Digital marketing has emerged as an important aspect of doing business in any industry. Law firms are no exception in this case as more and more people rely on online resources to find the right solutions for their legal problems. Social media optimization (SMO) plays an important role in a successful law firm marketing strategy.
Social media optimization services provide an effective, yet cost-friendly way to improve online visibility, strengthen the reputation of the brand, and generate additional leads for a legal practice. In simple terms, SMO is all about devising a strategic social media plan to facilitate a better connection with the target audience and improving the online presence of. However, with emerging technological advancements, effective management of social media platforms has become extremely challenging. Therefore, many legal practices are opting for social media optimization services from reputable digital marketing firms to handle their social media accounts.
Key Benefits of Social Media for Law Firms
With the immense interest in what social media foot print says, if a law firm doesn’t interact with the public on at least one or two social media platforms, it is as good as remaining invisible. This could prove to be a huge missed opportunity as law firms that still struggle to implement effective social media marketing strategies will fail to attract prospective clients and building valuable engagements. Active social media pages help improve SEO and position of attorneys as leaders within their specific practice area. However, before we take a take a close look at the rules and best practices, it is important to understand the value of social media for law firms and whether it is really worth the time and effort. Here discussed are some top ways in which law firms can benefit from social media –
- Generate Brand Awareness – People tend to spend more time on social media. As per the reports from Sprout Social (2019 Index) about 44 percent consumers have reported an increase in personal social media usage. A strong social presence helps spread the message to the right audience and increase brand exposure.
- Attract Prospective Clients – Utilizing social media platforms is one of the best ways to attract new clients. The American Bar Association found that 35 percent of lawyers who use social media professionally have been able to gain new clients as a result.
- Improve SEO Efforts – There is a definite correlation between improved social signals and search engine rankings. Google continues to increasingly bring in dynamic content such as social feeds into search results. Therefore, building a strong social presence may help in controlling more visible space on search results for a law firm. In addition, a well-developed social presence brings overall improvement in online visibility and increases web traffic.
- Engage Target Audience Group – People use social media not only to build social connections but also to consume content and engage with brands. Social media networks offer a valuable platform for a law firm to remain engaged with their target audience groups – by providing them with informative content, answering their queries, and resolving their issues.
- Establish Thought Leadership – One of the important benefits of social media for law firms is that it can showcase their specific areas of expertise, thereby attracting prospective clients. Valuable information shared via these platforms can help establish brand credibility and win the trust of target audiences.
Top Ways to Use Social Media for Law Firms
With multiple social platforms available and each having its own unique and specific characteristics and quirks, it may be quite difficult analyze where to start from and which specific platform to focus efforts. In order to make sure whether a law firm is advancing in the right direction, designing a unique and reliable social media strategy is crucial. Here discussed are some important strategies that could help optimize the social media accounts of a law firm –
- Get the Basics Right – Start the process by nailing the basics of social media marketing. This includes focusing on different aspects like – choosing the right social media platform to invest in, setting realistic and measurable goals, and developing a specific content strategy. Start the process by focusing on a couple of social media platforms that your audience uses the most. Evaluate social media goals like whether the focus is to increase brand visibility, attract new clients, or just engage the target audience group. In addition, evaluate what type of content needs to be created and how often it should be posted.
- Define the Target Audience – Identifying the target audience group is vital in any law firm marketing strategy. The more clearly the target audience group gets defined, the better will be the chances of understanding how and where to reach the best prospects. Try to go beyond the concept of generalizations and define the target audience group more specifically. For instance, if a law firm in New York City is looking to expand its personal injury niche, the target audience group may include – “people in NYC looking for personal injury lawyer”.
- Choose the Right Platform – The optimal social media channel may vary and depend on the specific area of practice. For instance, the audience on Twitter may not match that of LinkedIn or Facebook. Make sure to customize the content on each platform. In fact, most social media channels will give a basic overview of their target audience demographics. So, take a look through this and also keep an eye on industry reports and surveys that can reveal valuable information to help guide your decision. Prepare a list of keywords pertaining to the law firm’s services, and start to explore which platforms already have conversations brewing on those topics. Checking out the key areas wherein the competitors remain active is also important. Determine where these applicable mentions are happening, and then try to focus on one to two platforms on which to be active rather than trying to dominate on every single social media outlet.
