Marketing legal services on social media

Jul 15

posted by Amanda Velazquez in STUDENT MARKETING POSTS | 22 Comments

In today’s day and age, it is hard to find someone who is not on social media. The platforms are endless: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, Vine and Pinterest. However, social media is no longer your teenager's favorite obsession. It has evolved into a marketing tactic and is one of the powerful ways technology is boosting business. But what about the legal industry? Can we really suggest that social media is helpful for building up a legal practice? Which platforms are helpful?

Studies show that general counsel and C-suite executives are more likely to be connected with their outside counsel on LinkedIn, making it the go-to platform in modern legal marketing. For example, a labor & employment attorney who regularly shares articles (both own and third-party) about wage and hour issues, he is proving that he is up to date with the latest developments surrounding key areas of his practice. If that same attorney is connected with the appropriate groups on LinkedIn, who regularly share those articles, that is visible on his profile and just another reason of proof that he is knowledgeable and growing in knowledge about all types of labor & employment issues. Similarly, if a corporate lawyer represents a company acquisition, and shares the news with her connections, she is proving how well-versed she is with mergers and acquisitions.

Another way that social media is effective in the legal industry is with recruiting. The Skills and Endorsements section on LinkedIn, recently approved by The Florida Bar, allow attorneys to hone in on the specific focuses of their practices. This makes it easier for recruiters to specify their searches and strategy.

Other platforms, such as Twitter, can be effective for different purposes. Twitter is an excellent way to bridge attorneys with the media. Regularly sharing content and using appropriate hashtags will gain them visibility with reporters, who could use them for future stories. But LinkedIn is still the proven platform that has been the game-changer for usually traditional lawyers to see the power of social media.

Amanda Velazquez is a student in the MBA program at the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Nova Southeastern University. She can be reached at av747@nova.edu

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• #1 by Katherine Norena on 9/1/16 - 11:04 AM

  

  This is a very informative post. It's true that almost everyone is on social media now. There are pages for all types of businesses. When it comes to the legal industry, I can easily see how LinkedIn will work. The users post and can share content related to their industry. LinkedIn, as you pointed out, is also a great recruiting tool. Many employers have used this to recruit their team members. Twitter, on the other hand, is somewhat trickier. LinkedIn is a very professional website and users have an understanding of that and post carefully. Twitter is more social so while attorneys can tweet with a trending hashtag, they will also tweet personal things and that takes away from the professional aspect. This may sound old school but another good platform could be a Facebook page for the law firm. Just a thought as it seems Facebook isn't "new and trendy". But this way they post only articles and content related to the business.

• #2 by Alexandra Landman on 9/3/16 - 11:33 AM

  

  To answer your question, I do believe that social media is helpful for building up a legal practice, or any business for that matter. In regards to the legal industry, not only does marketing through social media give lawyers the ability to recruit and make connections, but it also allows them to get, keep, and grow customers. I believe that LinkedIn is the most effective owned media marketing platform for business professionals, including lawyers. Furthermore, I really enjoyed your article. I feel that it is very relevant in this day and age of advanced technology and social media.

• #3 by Natasha Turner on 9/4/16 - 12:48 AM

  

  I wish this post was more elaborative. It is very much so that social media practically consumes the average persons life and is literally everywhere we seem to look. I didn't learn about LinkedIn until my senior year of college. I had heard about it before, but didn't realize how useful it actually is and how using it professionally and to your best interest will help businesses a great deal. Monitoring your posts and only posting what will benefit others and yourself will show a more professional side and help the business grow little by little. LinkedIn is a very professional site in general, but Twitter on the other hand is much more difficult to keep up a professional and beneficial way. On twitter, you can share professional articles, but when it comes to actually tweeting, there is a word limit and very little word limit to say anything that will benefit a business. It is possible to use and to benefit others, but it's definitely more difficult and tricky. I do like the overall article but wish there was a little more to it and more explanation into marketing legal services on social media.

