By this day and age, most attorneys know that having an active social media presence is a must in order to stay competitive and connect with past, present, and future clients.
However, fewer attorneys understand how to develop and sustain effective social media in the long-term that will result in strong client connections, an expanded community connected with your firm, and, ultimately, more and better business.
In this post, we will make certain that you will never run out of exciting, diverse, and effective posts for your social media platforms, including Tik Tok, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
1. Share client tips: While you want to avoid giving specific legal advice online, lending a hand to your audience with some general advice is helpful and educational. Give your audience tips that they can use regarding the general issues surrounding your practice areas. For example, a divorce attorney might share tips about dividing assets, considering mediation, or even deciding who gets to keep the family dog.
2. Post breaking news: Act as a news source by sharing current events, developing legal issues, and providing relevant and interesting stories pertaining to your specific law firm and practice areas. To be sure that you are in the loop, set up Google Alerts for keywords that pertain to your practice and keep an eye on the news. For example, a personal injury attorney who takes workers’ comp cases might post news stories about a local construction accident or a local company getting fined for safety regulations.
3. Post opinion pieces: Share opinion articles from thought leaders in the legal world about breaking news, giving your followers a deeper understanding of key issues. In addition, consider sharing your own opinions by linking to original blog posts on your website. Just be sure when posting opinions to stay away from very controversial issues (such as religion) and to avoid alienating large groups of people who could be offended by your stance or the stance you present. You don’t want to make enemies with potential clients.
4. Share industry research: People love to read the results of new and interesting studies. Dig deep into academic journals and research organizations’ archives to find relevant research. The research or study results don’t always have to be new – some research doesn’t get the immediate publicity it deserves. For example, a business attorney might post about a new study about the current success rate of mergers and acquisitions.
5. Post helpful content excerpts: Tease your audience’s curiosity by sharing informative passages or statistics from your website copy or content. Not only is this a great way to drive web traffic coming in from social media outlets, it is also a great way to get extra bang from the content that you are posting on your law firm’s website.
6. Share podcasts: Take advantage of the podcast craze by linking to your favorite industry-related episodes or even creating your own. Giving your social media followers an option to listen to content rather than read it will attract a certain portion of the community that prefers audio over visual, increasing your overall audience. Podcasts are also an excellent way of educating your users so that they are easier to work with as clients.
7. Post quotes: Humorous, inspiring or motivational quotes always perform well on social media and may be shared far and wide by your users, increasing your social media audience. You should make sure that your quotes are at least related to legal issues or your practice areas–consider quoting famous attorneys or choosing quotes that are significant to the kind of cases you take. For example, a bankruptcy attorney could choose quotes about finances, happiness without money, or starting over.
8. Share fill-in-the-blank posts: These posts (e.g. “If I had $1 million I would _________”) encourage participation, interaction, and thought. They can also be very fun for readers. While it is always good to include a legal angle in your post, don’t be afraid to get creative. For example, a business attorney might try: “In 2017, I am going to grow my business by _________.”
9. Create polls: Much like fill-in-the-blank posts, polls are a great way of getting your users to chime in with their own thoughts and opinions. A few social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, make it extremely easy to create polls with just a few clicks. Think of a poll with an angle related to the law or your practice, and you are ready to go!
10. Post behind-the-scenes photos: Take candid shots of yourself, your legal team, or casual shots from inside of your law office. These non-professional photos can make you seem much more real and much less intimidating to potential clients who truly need to feel comfortable before picking up the phone and calling your number. Be sure to pair the photos with short, informative, and fun captions.
11. Share statistics or data: Share new, relevant statistics regarding legal issues or issues related to your practice areas. These short, informative posts often perform well, especially if you make the statistics or facts stand out by creating a meme or infographic. For example, a car accident attorney may present a pie graph breaking down the top causes for fatal traffic accidents in his or her state.
12. Share links to an old blog post: Recycling isn’t just for tin cans. There’s nothing wrong with recycling old blog posts from your website as long as they are still relevant. Recycling past posts extends their lives by giving them new engagement–and it also makes your content marketing dollars go farther.
13. Post links to ebooks: Social media is an excellent place to promote e-books–both those that you have written and relevant ones that would be of interest to your readers. To gather the best information about your users, put the e-books behind opt-in forms. When offering e-books to readers via a social media post, be sure to include a short summary in your post that outlines why the book is important and what the reader will gain from it.
14. Create educational article compilations: Collect informative articles and present them in a single page for your followers’ convenience using a convenient app like paper.li. Be sure to tag and credit the authors. For example, if you are a maritime law attorney, consider building a resource that lists the most useful articles dealing with the Jones Act, all in one place, that you can post for interested clients.
15. Run a themed post series: Run a collection of related posts over a set period to keep followers tuned into your major social accounts. Pick a theme for a week or a month and plan out interesting pieces of content (either created by you or curated) and post them intermittently. For example, a bankruptcy attorney might pick the theme of Chapter 13 bankruptcy one month and the theme of rebuilding credit after bankruptcy the next. Your themed content could include blog posts, statistics, ebooks, infographics, photos, news stories, article lists, and more.
