Why Social Media is a Must For Today’s Law Firms

Most law firms tend to be rather traditional when it comes to marketing. Marketing channels, such as social media, tend to be left as uncharted territory for lawyers. Social media shouldn’t be discounted as an opportunity, however. Social media is in fact, one of the most effective mediums lawyers can use to establish themselves as thought leaders, build their personal brands, interact with their communities, develop business, and improve their practices.

Successful law firms tend to stay in touch with the latest trends in legal solution software. While that is important, they shouldn’t lose focus on their social media presence.

Social media is a two-way conversation, and not participating may be costing you engagement that can help build your list of clients and your reputation. Law firms and legal professionals alike should embrace technology and use social networks to their advantage. Here’s how it can be a career game-changer.

Build Your Personal Brand

Putting a face to your name and sharing your legal expertise takes effort, but goes a long way to establishing and enhancing your personal brand. Share your knowledge, insights and expertise in your specific area of practice to build your network and followership. Doing so helps build credibility and trust with your audience, both of which are crucial to business development. Above all, keep in mind that social media is all about engagement – you need to listen as much as you speak.

Become a Subject Matter Expert

Above and beyond creating and sharing your own content, curating news about your industry and your area of practice can also help you brand yourself as a subject matter expert. When you find and share the most relevant and timely news about your industry, people will start to recognize the quality of your research and the content you share, and this will work in favor for you and your law firm. You’ll be seen as experts – and people want to hire experts to represent them.

Get Social Referrals

Even if your law firm is established and you may not be looking for walk-in clients, you can still use social networking to your advantage by tapping into your existing legal network. By connecting with other thought leaders in your practice area and relevant industries, you’ll be able to get referrals from credible sources when these leaders know someone in need. Simply by engaging in conversations in the right online social groups, you can connect with the right sources for referrals.

If you are looking for walk-in clients, then amassing followers is a great way to build trusting relationships in the hopes of getting a call for legal advice one day.

Humanize Your Legal Practice and Brand

Clients need to be able to communicate with their lawyers about their most serious financial, personal, and business issues. When seeking out lawyers, they’re looking for real, live human beings that they can speak to. By using social networking, you can effectively humanize your brand. You can share personal information about your hobbies to show people who you are as the person beyond the legal expert. Adding a personal touch can often make a big difference in establishing and nurturing important connections and relationships.

Market Your Law Practice Online

These days, virtually everyone expects to be able to research a brand online before making a purchasing decision on goods or services, even if those services aren’t available for purchase online. If your law firm is nowhere to be found, potential clients – particularly millennials –  will find your competitors. All businesses today, even law firms, need to have at least at least one social page, but in general, people expect brands to be on at least three social networking sites. You’re no exception.

Not only will you be able to ensure that you’re not missing opportunities for new business by having a social networking presence, but you could also rise above your competition and swoop up their potential clients as well.

In addition, being active on social networks can also boost your Google search results, leading to more new clients. It’s cost-effective marketing at its best.

Listen to Gain Intelligence

Social media listening is a valuable way to gather competitive intelligence and monitor different themes, trends, and topics in your area of law practice. Monitoring and using social media is one of the best ways to stay informed about key issues that face your clients, which will help you improve your practice.

For more insight into how law firms are staying agile in today’s digital age, stay tuned to the Infoware blog. If you are interested in how our legal solution software can benefit your law practice, visit our website for more information.