• #4 by Cielle Sands on 9/5/16 - 3:13 PM

  

  This article gives very interesting insight of the effective uses of social media today. In past years social media platforms were considered by many to be useless and a time waster. These days, social media is being used by professionals worldwide. According to Morello (2016) “The purpose of marketing is to attract attention and create interest.” With that said, social media is clearly one of the best platforms to do this because almost everyone in the world has at least one social media account. I have personally used platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to market my tutoring business and it proved very helpful. I have also used social media to research certain businesses and products. Most social media platforms allow you to select your audience, so it can also be a controlled operation if need be, or you can simply choose if you want it to be public. Once it is public, whatever you wanted shared on social media can be shared numerous times from various people, all over the world. Isn’t that an extremely helpful marketing platform? You have worldwide connectivity to advertise without stepping out from behind your computer screen. I feel the possibilities are limitless for professionals to market themselves or their business on this platform.
  With that said, I most certainly believe that social media is helpful for building up a legal practice as well, especially LinkedIn. This site has multipurpose. You have so many options there. Persons in this profession can look for jobs, connect with groups, or even post jobs of their own. I also believe Facebook would prove helpful as a business page can be created and legal professionals can post what they would want to be dispersed to the public, such as news articles. They can also market themselves, which would prove helpful in building their reputation. On the other hand, I do think Lawyers should be careful with the information that they post to ensure certain cases are not put at risk.
  References
  Morello, R. (n.d.) What is the purpose of marketing and sales?. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/purpose-marketing-s...

• #5 by Jennifer Gulker on 9/7/16 - 3:11 PM

  

  I think it is pretty safe to say that social media is a good marketing tool for just about any business. As time evolves more and more people are using social media. Even our grandparents are getting connected. That to me just proves how successful social media has become over the years. I think that those who are not connected have a sense of feeling left out and not up to date with the live streaming of events and current affairs. Do I think that the legal industry can benefit from marketing through social media? Yes! Again as I stated previously social media is a benefit for just about any line of business. It gets your name out there and exposed to mass populations all at once. This blog referenced the use of LinkedIn for legal lines of business. LinkedIn is a professional platform that allows professionals and businesses all over to connect with each other. This platform isn’t only for marketing but is also a way to network which is another form of obtaining new business referrals. Sometimes companies don’t have the time or means to have a large marketing campaign. The little amount of time it would take to create a LinkedIn profile with the possibility of just one referral to you is worth the time spent. Imagine if you had several referrals from your LinkedIn profile. In my opinion social media is the center attraction for most of us out there. How often are we checking our phones for Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn notifications, and news alerts? I know I am every day.

• #6 by Ariel Rivero on 9/7/16 - 8:03 PM

  

  I think that the article was interesting as it talked about how social media is a powerful tool not only for teenagers, but for professionals as well through LinkedIn and other platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. I wish the article would describe how other platforms besides LinkedIn are beneficial to professionals as the author pinpointed more on LinkedIn as the powerhouse platform facilitating the networking process for professionals. In my opinion, LinkedIn is phenomenal and I use it myself to connect with other professionals and network with them without having to be physically at a networking event. I know that LinkedIn has expanded in today’s day and age where they have access to job openings and can match your skills and expertise to recommend available positions in your field, where you can upload your resume and apply through LinkedIn. Personally, I think that LinkedIn is a must for professionals because it allows you to build your networking portfolio and communicate with other professionals, as well as share articles and promotions you receive within your company. Overall, I think the article gave a good brief explanation of how social media is not only beneficial to teenagers, but to working professionals, specifically through LinkedIn, which in my opinion is the top networking platform out there to date.

• #7 by Taylor Simmons on 9/7/16 - 10:48 PM

  

  This post provides an interesting outlook on social media and the legal field. When I first hear the term social media I instantly think of Facebook or Instagram; marketing for a law firm doesn’t immediately jump out at me. Marketing in essence is about delivering products or services to people and meeting their needs. In this day and age, the vast majority of communication is done online, specifically through forms of social media. Businesses cannot expect to meet the needs of their customers by ignoring the online social media outlet. LinkedIn is the natural choice for businesses as it is already geared towards professional networking and recruiting whereas Twitter and Facebook are geared towards casual and personal social interactions. My fiancé worked for a law firm in college and one of her primary roles was to advertise the firm on social media. She would create connections with previous clients and counsels that the lawyers frequently worked with. She would also add any awards or accolades the lawyers have won to their profile page.
  
  With more and more individuals using social media, it only makes sense for businesses to capitalize on this. For example, my grandmother just recently created a Facebook account and it is where she goes to get a lot of her news and information. I know if she saw an advertisement for a lawyer, it would stick with her. It’s a great way for a lawyer to get his or her name out there and create awareness. However, I do think it is important for businesses to use social media marketing as a supplemental to their marketing campaign, not as their sole marketing tactic. Social media combined with a compelling website, email campaigns, and perhaps a TV commercial, will create a winning marketing strategy.

