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No one can compete in the legal space today without having a digital footprint. More and more people are going online to research lawyers and firms reviews, credentials, achievements and areas of practice to represent them.

Nearly 80 percent of attorneys use social media as part of their marketing strategy (Constant Contact, 2019). Manage your firm’s reputation on-line and create personalized digital narratives to nurture new relationships with your core stakeholders.

DIGITAL MEDIA: LEGAL & ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 

Social media and technology is not something to be feared or avoided. Social media will continue to evolve and will create ethical issues yet to be realized. It is incumbent upon the legal profession to identify and understand the challenges and to adhere to these three guiding principles:  but to also respond to

1. Confidentiality: A lawyer should preserve the confidences of a client.
2. Competence: An attorney must represent a client with the utmost competence.
3. Professional Judgement: A lawyer should exercise independent professional judgement on behalf of a client.

Vikram Rajan, partner of videosocials.net — “Identify and connect with the right influencers and leaders in the legal space. A lawyer must understand the risks, and ethical implications associated with social media, including its use for communication, advertising, research and investigation.”

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

LinkedIn is the best social media platform for business. This channel is a great place to start nurturing and building relationships. There are other social media channels that can help your firm stand out from the crowd. 

Fishbowl is social platform for professionals go to connect and secure gigs remotely. talk in a new era of remote work. There are thousands of industry groups you can join to get advice or find work.  Check it out for yourself fishbowlapp.com.

As more and more people source and research on-line video will continue to be the best way to engage with your audience. TikTok is a social media platform which features short-relatable videos that often tap into humor to engage with the audience. Real content created by real people is the essence of TikTok. The app is experiencing explosive growth and may be an excellent channel to reach your new clients. 

All social channels tend to skew younger when they are first launched. As of April 2021, 48% of U.S. adults between 18-29 use TikTok, compared to 20% of adults between 30-49 and 14% among 50-64 year old’s (Pew Research Center).

For reference Facebook has 2.9 billion users, YouTube 2.2 billion, Instagram  1.4 billion, TikTok 1.0 billion, Snapchat 500 million, Pinterest 480 million, and Twitter 397 million (Comscore Data, 2021).

Do’s and Don’t of SOCIAL MEIDA Marketing 

The Do’s —

• Carefully create complete profiles for all your social channels. Ensure all details are the same including graphics and photos. 
• Customize your social media channel headers, be descriptive and concise with relevant keywords to help optimize your profiles. 
• Utilize customized URLs whenever possible. 
• “About” sections should be personable and show off your authentic self.  The details should differ from you BIO and your services information. 
• Feature top reviews and testimonials on your website, then re-share the content on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to build trust and credibility.   
• Create original content on a regular basis highlighting the firm’s unique selling points. Your narratives should convey your personal views while offering legal insights of value.
• Share your content on social media channels (LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, etc.) to establish you as a thought leader.
• Set aside time preferably each day, to create and share content. 
• Content created should be conversational and personable reflecting your brand identity. 
• Join LinkedIn Groups and join in on conversations. 
• Follow legal hashtags and share trending legal issues on your website and social channels.  your content based on your interests.

The Don’ts —

• Comment on, like, and share content you find engaging, but don’t troll. Be careful to stay on message and don’t redirect the conversation off-topic.
• Don’t try and selling anything, just share information that is useful for your core stakeholders. Showcase your expertise, but don’t give legal advice.
• Stay clear of religious, political, or any sensitive subject matter. 

Practice the Social Media Rule of Thirds:  

1. One-third of your posts should be about promoting your services.
2. One-third of your posts should be shared content and outside resources.
3. One-third of your posts should be about personal brand, testimonials, and customer interaction.

“Social media gives you the opportunity to share your expertise and insights and to nurture relationships with your core audience. This help establish you as a thought leader. Be sure to carefully manage your reputation on and off-line.” — Shari Davidson, President, On Balance Search.

When evaluating what social channels to share your content, understand that you have no control over what the crowd shares on these platforms. Anything shared on-line may be mashed up, distorted, or celebrated. 

Your profiles must be constantly monitored and curated to respond to what is being said about your brand. Hire a public relations firm to create, nurture  relationships, and manage your reputation on and off-line.

UTILIZING TECH In The New Normal 

During the pandemic law firms worked remotely meeting with clients on Zoom calls to provide legal access during this difficult time. In this new normal we all need to find ways to manage our time more efficiently and improve our productivity.  

The ‘metaverse’ is expected to bring people together like never before, so they can interact and collaborate in an immersive, three-dimensional virtual space. Joe Chatham, founder of USA 500 Clubs businessrelationship network is experimenting with the ‘metaverse’ to create engaging experiences. Imagine rock climbing in the Himalayas or having a cocktail party at the Egyptian pyramids in a virtual space to nurture and build new relationships. The possibilities are endless.

Give yourself that edge by embracing social media and virtual reality to expand your area of influence, work smarter, and be more productive. 

Source: 

6 Reasons Why Law Firms Need to be on Social Media (The National Law Review)
https://www.natlawreview.com/article/6-reasons-why-law-firms-need-to-be-social-media

#law #lawjobs #lawyerlife #attorney #legalrecuriter #lawmarketing #tech   

About On Balance Search Consultants

On Balance offers great insight and industry intelligence.  Shari Davidson, president of On Balance Search Consultants, advises law firms on how to take a firm to the next level and helps rising talent make the transition to the right law firm.

Contact us today.  Call 516.731.3400 or visit our website at https://www.onbalancesearch.com

Please note that the content of this blog does not constitute legal advice and is only intended for the educational purpose of the reader.  Please consult your legal counsel for specifics regarding your specific circumstances and the laws in your states pertaining to social media and any legal restrictions regarding the law.