How Can Social Media Affect Your Law Firm?
Social media is an incredibly powerful law firm marketing tool, often not costing a dime. It could also be what’s standing between you and your ideal caseload if you don’t strategize your social efforts. You might think that just because social platforms are often at your fingertips, using them to market your firm is easy. This is an all-too-common misconception. We can explain:
Does Social Media Matter for Inbound Marketing?
Social media marketing for lawyers is integral to inbound marketing; it creates top-of-mind awareness when your potential clients need you the most. So, your social media presence warrants the same attention as any other inbound marketing initiative because it's just as important in today’s digital landscape.
For example, when you harness social media to post inspiring, educational, or helpful content, you can position yourself as an esteemed thought leader in your industry. You can also tailor content and target specific audiences, bringing your message to the right people and driving traffic to your website. Potential clients expect legal brands to have a social media presence; when they don’t, they could lose their cases to a competitor that does.
Advantages of Legal Social Media Marketing
One of the most significant advantages of social media marketing is the opportunity to have a leg up over the competition. Nearly 40% of small businesses don’t use social media. An additional 16% are not likely to utilize it at all. Unfortunately, they are losing customers and the opportunity to build a loyal community. When you generate conversations about your brand and establish yourself as a thought leader, you could:
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Grow brand awareness
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Increase website traffic
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Gather data about your audience
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Save money on ads
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Build trust and credibility
Most of all, you promote your services organically to those who need them and are most likely to click. You are the brand they think of when seeking your services or recommending one to a friend.
Common Social Media Mistakes
Poorly written captions.
Social media captions are essential for conveying your message effectively. Poorly written captions with grammatical errors or unclear language can deter your audience from engaging with your content.
Using imagery and graphics that do not fit your post content or follow brand standards.
Using visuals that don't align with your post's content or brand standards can confuse users and harm your brand's consistency. Your graphic design should maintain a cohesive and recognizable aesthetic.
Focusing on the wrong metrics (likes vs. clicks to content or site).
Prioritizing "likes" over more meaningful metrics, such as clicks to your website or content, can lead to a skewed understanding of your social media performance. Aligning your goals with the appropriate metrics for your business is essential.
Not having an overall strategy.
An enduring social media presence requires a clear strategy and structure. Without one, you risk posting aimlessly, which can result in inconsistent messaging and an unstable online presence.
Focusing entirely on self-promotion.
Constantly promoting your products or services can alienate your audience. Instead, a good rule of thumb is to maintain a healthy balance of approximately 20% self-promotion and 80% original, educational, or engaging content that provides value to your followers.
Treating all social platforms the same (not selecting content in relation to different audiences on different platforms).
Each social media platform has its own unique audience and purpose. When you don’t tailor your content to the specific characteristics of each platform, it can lead to lessened engagement and impact.
Not including video content.
Video content is highly engaging and often prioritized by social media algorithms. Posting videos directly to the platform instead of just sharing YouTube links can increase your visibility and reach.
Not considering putting spend behind some content.
Relying solely on organic reach may limit your social media impact. Consider allocating some budget to boost important posts or run targeted advertising campaigns to reach a wider audience.
Not hiring a professional to manage your social content and strategy.
Managing social media effectively requires expertise, just like every other aspect of your firm. Not hiring a professional to handle your social content and strategy can result in missed opportunities and goals. A social media professional can help develop original, engaging content and images and plan an ongoing strategy designed to help achieve your goals. From there, they can develop audience personas to target your desired audience effectively. With a firm understanding of how to use content effectively to reach specific audiences and drive traffic, a social media specialist can make all the difference in your social media marketing efforts.
Why Social Media for Lawyers?
Did you know that 71% of lawyers are gaining clients through social media? While that’s a lot of lawyers, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re posting all the time; lawyers are booked and busy with cases and have minimal time to maintain social accounts. Instead, they let their clients speak for themselves. Testimonials and reviews are a significant factor in a client’s research process (and their Google Business Profile (GBP). Additionally, it boosts your visibility in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). When they do post, it’s carefully thought out. Each social platform offers you unique advantages and insights to elevate your law firm’s brand:
Raises brand awareness, facilitates community outreach, and generates leads.
Best for video content (such as providing legal tips and “behind the scenes” content) and building brand personality.
The ideal platform to share educational content aimed at other businesses (B2B).
When a law firm works with a legal marketing partner consistent with posting, engaging audiences, and paying attention to the right metrics, their elevated social presence will pave the way to quality cases.
Legal Marketing is All We Do
You know that your law firm provides valuable legal services and knowledge, but does your ideal audience? A bulletproof social strategy could be what’s standing between your law firm and its optimal caseload. At Legal Communications Group, we are a full-service team of seasoned marketing professionals dedicated to strategic legal branding solutions. We’re ready to help bridge the gap between you and your future clients.