- Schedule Social Media Posts in Advance – Effective and successful social media marketing strategy for attorneys or law firms requires sheer timing, especially since social media posts can have a short shelf life. For instance, Twitter is considered one of the most complex platforms wherein the posts disappear the fastest depending on the number of followers. On the other hand, the reach of Facebook posts depends on Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm that takes into account how relevant and engaging the post was for the audience. In short, the timing of social media posts helps reach out to the maximum number of followers and fans. Try to maintain consistency by scheduling the posts in advance. Draft a monthly content calendar, and outline what content your firm wishes to feature, and when it will be deployed.
- Share Valuable Blog Posts and News Updates – One of the best ways to use social media for law firms is to create informative content rather than simply promotional ones. The more credible and informational content a law firm offers, the higher will be its opportunity to showcase their level of expertise. In the legal industry, prospective clients may not make a decision simply on the basis of a promotional content. They will also consider the credibility and experience of the law firm before deciding to hire one. Therefore, constantly sharing blog posts and the latest industry news with social media followers is crucial. Make sure not to limit to content from your own blog. Make a habit of curating content from other relevant sources and reputable industry blogs.
- Publish Brand Story – Law firms can use social media platforms to convey their brand story as this may be highly effective for humanizing the brand, forming an emotional connection with the audience, and winning their trust and loyalty. Sharing stories about your law firm’s achievements, its history, and other details could be effective. Use social media platforms to put employees in the spotlight, thereby putting a human face to the brand. For instance, White & Case LLP – an international law firm based in New York City, does an excellent job of this on Facebook. They regularly share stories and news about the events they organize and of their associates.
Source link – https://www.facebook.com/whitecase - Post Informative Graphics – Visuals play a critical role in social media marketing as they are more likely to stand out over text content. The social content strategy should focus on creating visuals that will immediately attract and engage prospects. Reports from Mobile Monkey suggest that posts with images produced 650% higher engagement than text-only ones. Share inspirational quotes, useful legal tips, basic legal information and industry updates through original graphics that stand out. This is particularly important if a law firm is planning to utilize image-heavy platforms like Instagram.
- Record and Share Videos – Informative videos are a vital element in social media marketing for lawyers. Videos not only make information much easier to understand but also allow injecting brand personality into the content to make them more engaging. According to Social Media Today, 78 percent of people watch videos online every week, and 55 percent of those watch every day. Use channels like YouTube to host informational videos about relevant topics, tell interesting stories and discuss trending topics and then share them via the appropriate social media channels. Use professional videos to share updates about your law firm, answer FAQs, communicate changes to the law, conduct interviews with industry thought leaders and use their clout to attract new viewers and showcase the culture of the law firm.
Source link – https://www.facebook.com/whitecase/videos - Use Popular and Relevant Hashtags – When it comes to the optimization of social media accounts, hashtags play an important role as these provide audiences an additional way to locate a law firm. The use of hashtags should not be limited to just one platform but should also be used on other platforms. Create trending hashtags for the specific area of law that the firm is specialized in. Learn about the terms influencers in the legal niche are using, and create your own hashtags to promote your marketing campaign.
- Respond to Comments and Queries – Social media channels offer an effective platform to build connections and engage with audiences. In fact, social media is generally used as a brand-consumer communication channel. Make the most of social media to engage with prospective clients. Respond to comments on the posts and answer questions that people may have about specific services. Create an impression among your audience that your firm is listening to your questions and answers. As per a Sprout Social Index (2019) report, about 47 percent of consumers reach out to brands on social media because they have a product or service question. On the other hand, 40 percent do so because they have a bad experience, while 31 percent do so to share their ideas or suggestions.
- Invest in Paid Ads – Paid advertising in social media could help finely target your specific audience group. Users provide an abundance of data in their profiles, allowing firms to target individuals who are most likely to convert. Repurpose the content being used for daily posts, and turn them into targeted ads.
As discussed above, there are different ways or opportunities to utilize social media for marketing a law firm’s services and engaging prospects. As there are multiple social media platforms, with each platform having its own unique set of benefits and capabilities, make sure to get the social media basics right and then try out some innovative ideas. Begin with a broad message, and use the applicable insights to verify where their efforts are most successful. Keep in mind that it takes time to build brand awareness and adopt a tribe of followers, so don’t get discouraged if results aren’t immediate. Sticking to the above-mentioned social media strategy checklist will help a law firm to remain focused on their ROI goals. A reputable SEO company providing outsourced legal marketing services can help implement these strategies effectively and make sure that the client firm stays ahead of the competition.