16. Run recurring weekly posts: Create posts under a common theme to share at the same time each week and complement them with a catchy hashtag. For example, each week you may choose to profile an employee, answer a frequently asked question, or post a picture from around your office.
17. Create weekly round-ups: Reshare the week’s most successful content each Friday, giving users who didn’t see your best posts another chance to click and engage. It’s important to remember that especially on more popular social media websites like Twitter, content can get lost in minutes under the constant flood of tweets. Weekly round-up posts can make sure that a greater number of your followers get a chance to see your content.
18. Post questions: Pose simple, basic questions that your followers can answer quickly. Question posts should mostly be relevant to your clients and practice areas, and they should always involve short one-sentence or one-word answers. For example, a divorce attorney might ask, “Did you keep your wedding ring after your divorce–and why or why not?”
19. Link to a guest post: Share or re-share a link to a post you contributed to another site. Be sure to give the background behind the post–and to give a nod and tag to the site where your guest post is featured. Linking to guest posts not only help establish you as a skilled and knowledgeable attorney in your area, it also helps strengthen your general authority.
20. Post a branded image: Post an inspirational image with your logo or website address on it. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Pair your logo with any number of words or images, including an inspirational quote, statistics about your case, results, or a picture of your legal team. It is so important that your social media community is familiar with your brand, and posting a branded image is a great strategy to remind them of it.
21. Share an infographic: Find an infographic your followers would appreciate, or, even better, make one yourself to share. Infographics that are well-designed and that contain lots of educational material will be shared far and wide, so don’t forget to include your logo and your website information on the graphic if you are creating it yourself. For example, a Social Security disability attorney may create an infographic explaining the Social Security disability benefits for those suffering from cancer.
22. Post a photo: Sometimes, all you need is a simple and striking visual. Get creative: while photos of employees and your office are nice, you can also post photos that simply convey the feeling behind your brand. For instance, coffee giant Starbucks shares photos on Instagram that associate their brand with sunshine, warmth, and good friends, not just beverages.
23. Link to a controversial blog post: There’s nothing better for eliciting engagement than a little controversy. Link to a blog post related to your practice areas that is getting attention and ask your audience for their opinion. Just be sure not to take sides yourself (in most cases) lest you offend half of your audience. Also be sure to check your social media comments for inappropriate language and other issues.
24. Ask for input on your business: Your followers will love giving their thoughts on how to improve your legal services and they will also love that you are open and ready to receive their ideas. Ask them about specific ways to improve your business, possibly with a poll or questionnaire. Or consider focusing your query on a single question, such as, “How could we be more attentive to your needs during your case?”
25. Share from Pinterest and Instagram: Pinterest and Instagram are a goldmine in terms of finding beautiful images you can share, such as images and quotes. Just be sure to give proper credit and just be sure to keep things relevant to your clients in the majority of your posts. Remember that you can cross-post on social media platforms: you can share Pinterest pictures on Facebook or Instagram photos on Twitter, for example.
26. Share a helpful resource: If you’re truly concerned about sharing the most useful info with your followers, don’t be afraid to direct them to other people’s valuable content, not just your own. Of course, be sure to share accurate, up-to-date resources from reputable sites, such as non-profit organizations, government agencies, and educational websites. Always avoid sharing resources posted by the competition, too. A good example of a helpful resource would be sharing information about the red flags of nursing home abuse from a non-profit, for your nursing home abuse and neglect clients.
27. Post a SlideShare presentation: Slideshare is a service provided by LinkedIn that allows users to share slideshows with others. Feel free to create and post your own Slideshare presentations or to find one that is already useful and popular. To look for currently popular slideshows, go to the ‘Trending in Social Media’ section at the bottom of the Slideshare homepage. To find relevant presentations, search your favorite keywords.
28. Link to a case study: Case studies are great for delivering useful info in a way that’s often more palatable and actionable than a standard blog post. As with other types of posts, consider both linking to case studies that you find online and creating your own case studies to share with your audience. When writing legal case studies, be sure to do so for a general audience, avoiding too much legalese, dense writing, or complex information.
29. Ask for reviews or testimonials: Eliciting reviews and testimonials from fans or followers is one of the best ways to get testimonials that you can use as social proof on your website. Consider posting a link to your review page on AVVO or Google+, along with a short message asking your followers to say a few words about their experience working with you. Just be aware that some review sites, such as Yelp, may penalize you if too many people review your law firm on the same day.
#TestimonialTuesday: You can never go wrong with this post, all it does is further instill trust in your audience. If you have video testimonials even shot from an iPhone it will make it more authentic and increase your engagement even more.
30. Recommend a tool: Share a preferably free tool or app that you think your followers would find useful. There are a multitude of useful apps that relate to almost all practice areas; for example, tax attorneys may consider sharing an app that tracks business expenses, while car accident attorneys could share an app that walks you through what to do after a traffic collision.
