By Peter Boyd, a Florida attorney who founded Paper Street. He has helped over 1,500 law firms with their websites, content and marketing.
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Social media can provide law firms with significant opportunities to stay on top of clients and connect with potential clients. However, social media can also waste company resources and even do more harm than good when it comes to marketing.
Many attorneys are unsure how to begin enjoying the benefits without the wasteful or harmful drawbacks. Here are five tips to get you started.
Use the platform your customers use
Generally, people are only active on one or two social media platforms at most. It makes sense for law firms to take the same approach. The first step, then, is to find the platform that your customers and prospects interact with the most.
If you develop a million loyal followers who will never be interested in the services you provide, your social media efforts are not the success they might appear on the surface. For example, estate planning businesses would generally be much better off with 100 followers on a site popular with 50-year-olds than with 100,000 followers on a site popular with 15-year-olds. You want to invest your energies on the social media platform where your target audience regularly hangs out.
Remember that social media requires social engagement
The atmosphere on social media is similar to a big party, but many companies treat it like a freeway. People who spend time on Facebook or Twitter don’t want to read ads that are thrown at them like billboards. They are there to relate to others. While they’ll start looking at a feed to see what their friends are up to, they often don’t mind seeing information or opportunities posted by companies as long as they’re relevant and presented as part of a relationship.
Once you’ve chosen a platform, it’s a good idea to spend time reading posts on that platform to see how people and businesses interact. When you post information, such as a link to a blog about frequently asked questions by clients or news about a development in your area of law, be prepared to return to your post and follow up if someone posts a comment or question . You’re on social media to engage in a conversation, not just post ads. Of course, conversation serves the same purpose as an ad, but your approach makes all the difference in how attractive your posts will be to customers.
I don’t have the focus
Remember the match analogy? You don’t come to a party to watch a guest perform or to talk to everyone. Don’t keep repeating the same information in your posts and try to share information about something other than your business. It’s great to spread the word if your company has won an award, and it can be enticing to post videos of the receptionist’s cat.
But you can show that you’re looking out for your client’s best interests by posting information that might be helpful when it has nothing to do with your business. Post a link to the new court hours. Share a post with tips for creating new holiday traditions after a divorce.
Remember that a picture is worth 1,000 words
This may not be the case in legal writing, of course, but on social media, an entertaining or intriguing graphic is what makes people stop and read what you have to say. Videos can be particularly effective, if they have a good balanced visual appeal. Invest effort in finding a quality image for each social media post. You can buy rights to use certain images or develop some stock images to keep.
Be willing to experiment
The legal world requires precision and accuracy. Work prepared for clients must be done right the first time to protect their interests. This leads to a mindset that is adverse to experimentation.
Unfortunately, experimentation is how the marketing world works. The only way to know what works is to try something and measure the results. It is exactly the opposite of the law in many ways.
Try two or three versions of the same post and see which one gets the most engagement. Social media platforms provide metrics you can use to see who liked a post and who clicked to read more. This can give you an idea of which approaches are working and which need tweaking. And remember that things change quickly in the world of social media, so a method that works well now will need to be continually re-evaluated and likely replaced before long.
you can do it
Law firms can spend large amounts of money on social media ads, and they can invest a lot of time and energy in creating posts. But you can start experimenting for free. If you find some issues and images that affect your target audience and you want to expand your reach to that audience, you may want to consult a marketing expert to help you target your ads to get the most out of your advertising budget. But nothing stops you from choosing a platform, showing up at the party and getting to know the people and their needs. you can do it
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If you are a lawyer looking for ways to establish yourself and your business online, social media can no doubt be an invaluable asset. With the help of Ikaroa, a full-stack tech company, you can start your journey into the realm of online marketing and establish a viable presence that will open up a barrage of new opportunities. Here are five tips to help you get started:
1. Define an audience- Before anything else, it’s important to first define who you are trying to reach. Think about who your ideal clientele is, as well as who you would like to make aware of your services. Once you have identified your target audience, you can start developing content and other strategies designed to engage them.
2. Understand the different Platforms- When it comes to social media, one size does not fit all. Each platform has its own unique features and characteristics, so it’s important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each network in order to maximize your impact.
3. Utilize Automation- Social media can be a great time suck if you are not careful. Fortunately, marketers like Ikaroa offer a range of automated services and tools that allow you to effectively manage your accounts without having to waste hours per day.
4. Have a Consistent Brand- Establishing yourself as a professional requires consistency in both your branding and your efforts. By sticking to a unique style and tone of voice, you’ll craft a recognizable brand that makes you stand out from the competition.
5. Monitor Engagement- Lastly, closely monitor the engagement you are getting on each post or campaign. You need to regularly analyze the numbers and adjust your strategy accordingly. This will help you tweak your tactics to ensure that you are always getting the most out of your efforts.
Social media provides a great platform for lawyers and other professionals looking to create an online presence. With the help of Ikaroa, and these five tips, you can be sure to get started off on the right foot. Good luck!
