Social Media Marketing & Your Law Firm

Most law firms recognize the importance of being active on different social media platforms. However, many treat social media marketing as an afterthought rather than something that can significantly impact their bottom line.

According to a recent survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 72% of the public uses some type of social media, with almost a quarter of U.S. adults saying they are almost constantly online.  That’s a lot of prospects you could be reaching with a solid social media marketing plan!

Facebook

Despite a string of controversies, Facebook remains one of the most widely used online platforms among U.S. adults. Although its growth has leveled off over the last five years, 69% of adults today say they use the site.  The ability to share your ideas in a variety of formats – not just to your own wall, but to the walls of others – makes it a very social place indeed.

Furthermore, the personal nature of these accounts means that everyone in the family is likely to have one — even if the intent is just to stay in touch with relatives.

A few ways that you can start reaching your prospects on Facebook include:

• Invite your current clients and prospects to like your page. When we interact with businesses on Facebook, our friends see those interactions. This is a very simple and effective way to get the attention of family and friends of those people you already know are a good fit.
• Interact via the company Facebook page with businesses that have prospects in common with you. Is there a local Rotary chapter in your town? VA group? Alzheimer’s group? Their followers are potentially your followers. By commenting on their posts and sharing their important events to your business page, you are doing important networking that can get your firm exposure with the people who need your services.
• Start getting social. By far, the biggest mistake that law firms make on social media is being “brand-centric” by sharing only their own content, announcements, etc. People may follow or like a brand, but they only truly interact with businesses that offer them value and may be turned off by a brand that only seems to promote itself. Feel free to share great articles from other authority sources or even event postings. The varied posts accompanied by a more personal style will encourage your prospects to engage with your content.

Instagram

A relatively new player, Instagram has grown tremendously over the years, with 40% of U.S. adults now using the platform. With the increased popularity, 71% of businesses claim that they use the platform for marketing. It’s safe to say that your clients and prospects are using Instagram, as are your competitors!

Through the use of posts, Stories, and IGTV, you can easily build brand awareness for your law firm within your local community, putting your law firm’s name in the mind of potential clients.

A few ways that you can start building brand awareness:

• Share important facts and statistics that are relevant to the services your law firm offers
• Celebrate everyone’s achievements and awards at your law firm
• Show behind the scenes footage of your law firm at work
• Share client testimonials if permitted by your state and local bar associations
• Answer the questions clients ask most often
• Promote speaking engagements publications by your attorneys and law firm

LinkedIn

According to the American Bar Association’s Legal Technology Survey, nearly 76% of law firms use LinkedIn. That’s because there’s an enormous number of users on LinkedIn!  While LinkedIn may not be the best avenue to reach potential clients, it’s the perfect venue for finding and connecting with potential referral sources.   LinkedIn groups and Bar Associations can be great networking opportunities and can also be great resources for content and update on legal trends.  Making local connections with relevant professionals can lead to increased business.

By publishing blog posts and other published articles on LinkedIn, you can establish yourself as an authority in your practice area and attract the attention of your target audience. It can also boost your SEO.  Articles written on LinkedIn are indexed by Google and often appear in search results. Including a link to your website in your LinkedIn article content can increase the amount of traffic to your website.

Optimize Your Social Media Accounts

Social media profiles are now finding their way into the top search results, so optimized social media accounts are yet another opportunity to expand your online presence. Implementing a few of the following simple SEO techniques on your social accounts can have a big impact on your rankings and traffic:

• Use a professional profile image
• Use a keyword to name your profile image (estateplanningattorney.jpg, for example)
• Select a relevant username, preferably the same one for all social media profiles
• Fill out as much information on your profile as possible
• Use relevant keywords in the “About” and “Info” sections of Facebook and Google+, as well as in your Twitter bio
• Include links to your website, blog, and/or other social media accounts
• Include your social media account information on your website
• Use keywords and hashtags in your tweets and status updates
• Consistently update your pages with relevant content

Capturing social media audience’s attention is a constant challenge for law firms, but certainly well worth the investment of time and resources.  Integrating social media into your regular marketing plan will allow you to find and connect with your audience, build your brand, and drive traffic and, ultimately, revenue.

https://www.aaepa.com/2021/03/social-media-cheat-sheet-character-limits-posting-parameters/

Rita Chaires

Director, Web and Online Marketing Services
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com