• #8 by Thomas Bouchard on 9/8/16 - 2:27 AM

  

  Social media and the legal world are two phrases that may seem very different from each other, but can in-fact work rather well together. Being a legal professional brings with it a large target that can be very unspecific, even when labels are applied. By using social media to show exactly what you practice and articles that are directly relevant to one’s practice, legal professionals and lawyers can better target their specific markets and validate their practices. In addition to exactly what they practice and the articles used to prove their authority in those practices, social media can be used to show the cases that have been won. Social media is more than just a tool to post about one’s personal boasting and keeping in touch with other, social media is a great tool used to validate your professional worth specifying professional expertise.

• #9 by Natalie Martinez de Castro on 9/8/16 - 10:03 PM

  

  This was a very concise, yet informative post! I absolutely agree that marketing is no longer just aimed at teenagers connecting with their friends. We now live in a global economy that is connected by the Internet. In a world where we once had to communicate via newspaper and snail mail, we are now connected by the World Wide Web and the by products of it. Thanks to the Internet, companies have been able to expand their realms from a local market, to a global market—that is, if used to its full potential.
  
  You brought up a very interesting point, though. A company must evaluate what market it wants to target, and what social platform would best meet its needs. As you mentioned, lawyers are able to use LinkedIn to network with other lawyers, share articles, and promote the fact that they are up-to-date with current laws and regulations. However, what works for one company may not exactly work for another. For example, a clothing boutique would have no business being on LinkedIn due to its targeted market being teenage girls and younger women. Where do this market spend most of their time? Instagram and Facebook. Boutiques these days are constantly posting on Instagram, showing off their latest looks. Customers are constantly asking about pricing and availability, and someone is managing the account and answering almost immediately. Such inexpensive form of marketing, yet very effective.
  
  All in all, social media—if used correctly—is extremely effective..

• #10 by Andrea Jean on 9/9/16 - 10:27 PM

  

  Being engaged in social media as an organization opens doors for effective marketing. The way I see it, finding ways to market your company exposes your business to possible consumers that you would not reach otherwise. In today’s society, it seems almost impossible to stay afloat in marketing/advertising without social media. This is a technology driven generation and one must learn how to reach potential clients through technology. I believe that as time changes, so should your company.
  LinkedIn is one avenue used to expose your business to prospective “new hires” and professionals. It is also a way for potential clients to get a glimpse so-to-speak at your company as well as get a feel of what you do and perhaps put a face to your organization.
  Lastly, the media is a great way to advertise your company. Unfortunately, it can be devastating if negatively criticized, ridiculed and scrutinized. Especially if the information provided is truth. It is vital for the organization to be mindful of what could be exposed if it is unethically driven.

• #11 by Gomatie Chowrimootoo on 9/9/16 - 11:34 PM

  

  Social Media, seems people can’t get enough of this these days. I agree that with social media you can get all types of information out and put thing out there that you want people to know about you. ‘LinkedIn has been gathering up data across the more than 225 million LinkedIn profiles in an Economic Graph to provide policymakers, employers, workers and educators with data-driven insight into patterns that will help align workforce supply with demand’. LinkedIn is definitely a great way to get your work profile out and connect with companies that can use your skills and expertise. As the article mentions it makes individuals who you are connected with, aware of your knowledge.
  Even though LinkedIn can do so much for your career, I have to say that I don’t have an account set up. I know, some of you are wondering how it’s even possible not to have a LinkedIn account during this day and age. I feel like it is not save being a part. Having all my information out there just doesn’t feel right. ‘LinkedIn and other social networking companies rely on the existing user information to create network effect and in some instances this may be perceived as a threat to data privacy by users. As using of member data becomes more prevalent in this era of social networking, the users are more sensitive to
  breaches in data privacy which has a direct impact on the user engagement. Maybe one day I’ll get past my fears and join the world of social media.
  
