients about the legal system is best for blog articles posted to your website. An example of effective video content would be FAQs where you answer questions you normally get from your clients. Another great idea is to create a podcast that discusses current events and their relation to the law.
In short, if you post relevant content that can help people, you’ll keep your prospects and clients engaged with you. In this way, your law office can approach clients in different ways without seeming to be overly concerned with sales pitches. Also, the key to ranking high in search engines is by providing your audience with valuable information. Plus, social engagement can help with higher search engine rankings.
Social Media Marketing Strategies for Lawyers
Now that you know about some of the benefits of having social media channels for your firm, let’s delve into some common strategies that can improve your practice.
- Research
Of course, intensive research is always the best way to thrive in the legal industry. When it comes to your social media strategy, it’s crucial that you research and understand your responsibilities and your competitors.
To establish trust with your audience, you need to be compliant with the existing rules and regulations applicable to your state. Plus, as a lawyer, you’re required to practice ethical judgments in all things, including your social media presence. Therefore, you need to know what you can and can’t post in your social media ads. For instance, many states prohibit certain statements referring to you, your attorneys, or your law firm, like the terms “specialists” or “experts.”
It’s equally a good idea to learn more about your competitors before starting your strategy. What are they doing right with their social media sites? Get to know the legal influencers in the industry because you can gather insights and best practices from their extensive experience. It’s also a good idea to look to influencers to see what their social media strategy looks like, as this may help you when you plan your own strategy.
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- Goals Identification
Ask yourself what your ultimate goals are in social media marketing. Do you want to increase your clientele? Are you improving brand recognition and awareness? Do you want to increase traffic to your website?
An important part of building a strategy for your law firm is to first write down your short and long-term goals. These will guide you with your social media plans and decisions.
- Starting Small
It’s tempting to get your firm out there with different platforms all at the same time. But you have to consider the time and effort that goes into managing social media if you’re choosing to run your strategy yourself.
Do you have staff members who are adept in social media management? Starting too many too soon can be detrimental to your firm’s online presence, especially if you don’t have enough time to update your content regularly and engage with your audience. Most social media users prefer companies that constantly post updates and content.
However, if this feels like too much to handle for you or your firm, we highly recommend hiring an agency like Shelten, LLC to run your social media for you. The team at Shelten, LLC will post high-quality content to every one of your social accounts every day and even run reports to analyze the results of this social media marketing. Click here for a free consultation with Shelten, LLC.
- Plan Your Content Strategy
After you’ve decided which social media platforms you’d like to post content to, it’s a great idea to plan what to post. Do you want to post new content? Do you want to refurbish some of your previous content to make it more relevant?
- Scheduling Your Content
Always make a schedule for your posts. Through a consistent posting schedule, your audience will know when to expect new content from you. Try to be consistent with your timing too. For instance, if you have a podcast, a good way to keep your audience engaged is to let them know that you have new content on a daily or weekly basis.
- Track Your Results
Measuring your results can help you with client development. Are you doing enough, too much, or too little? If you don’t keep track of your metrics, your social media efforts might be put to waste.
Need More Social Media Assistance for Your Law Practice?
Don’t worry, we know it can feel daunting to start a social media marketing strategy for your law practice. After all, there’s a lot to think about. Thankfully, this is where Shelten, LLC comes in.
Shelten, LLC is a brand awareness company that can help you with your social media engagements. We do content creation, social media management, and even event marketing. Plus, we know lawyers usually have too much to do with too little time.
So leave the social media to us! We would love to take over your social media management and guide you through an effective digital marketing strategy without taking up too much of your time.
Conclusion
Social media is a powerful tool for law firms and lawyers. It can help you build relationships with potential clients, connect with referral sources, and stay top of mind with current clients.
However, it’s simply not enough to just set up a profile and start posting. To make the most of social media, you need to develop a strategy and stick to it. You also need to be prepared to adjust your strategy as the platforms change and new opportunities arise.
If you’re ready to take your social media game up a notch, get in touch with Shelten, LLC today. We can help you create a social media plan that meets your unique needs and helps you reach your business goals.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
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