31. Share a favorite book: Offer a book recommendation your fans or followers would appreciate and one that is relevant to your practice in some way. Link to a place to purchase or download the book, and post a short review that explains why you think it would be enjoyable or helpful. Great creative: you don’t always have to share straight, dry resources or even non-fiction.
32. Share a day in the life post: Give a recap of a typical day in the life of one of your attorneys or someone else on your legal team, such as a paralegal or administrative assistant. Add pictures, make a slideshow, or post statistics to increase interest. You could also link to the person’s bio page or LinkedIn profile.
33. Recommend your favorite products: Share a list of the products that help you succeed in your law office, from something as small as your favorite pen for taking notes during trial to a type of software you use to organize your office and cases.
34. Link to your most popular blog post: Give a brief intro to the post to explain why it’s your most read and shared post as well as a little background information, such as when it was originally published and who wrote it. These posts can help your content go viral all over again.
35. Provide a business recommendation: Share the love by recommending a business you’ve worked with successfully in the past. This can be anything from a transcription service or another law office to a favorite restaurant that delivers lunch to the office each Friday. You might be surprised at how often the businesses you boost respond to your post by posting about your law firm, helping to grow your authority and your audience.
36. Share a work/life balance tip: Your social media followers want to know you’re a real person with the same struggles as they have. Share a tip you’ve learned for balancing work, life and family, such as how to keep your work at the office on the weekends or how to make sure you make all of your kids’ baseball games. These tips are meaningful coming from an attorney, who clients know works hard and faces long hours.
37. Ask for advice: Pose a hypothetical question and ask your followers what they would do in that situation. These are great opportunities to get your audience to participate on your page as well as great opportunities to educate and explore ideas. Your questions can and should absolutely have a legal angle – you can even discuss a recent case that has been in the news.
38. Take a trip down memory lane: Share photos of old logos, websites, or headshots. These posts can be either funny or introspective. In the written portion of the post, think about how far you’ve come, your accomplishments, and where you want your law firm to head in the future.
39. Share posts that show you’re a real person: While you want to remain professional, you also want to show your human side from time to time. While personal posts should be rare, it is a great idea to occasionally share part of your life, whether it is a great book you are reading, a fun weekend plan, a hobby, or a picture you took while on a hike.
40. Share popular Reddit topic: Reddit is a great place to find interesting content and conversations. Visit Reddit’s Trending Subreddit page to find popular and trending topics to post about that relate to your practice and practice areas. Just be sure to read the threads carefully to check for appropriateness, and adding a disclaimer that Reddit’s opinions are not necessarily your own is always a good idea.
41. Recommend someone else to follow on social media: Share a link to someone else’s social media profile and encourage your fans to ‘like’ or follow them. For example, on Twitter, “Follow Friday” encourages everyone to recommend someone to follow. Not only will your audience appreciate the guidance, you may be surprised how many people you recommend return the favor and recommend your social media profile to their own followers.
42. Share a Pinterest board: If your customers are on Pinterest (hint: if one of your demgraphics is educated, high-income females, they probably are), share a Pinterest board via Facebook or Twitter. Pinterest used to be focused solely on topics like fashion and crafts, but now the social media platform is filled with a hugely diverse amount of content. Create a board that helps your clients in some way, or share a board that someone else has created that is relevant to your practice.
43. Share a comic or meme: Getting your customers to laugh with you is a great way to start building relationships. Sharing a humorous meme, comic strip, picture, quote, or video can help you connect to past, current, and future clients. While it is okay to share humorous links that don’t have to do with law, you should keep unrelated posts to a minimum. There is plenty of funny material related to attorneys and your practice areas once you start to look.
44. Post a video testimonial: Share a video review or testimonial so that your social media followers can see a real person talking about your skills and expertise. Video reviews are a great alternative to written reviews and often catch the notice of slightly younger users. Also consider making a post in which you request former clients to submit a video review.
45. Recommend a colleague on LinkedIn: Encourage your connections to reach out to someone who acts as a valuable resource for your business. In your post, be sure to outline why you recommend your colleague, how you did business with them, and what their best skills and attributes are. You can expect that at least some of the people that you recommend will recommend you back.
46. Hold a photo contest: Ask for photo submissions based on a theme and then get your fans to vote. When you have the results, share the winning photos in a new post. Your photo contest could have a local theme or a theme related to the law in some cases. For added interest, offer a small prize from a local business for the winner.
47. Share a trending Twitter topic: Search Twitter hashtags and trending topics to find content that’s currently popular. Be sure to specifically search for topics that will be of interest to your clients and and that are appropriate for your firm. For example, an estate planning attorney might want to share content about a celebrity death that involved a will or trust.
48. Hold a debate: Starting a debate on social media, by asking a question or presenting two sides of an issue, is an excellent way to get lots of users to participate as well as an excellent way to expose new users to your feed. Make certain to stay on top of the thread and curate it closely so that it stays civil and professional. Delete any comments that are inappropriate or incendiary.