  References:
  LinkedIn Corporation SWOT Analysis. Jan2015. P 6-7
  
  Rouse, M. 2016. LinkedIn. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/LinkedIn

• #12 by Devin Ramirez on 9/10/16 - 7:35 PM

  

  I have never really felt that someone should base their choice of social media platforms based on their career. Although some platforms work better than others, I believe that all social media networks ultimately do the same thing, which is connect people. I used to be in real estate and I had my LinkedIn updated frequently, but that did not stop me from getting job opportunities in different fields. I currently run my mother's store and we are on several different social media platforms- Instagram, Yelp, Facebook, etc. All have helped us get more traffic into the store. Also, my dad is a lawyer and he has had a LinkedIn for years. The firm where he is working now actually found him on LinkedIn. Another example is Dr. Salzhauer, aka Dr. Miami, who posts his surgeries on Snapchat. According to an article by Kayleen Schaefer (2016), Dr. Miami hit 1 million views recently and credits Snapchat for his fame. As long as you portray a work-safe image, being active on social media can benefit someone personally and professionally. I believe that employers do not only look at professional skill sets, but also look for hobbies and interests outside of work. In conclusion, I believe that social media is used so that people, no matter their profession, can stay connected, communicate and even market services and products.
  
  Schaefer, K. (2016, May 13). How to Snapchat a Brazilian Butt Lift. Retrieved September 10, 2016, from http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/05/dr-miami-s...

• #13 by Heather Clayton on 9/10/16 - 8:01 PM

  

  I agree the professional social media site LinkedIn can be a powerful tool. Connecting to industry peers are sharing new accomplishments such as the aiding in an acquisition can boost your peer’s outlook on you in a positive light. Because my future husband’s industry is huge on networking I have seen the recruitment and results of a well-used LinkedIn account. Seven different media outlets are listed in the article LinkedIn being obviously the best for legal services, however, I would have liked a deeper breakdown of how the others can or cannot be helpful. I would have liked to see how Vine, Snapchat, or Pinterest can make or break a legal firm. I think it is important when discussing marketing to not only elaborate on the good as well as teach what should not be done. In a legal firm it is obvious a late night party should not go on Snapchat but why is it mentioned in the article if there isn’t something to touch on? I was surprised to see Twitter in the blog and also wish the benefits of Twitter were more elaborate as I only follow live updates for sports and my 16-year-old sister on Twitter. Yes, social media can be used but only LinkedIn was discussed and I would have liked to see more elaboration since I am not familiar with legal services and their marketing.

• #14 by Kareem Virgo on 9/11/16 - 12:33 PM

  

  I definitely agree that social media is a great tool for professionals in this generation. Professionals have found a way to use social media, which at some point was used for entertainment purposes, to their advantage. For legal professionals and all types of business owners it is all in the way you market yourself and build your network. Like all other social media pages LinkedIn is used to connect with people. Either by sharing posts and writing blogs you can attract people from all industries. Although LinkedIn in my opinion does not attract as many people as Facebook, Twitter and IG they are certainly on their way. Many employers and schools are encouraging young professionals to create and build their profile on LinkedIn. As a business professional myself I feel that LinkedIn in conjunction with other media pages have helped my business grow. It is also important to continue to speak to people in person and attend networking functions so that you build your business both offline and online. Great read!

• #15 by Meagan Aguilar on 9/11/16 - 10:31 PM

  

  I found this week's article really brought to light an evolution that I, honestly, had not thought of before. Seeing that I am not in the law profession, I haven't paid much attention to the ways that marketing can truly transform the experience both for attorneys and clients alike. I did not know that the Florida Bar now approved of the Skills and Endorsements section on LinkedIn, but that is great to hear! Like the article says, LinkedIn has been an absolute game changes for business professionals and it's great to see that extended into the law sector. As I previously mentioned, not only is this great for attorneys, but also for clients. I have been lucky enough to not need the assistance of a lawyer, but can see how overwhelming it may be for someone who is not in that profession. How can one truly size up a lawyer prior to hiring them? LinkedIn allows others to see how active and up to date a lawyer may be and is really important for establishing a presence. That being said, clients can also scout the Skills and Endorsements area, not only recruiters.

• #16 by Joanne Pauyo on 9/15/16 - 8:41 AM

  

  Wonderful post about how the legal profession is utilizing social media. I think it is a great tool for consumers. A consumer can look at a lawyer’s profile to analyze their views on different aspects of society. It saves the consumer money from going to various meetings to choose the right lawyer. The right lawyer for a particular case should have similar views as the client. Although social media saves a lot of time, consumers should be very cautious and verify the validity of the social media accounts. There is a “Catfish” phenomenon going on with social media where individuals post misleading information to paint a false picture of oneself. If a lawyer is advertising that he advocates for civil rights, then public records should support this claim.
  
