When it comes to digital marketing, what you do is just as important as what you avoid doing. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to social media marketing for law firms, there are certain steps you can take to maximize your efforts and engage more meaningfully with potential clients across these platforms. With the average person spending about 2.5 hours on social media per day, implementing a social media marketing strategy is critical to meeting potential clients where they already are. Many people who end up needing legal guidance or representation turn to law firms already familiar to them, even if they previously were not actively aware of these law practices. Gradual and steady exposure to a law firm’s social media efforts can subconsciously impact individuals in the area as they mindlessly scroll through social media feeds. Then, when a legal question or need arises, they are more likely to turn to the firm that has been active on their feed and subtly cultivating awareness of their brand. If your law firm is ready to harness the power of social media marketing, now is the time to start. Let’s take a look at some of the most common social media marketing pitfalls for law firms and how you can avoid them as you design and roll out your digital marketing strategy to build your law practice.
Mistake #1: Mixing Personal and Professional Accounts
Many attorneys already have personal social media accounts where they connect with friends and family members, share photos, and keep up with their hobbies and interests. While clients want to know that their attorneys have a life outside of the office, they still want to work with a law firm that exudes professionalism and inspires trust. As you design your law firm’s social media profile, be sure to set up a separate account for the law practice. Think of your firm’s social media profile as a brand—what messages do you want to share with potential clients in your community? For example, you may want to create a post that addresses common questions people have about a particular practice area, or share a post highlighting a recent case your law firm won on behalf of a client. It may go without saying, but make sure that you check that the account you are currently logged into is that of the law firm before you post or comment on another post. Accidentally posting vacation photos on your law firm’s social media may not be the best way to maintain the aura of professionalism you’re hoping to cultivate.
Mistake #2: Not Understanding Who Your Audience Is
The key to effective social media posts is to understand the needs, concerns, and interests of your target audience. Social media offers an endless feed of posts and videos that compete for our attention, so you will want to make sure that your posts stand out to those you wish to reach. Take some time to identify some defining characteristics of your target client base. What age group are you hoping to attract? Do you tend to serve more professionals (i.e., small business owners, physicians, corporate executives, etc.), or are you hoping to help service industry workers understand their legal rights? Once you have compiled a general idea of your ideal client, figure out the social media platform that attracts these individuals more than others. Generally, older individuals gravitate toward Facebook, while professionals favor platforms like LinkedIn. Next, picture what your ideal client most needs from you as an attorney. Are they looking for reassurance? Expertise? Aggressive criminal defense? Use this information to craft posts that address these needs and concerns.
Mistake #3: Ignoring Comments
Posting to social media is not a one-way event. When you craft a post, your aim is to connect with potential clients and inspire them to view your law firm as a trustworthy practice that cares about serving your clients’ needs. If viewers comment on a post, don’t forget to acknowledge their responses and thank them for taking the time to interact with your post. Even “liking” a post goes a long way in showing potential clients that you care about engaging with the people you hope to serve. Adding a quick “Thank you!” to someone’s comment showcases your engagement and desire to build client relationships. When law firms fail to respond to or acknowledge comments from their viewers, they risk coming across as disinterested, unfocused, or insincere.
Mistake #4: Erratic Posting
When you look at companies that have launched successful social media marketing campaigns, it’s clear that consistency is key. Posting too often risks saturating the feed of your potential clients (and even annoying them to the point of clicking “unfollow”), while posting too infrequently may fail to generate awareness of your firm’s services. As you develop your social media marketing strategy, stick to a regular posting schedule to maintain consistency and reliability. A steady stream of posts, separated by regular intervals, will keep your law firm on the radar of potential clients in your area—without bombarding them with a constant stream of posts.
Mistake #5: Inconsistent Law Firm Branding
As previously mentioned, cultivating a brand for your law firm is critical to inspiring public trust and setting your law practice apart from those offering comparable services in your area. Branding extends far beyond a logo or mission statement—it informs the tone, word choices, and voice of each social media post. Make sure each social media post reflects your brand; when one post contrasts sharply with another post, followers become confused by this inconsistency. For instance, a post that is full of emojis and exclamation points establishes an entirely different tone than a post that is more subdued and polished. You may find it helpful for your law firm to develop a “branding guide” that establishes the tone, word choices, and punctuation you want your posts to include in order to maintain consistency.
If your law firm is tired of digital marketing strategies that don’t deliver on their promised results, it’s time to discuss your goals with the LegalRev team. Call us at (800) 893-2590 today to get started.