49. Hold a ‘caption this’ contest: Post a photo and ask your fans to come up with creative or funny captions. Your caption contest doesn’t necessarily have to do with the law or legal issues, but it is a nice touch if it is relevant.
50. Post a YouTube video: Video is an increasingly wonderful way to connect with users, especially those in the younger generations. You can either post your own videos (that share legal advice or introduce your legal team) or you can post a video that has been created by someone else–just be sure to give them credit. Pair your post with a good description of the video so that your audience is interested enough to watch.
51. Tag a Facebook page: Generate some good karma by helping to promote another business or organization. For example, you might promote a non-profit that your office contributes to or a business that works with yours. Don’t just post their page–make sure that it is paired with a good description of who they are, what they do, and why you like them.
52. Share holidays: Wish your followers happy holidays, from the big ones like Independence Day and Christmas to the fun ones, like Grandparents Day and Groundhog Day. Pair your good wishes with a photo or a video for added interest–and try to be inclusive of different cultures, countries, and religions.
53. Share and ask for predictions: Make a prediction about a legal case that is in the news, something related to one of your practice areas, or even something off-topic, like the outcome of a big local football game. These posts can be fun and informative, and by asking your users to participate as well, they can generate a lot of interest and views.
54. Answer questions: Let your users ask you anything. They might want to know about how you do your job, what your favorite case was, or where you went to high school. Be wary of giving specific legal advice on these threads, or getting too personal. But other than that, have fun and don’t be afraid to show your knowledge and show your personality.
55. Post a controversial view: Some of the most popular social media posts are the ones that rustle a few feathers. By posting something slightly controversial, you will generate great conversation and perhaps lots of likes and shares. Tread carefully: you do not want to post something offensive or unprofessional and you do not want to post an idea that you can’t back up with facts.
56. Use Facebook’s trending topics for content ideas: Facebook offers users a number of trending topics of different types, including one for politics and one for entertainment. Scan these trending topics for anything that is relevant to your users or practice. Don’t post about just anything–curate your content carefully for the best results.
57. Profile an employee: Let your followers know they’re dealing with real people by sharing lots of information about one of your team members. Remember to include both professional and personal information in the profile and remember not to limit your profiles to attorneys–put the spotlight on everyone from your top partners to your paralegals, administrative assistants, and interns.
Attorney Spotlight: Great way to showcase some key members of your firm and new hires. For new hires, the best way to spotlight them is a candid picture with them and the team with a sweet welcoming message rather than a link to his about me section on the site.
58. Post product recall notices: Keep your ear to the ground so you can be the first to share important safety information with your followers. This is an especially good post to make if you are an attorney who deals with defective product cases and personal injury cases. Make certain to link to a good resource that shares what people who have the product should do to safely get a replacement or refund.
59. Post a ‘truth or false’ question: This is a great way to educate your users while also engaging them. Post a fact (or a myth) and have your readers guess whether it is true or false. In the comments, reveal the answer and give them more information on the topic. If it is a myth or misconception, be sure to share the truth and explain why the myth endures.
60. Use a trending Google search for content ideas: Visit Google Trends to find out what people are currently searching for and give your own spin on the latest topic of interest. Don’t pick just any topic that is popular; instead, choose issues in which you can give an interesting legal opinion or issues that have any kind of relevant legal angle.
61. Pick a follower of the month: Acknowledge your brand ambassadors and let them know they’re appreciated by picking a friend or follower to tout each month. You can increase the amount of content you share by tagging them, writing a mini-profile, or even having them fill out a short questionnaire. On Twitter, you can pick a user to showcase on #FollowFriday.
62. Share a case result: If you’ve just won a big court case or if you have successfully settled out of court, let your followers know all about it (without sharing confidential information, of course). Sharing your positive case results shows how effective you are in a concrete way. Be sure to link to newspaper articles or other media about the case if possible.
63. Share a media mention: Were you interviewed by the local paper or a local television station? Did you just win a big case? Was your law firm in the news for making a big donation? Be sure that every time your name appears in the news in a positive light, you link to it on your social media sites, along with some information for context.
64. Share awards or accolades you’ve received: Celebrate with your followers by announcing any awards you or your firm has received. Just be sure to write the post carefully, as the idea is to build trust, not to brag. For example, be sure to thank the outlet that gave the award as well as other recipients or other people in the running.
Ratings: Promoting awards and high ratings on social do wonders for your engagement and trust
65. Write about your continuing legal education: All attorneys are required to continue their legal education after law school. Post about your CLE so that your audience is aware that you are still learning and so that they can have an inside peak into what topics you are brushing up on.
66. Share the latest company news: Did you just hire someone new to your office? Did you just win a big case? Did you start offering a new type of legal service? Let your users know by sharing the information across all of your law firm’s social media platforms. Pair your news with a visual if possible and consider writing a blog post to compliment the announcement.