  
  
  
  Velazquez, Amanda. (2016). Marketing legal services on social media. Retrieved from
  
  https://secure.business.nova.edu/marketing-blog/in...-
  
  services-on-social-media

• #17 by Nicolas Wabnik on 11/4/16 - 7:03 PM

  

  I wish this article talked about real life examples regarding advertising on Linkedin for law services. The conversion rate must be super low, however just one client can be a large paycheque in this industry. I am a strong believer that services or product with a high profit margin will have better ROI's with online advertising campaigns than low margin or cheaper products.

• #18 by Paige on 1/23/17 - 11:30 AM

  

  I think it has become more evident in recent years that social media is an important marketing tool for many organizations. It is interesting, but not a surprise, that it is important in the legal industry. Depending on the type of organization you are trying to market, different social media platforms are most beneficial. For example, I work in an organization that thrives off of internet presence. It is extremely important for us to be active on all social media accounts. Not all organizations are like this though. Some organizations have a strong presence on twitter but not the other platforms. Knowing what the most important social media accounts are for your company is important when developing a marketing plan.

• #19 by Aneisha Graydon on 1/23/17 - 11:37 PM

  

  Social media is in fact one of the most powerful marketing tools used today. Originally, social media was used as a mainstream for connecting friends and family. Since then social media has moved to the forefront in its efforts to promote businesses, and market good and and services. When it comes to the legal industry, LinkedIn would be the route in helping to build a legal practice. Although, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great social media cites that could possibly funnel information to consumers, LinkedIn is more professional and would be most beneficial platform in targeting the kind of market that relays information to those in the legal industry. LinkedIn can be used to post articles and can be shared by various connections. So to answer the question the article poses, yes we can suggest that social media is helpful in for building a legal practice. The platform that would be best helpful in building a legal practice is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is great for networking and also would be helpful in finding employees to for the practice. Social media is constantly trending and will be the most beneficial tool in marketing a legal practice.

• #20 by Jay Rakow on 1/24/17 - 8:51 AM

  

  Social media seems to get a lot of attention these days. The new U.S. president will apparently be a twitter president. There are growing numbers of people on Facebook and other social networking sites as they grow in popularity and the ease of getting connected increases. Smart phones are becoming cheaper and more accessible. I agree with the article that LinkedIn is the best platform for legal companies to market their services. More importantly, I think legal companies as well as others need to have a digital marketing strategy that includes SEO (search engine optimization) and SEM (search engine marketing). I believe there is value in combining SEO and SEM with social media marketing. With regard to the article's reference to recruiting, I completely agree. LinkedIn is an excellent platform for recruiters, job seekers and employers. Employers can review recommendations and other useful details about potential new hires that are not typically found in a standard résumé.

• #21 by Laura R. on 1/24/17 - 10:56 AM

  

  Today's organization world, social media is extremely essential in all organizations. Majority of organizations regardless of the field have Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Other's require to constant leave feedback, whether positive or negative on Yelp or any website to leave reviews. Modern day social media has expanded drastically where as to constantly giving promotions and sales using this "Instagram code". Many organziations as well have partnered up with celebrities to promote their organziations by using promo codes or simply having the celebrity use their products. Anything that catches the attention of the viewers is a good source of expansion.

• #22 by Jarred Pearce on 1/24/17 - 2:55 PM

  

  I think it's an interesting conclusion that the author has come to. I agree that out of all the social media platforms that LinkedIn is by far and a way the go to for professionals. However I don't necessarily agree that it is a "game-changer" or the catch all end all for social media marketing of the legal industry. While LinkedIn does connect you with more like minded professionals, as the author mentioned, there are far less people who use LinkedIn when compared to other social media like Facebook for instance. Although I'm not a lawyer I would venture to guess that many lawyers represent clients that aren't active LinkedIn users and even if they are they aren't looking for lawyers on LinkedIn. The one part of the article that I felt was spot on was how the author mentioned using LinkedIn for recruiting. As a recruiter in my previous job, I found LinkedIn to be a valuable asset because it gave me a snapshot of my potential candidates. It is also a nice tool to keep up with current trends in your professional realm. All in all I do agree that social media can be helpful for building up a legal practice and boosting business if used correctly.