67. Share pictures from a recent industry event: Have you or someone on your team recently attended a legal conference or another attorney event? Share your experience online along with pictures and insights. Don’t forget to use the event hashtag for maximum exposure and to gain new followers from the legal world.
68. Promote a free download: This could be a plugin, white paper, ebook, app, or anything else that your audience could find useful and download. For example, a criminal defense attorney could post an ebook about what you should do if you have been charged with a DUI, while a business attorney could post a link to an app that helps users organize their monthly bills.
69. Say thank you: A simple thank you can go a long way to building connections with your friends and followers. Write a heartfelt post about how you couldn’t do your job without your clients and supporters–and how they make your day and your job better.
70. Offer expert insights into a topic: This type of post helps establish you as a thought leader in your field. Pick a topic in current events or one that is trending on social media and offer your thoughts on the topic as an attorney. You can either do this as a written post or shoot a short video. Be sure to link to a resource or news article as well.
71. Do a countdown: Countdown the days to a special event or countdown your top ten case results. This creates a lot of fodder for posts over a series of days. If you are counting down to an event, share a different reason to attend each day. You can also count up: share 30 things you are thankful for, or 30 tips regarding one of your practice areas.
72. Get your employees to guest post: Have different people on your legal team take turns posting on social media. Ask them all to answer the same question, or make the same kind of themed post. Here are two ideas: Have your employees share a “Day in the Life” or have your employees each tell a story about their most interesting day at work.
73. Create and share a compilation of industry news stories: Use a social magazine app like Flipboard to create great-looking compilations of news stories that are relevant to your practice and your users. Not only is Flipboard a great way to get well-curated content to your followers, it also helps educate them so that they are more knowledgeable and up-to-date when they walk in your door.
74. Promote a Google+ hangout: Invite your friends, fans, and followers to join you for a Google+ hangout conversation. The conversation could take many shapes: it could cover a specific legal topic, it could be a forum for frequently asked questions, or it could simply be a chance for you to generally chat with a number of community members and see where the conversation leads.
75. Encourage your followers to support a cause: Post a link to an online fundraiser or a charity organization. This is not just an opportunity to raise money for those in need, it is also an opportunity to highlight your law firm’s own giving. You may even challenge your followers to raise a certain amount of money as a group, or to donate volunteer hours or other resources.
76. Post an expert quote: Ask an industry expert a question and post their answer on social media. You can even make it look great by integrating the quote into an image in order to make a meme. This is great for getting retweets and shares, especially if your expert has a good following on social media, too.
77. Hold a giveaway: Giveaways are wonderful tools for social media marketing. A contest can be as simple as asking your fans or followers to comment to enter, and the prize can be simple. Consider tickets to a local event, a gift certificate to a restaurant, a gift basket of local items, a coveted item, like an iPad. For added interest, give your giveaway a theme or pair it will a photo contest.
78. Offer a sneak peek: Whet your followers’ appetites by showing a sneak peek of an upcoming blog post, contest, or product launch. This is a great law firm social media marketing strategy because these posts are quick and interesting while also keeping audiences engaged and aware. Post a picture or quote with your sneak peek and get everyone wondering about what is going to come next.
79. Start a conversation with an industry leader: Tag or mention a notable authority in a post and engage them in conversation by talking about their work or asking them a question. There are two possible outcomes: he or she may respond, boosting your own authority and exposing his or her audience to yours, or he or she may ignore you, which is no harm done.
80. Post a photo collage: There are large numbers of apps that can make a collage of pictures in just minutes. Take advantage of these tools by creating collages to post on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Give your collages themes: perhaps you make a collage of office pictures or pictures of a recent event.
81. Teaser content: Increase your clickthroughs by posting an intro to a blog post that doesn’t reveal the punchline. For example, if you are a bankruptcy attorney who has written a post about bankruptcy due to medical bills, your teaser social media post may say, “Do you know the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States?”
82. Update your readers about changes in the law: Has there recently been a change in the law in your city or state? Write a post that explains in simple language how the law has changed and how it will affect your readers. These posts, even if they are only tangentially related to your practice areas, help establish you as a knowledgeable authority and local expert.
83. Link to a blog comment: Have you had a particularly helpful or controversial comment on your blog? Post a link to the comment and ask for your readers to weigh in on one side or the other. Not only will this start a conversation on social media, it will also increase traffic to your website and blog post. This is a great way to deal with a controversial comment that you don’t simply want to delete or ignore.
84. Answer an FAQ: Have a question you get asked a lot? Answer it on your law firm’s social media accounts. Not only will this be interesting and helpful to your followers, it will also save you time in the office–if you answer a frequently asked question online, your clients won’t ask you again on your time. Take an extra step and compile all of your FAQs to create a new blog post for your website.
#FAQFriday: This post links to a video. FAQFridays are a good way to showcase your knowledge and inform the public about your practice area(s).
85. Post links to old newsletters: Recycle your newsletters and gain new subscribers at the same time by posting your old issues. This is a very good way of getting more use out of content that you have already created as well as a great way to remind your audience that you have a regular newsletter.
86. Ask your followers for content ideas: If you’ve run out of ideas for what to post, find out which issues or problems your fans need help with. These posts can be great ways to connect with your past, current, and future clients and give you a great idea of the kind of content that your readers actually want. Just be sure to follow up by creating some of the content they ask for, whether blog posts, images, or videos.
87. Post a link to a helpful Facebook or LinkedIn group: If you know of a helpful resource on Facebook or LinkedIn, share a link with your fans. This is an especially great idea for attorneys, since both Facebook and LinkedIn has groups that your clients can benefit from. For example, a wrongful death attorney can link to groups of people mourning after a loss, while a business attorney can link to local groups of entrepreneurs.
88. Tell a story: There is a reason that the simple story has endured throughout history and even before the written word: people love to hear a good tale. Make a post in which you simply tell a story from your life or your day, as it relates to you or as it relates to your profession as an attorney. For example, you might post about how an exchange with a client taught you a lesson about how to be a better lawyer, or how you won a case despite its challenges.
Client Successes: Sharing the success of your client shows that you not only care for your clients, but that your clients are so happy with your service they want to share it with the world. So help them share it!! (You can also be the one to share that success on your page if the client agrees for her case to be posted on social media)
89. Find out what your competitors are sharing, and do it better: Tools like Social Crawlytics allow you to determine your competitions’ most shared content and biggest influencers. Check out where they are getting their information as well as what their best posts accomplish. You can either take tips from how they are running their social media campaigns or you can try to one-up them. Just be sure not to copy their ideas exactly–that won’t benefit you or your readers.
90. Use your website analytics to find content ideas: Take a quick look through your analytics to find out which topics generate the most interest from your audience. While the topics at the top of the list certainly aren’t the only ones that your users find helpful, it is a great way to start. For example, if you are a divorce attorney and one of your most popular posts is “Ten things to do before filing for divorce,” consider breaking down those ten things in a 10-post social media series.
91. Share your AVVO profile: If you have great reviews and a full profile, share your AVVO or other attorney profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Not only will sharing your profile teach your users more about you, it might inspire a few to leave you a review. Just be sure to share only if you have a solid rating and only if all of your information is accurate and up to date.
92. Share an opinion on a recent case in the media: Your followers want to know you stand for something; don’t be afraid to take sides on an issue and back it up with your thought process and the facts. If there has been a recent decision in the courts locally that is interesting, or even a Supreme Court decision at the federal level, take the time to weigh in and explain your view.
93. Post a link to an employee bio: If you have bios on your site, post a link to help your followers and friends get to know the individuals behind your company as well as their stories. If you don’t have employee bios on your website, you should consider adding them!
94. Answer a question from Quora: Quora is a website that specializes in answering user questions. Find a relevant question related to the legal world on Quora and post your answer on social media. This is a great strategy because if someone on Quora has asked a question, chances are that other people are interested in the answer as well.
95. Respond to a tag or mention: Social media for lawyers isn’t just about your firm and what you are doing, it is about interacting with others and communicating with the community. Be sure to check to see who has been talking about you and respond to what they’ve been posting. Often, it’s a question or comment that can spark a conversation. Not responding to these mentions makes you seem distant, cold, and inattentive.
96. Post an excerpt from a blog post: Rather than just posting a link and summary of the post, cut and paste a particularly intriguing excerpt to pique your readers’ interest. Choose a line or paragraph that makes a big statement, asks, a question, or even raises a bit of controversy. Then link to the blog in the body of your social media post. This not only makes for interesting content, it also brings a good rate of readers over to your website.
97. Share a chart: Share an interesting chart or graph that is relevant to your audience–readers love visuals and they love to learn. For example, a car accident attorney might share a chart that breaks down the most common causes of traffic collisions, while a criminal defense attorney might break down the outcomes of his or her recent cases.
98. Post a screenshot of a social media conversation: If you see another interesting interaction happening on Twitter or Facebook, ask permission to take a screenshot and post it on your own profile. Then add your own thoughts to the conversation and ask your readers to chime in.
99. Promote an industry-related event: This can either be a live or online event. You can promote the event by sharing the event’s page, taking pictures of the event and posting them, or sharing how you will be involved in the event. For example, you might post about your firm’s anniversary celebration before the event, during the event, and after the event. Post by utilizing event pages, pictures, video, and more.
100. Share promotions: Do you offer free consultations, free e-books, or other promotions in order to connect with potential clients? Don’t forget to mention these every now and again on your social media platforms. Don’t try to do it as if you are advertising, instead, find simple, fun, and casual ways to remind your readers that you have offers for them to take advantage of.
101. Promote your legal services: There’s a reason this one is last on the list. Although there is a time and a place for self-promotion on social media, the space should first and foremost be used to build relationships, establish trust, and build your reputation as an industry expert. When people are in need of legal services, who do you think they’ll come to first? It is the person that they feel like they know and who they believe knows the most.
102. Tik Tok Explainer Videos: Since it hasn’t yet been banned in the US one main point of focus for generating new clients for your law firm should be TikTok. In 2022 this continued to increase in visibility and gain traffic. Some of the most successful lawyers utilizing this create videos of legal scenarios and tips for potential customers.
Here are some general guidelines for lawyers when it comes to using social media:
- Do use social media to network and connect with other professionals in your field.
- Do make sure to maintain a professional image and avoid posting anything that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate.
- Do use social media to share relevant industry news and updates, as well as your own insights and expertise.
- Do keep in mind that anything you post on social media can be easily accessed by the public, so be mindful of what you share.
- Don’t use social media to share confidential or privileged information.
- Don’t use social media to promote yourself or your firm in a way that could be considered unethical or unprofessional.
- Don’t engage in arguments or disputes with others on social media.
- Don’t post anything on social media that could damage your reputation or the reputation of your firm.
Get Social Media & Marketing Help From The Team At Juris Digital
Now you have dozens of ideas for how to successfully post on your social media sites–but we know that some lawyers and law offices need next level help regarding social media strategy. We invite you to partner with our team to get the most out of social marketing, including, what, when, where, and how to post. To learn more about our services, or simply to ask a question or meet our team, call us today.
In the age of social media, even businesses that do not typically have an online presence can use this online market to their advantage. Social media marketing for lawyers can have a significant impact on growing your law firm brand if you have the right strategy.
There are many ways to utilize social media marketing for law firms. With Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and so many more, where do you even start?
To get started, it’s helpful to know precisely how you will benefit from it. Building a strategy depends on which social media platforms serve the needs of an individual firm and align with their marketing goals.
Promoting a law firm on social media can seem overwhelming or even boring at first, but if you take it one step at a time, the rewards can be worth it.
The Benefits of Social Media Marketing
Here are a few ways our clients use social media to help market their law firms:
1. Attract New Clients
A common goal of many businesses using social media is to reach potential clients. This is by far the most popular goal but in my experience I have seen people only participate so that they can sign more cases and when it doesn’t happen quickly, they stop.
But, because more and more parts of our lives are becoming digitalized, an online presence is more important than ever.
Many law firm social media campaigns find success in building a more extensive client base. Not only can potential clients see your posts and ads, but they can also find your content during their own search.
Your practice area will heavily dictate the strategy and platforms you decide to use here.
2.Interaction with the Community
Before you start any planning, take a look at what online presence your law firm already has. Take what people have to say into consideration at every step of the way. This way, you can build upon what you already have and fix what needs fixing in the process.
Consistency is vital when it comes to social media marketing for lawyers. Posting on a regular basis lets your audience know that you are active and accessible.
Sharing or making posts is not always enough, however. You will want to answer questions people have or reply to any reviews left by clients. Everything you say and do will impact how the community feels about you.
Maintaining a presence on social media relies heavily on continuous engagement with others.
3. Build a Brand Reputation
Another benefit of social media marketing for law firms is the ability to make your name known. Sharing your story can help people understand what you stand for. In turn, that will make an impression that sets you apart from other firms.
Sharing unique content, especially if yours, lets people know that you have knowledge and experience. A respectable online reputation depends on first impressions, but quality and sincerity keep people coming back.
It can also re-activate people who didn’t need your services before, but now need them.
Creating a Social Media Marketing Strategy for your Law Firm
The hardest part of social media marketing for lawyers is knowing where to start. It is best to take it slow and ensure that you are well-informed rather than jumping right in and creating a profile just for the sake of creating a profile.
First, Set and Check the Rules
From who has access to accounts to dealing with negative posts, establishing company rules for social media is crucial. There may also be specific regulations regarding social media set by the bar.
You must comply with these rules and the ethical statutes set by your local law society.
Next, Make Sure You Establish Goals [Trackable Goals are Better]
Determine what you hope a law firm social media campaign will accomplish. How many new clients can you realistically take on? Is there a certain amount of recognition for which you strive?
With long and short-term goals, you have the groundwork for a social media strategy. These goals should, however, be feasible and practical. Since you will use them to develop your plan, it is essential to focus on the attainable.
Do Your Research
Research should not stop with how to promote a law firm on social media. A quick search can take you to profiles of successful legal influencers. From there, you can see what they do with social media and use it for inspiration.
Instead of thinking like a lawyer, approach these profiles like a potential client. Doing this allows you to have a useful perspective on what does and does not work.
When you have established social media accounts for your law firm, it is always good to engage with others. You can also keep up to date with trends by following profiles and learning from those who have more experience.
Choose a Platform
In the beginning, it is wise to pick only one platform for a law firm’s social media campaign. With multiple, there is a higher chance of becoming overwhelmed. It can also be challenging to split your attention between several platforms evenly, especially when starting.
Take the time to learn when first creating your profile. Follow similar profiles and observe their approaches to social media. This method familiarizes you with terms, conversation styles, and where potential clients spend their time.
It can be tempting to focus on your favorite platform or the most popular. However, it is far more beneficial to pick what aligns best with your goals.
Other factors to account for are your team’s social media skills, how much time you have for marketing, your audience, and which area of law you practice.
Just last week I spoke with an attorney who has grown their practice almost solely off of producing iPhone Youtube Videos at home for the past 7 years.
Regardless of where you decide to establish your practice, it is best practice to follow the 80/20 rule. This ratio states that 80 percent of your content should provide value for the client, and anything sales-related gets the remaining 20 percent.
In this instance, value content refers to anything shared on your social media that shares something unique or gives insight into your team’s culture and experience. Cultivating resources to share is one way to do this, but creating your own has the most impact.
Content that you share can be infographics, photos of the team, articles with relevant information, FAQ videos, and more.
Respond to the Community
A significant aspect of developing an online presence is how you interact with peers and potential clients. Most people who contact a business either have service or product questions or want to inform people of an awful experience.
When left ignored, these publicly unanswered inquiries give the impression of indifference. People want to know that someone is listening. In this situation, you are that someone.
Maintain Consistency
Keeping up with social media marketing for law firms’ demands is easier than it seems at first glance. A social media schedule can be a lifeline for a busy workplace. Pre-planned content is another technique that can save you from scrambling around at the last second for something to contribute.
A social media schedule should cover not only daily content but weekly and monthly as well. This plan allows you to delegate times and days when specific content goes live. Additionally, each person that has something to do with a social media account should have a schedule.
Creating or curating multiple weeks’ worth of content at once lets you spread posts out and gives you more time to focus on interacting with people. Doing everything you can to save time can make the marketing process much more manageable.
If worse comes to worst, social media scheduling tools are useful resources.
Analytics Tracking
Social media metrics show you everything you need to know about how your content is doing. Clicks, views, shares, and even locations can provide you with enough information to switch things up a bit to attract a larger audience.
The analytics of a law firm’s social media campaign has complex and straightforward versions. Complex analytics go into details such as demographics and overall impact. If you want to know about clicks, likes, and shares, the initial report will have more than enough information.
Keeping track of social media engagement lets you make regular changes in response to any assessment results.
What Social Networks Are Best for Attorneys?
Without an online presence, it is easy to fade into the background. Mobile devices and internet usage are so prevalent that not having social media or a website can cause people to think twice about any business.
Not every social media platform will suit the needs of all. Because of this, it is essential to make a careful choice of where to begin. Not all social networks that are good for lawyers are listed here, but these well-known, consistently effective platforms are typically a better starting point.
As the leading platform for several years, LinkedIn gives you more than an outlet for your content. Connecting with others in your industry lets you expand your reach and establish a professional image.
LinkedIn is an ideal social media platform for lawyers or a law firm. It is inherently professional and allows the sharing and reinforcement of your legal experience. An established status on LinkedIn has a significant impact when deciding to branch out to other social media platforms.
While Facebook has the widest audience of potential clients, there are things to consider before making a business page. Some features of this platform actively work against your attempts to reach anyone.
If your practice is just starting to dabble in marketing, Facebook can be an excellent way to learn how to promote a law firm on social media without tons of pressure.
The popularity of this social media network for businesses is on a steady decline. Algorithms told to prioritize content from family and friends tend to take it too literally. The possibility of a post showing up on someone’s timeline, even with paid advertising, is minimal.
It never hurts to have a Facebook profile, but it may be worth focusing your attention elsewhere.
Anything short and sweet is perfect for a Twitter profile. Following influential people and posting efficient, instantaneous, and concise blurbs can be more challenging than it sounds, but luckily, Twitter is a straightforward social media platform.
A mix of consistent content with peak times in mind is generally the best strategy for a successful Twitter profile.
YouTube
Slowly making its way into social media marketing for law firms, YouTube is a relatively untapped resource. Making videos is incredibly easy with the right tools and intentions. A YouTube channel for your law firm can feature short but informational information.
This social media platform is an excellent secondary marketing tool. Sharing YouTube videos on your other network profiles creates even more possibilities for reaching clients.
As Instagram continues to skyrocket in popularity, most law firms and solo lawyers do not have a profile. It can still be beneficial, however. Showing snippets of behind the scenes shenanigans or sharing legal insight allows people to see the firm in a more humanizing light.
For building your brand, firms dealing with consumer laws, or business clients, Instagram is an excellent platform.
Paid Ads
A few social network platforms give you the option to pay for more visibility on their site, including LinkedIn. Facebook, in particular, prioritizes paid advertisements over content not from family and friends. Twitter advertises, too, but most do not find it practical.
Instagram and Facebook go hand in hand when it comes to advertising because ads automatically show up on both platforms.
If you do not want your Facebook ads on Instagram for any reason, there is a way to turn this feature off in Facebook’s settings.
Conclusion
A successful law firm social media campaign requires a certain level of professionalism. You should keep the ethics of using social media in mind at all times. Inappropriate behavior and misinformation tend to have a lasting impact on any business, and it is not usually a good one.
