Social media has changed the way people consume and interact with news. It has also changed the way legal news can be transmitted. Social media is something you should consider as another avenue for reaching current and potential clients in a whole new way. So how exactly can you take the latest legal news and transform it for a social audience?
Here at FindLaw, we find the legal in every story. Some of the top trends we have seen recently include two very high profile trials: Casey Anthony and Roger Clemens. Both figures have drawn a tremendous amount of publicity from the beginning of their legal struggles and continue to make readers curious for more information. Taking these stories from news to social allows a firm to engage in a dialogue (as opposed to a broadcast) of the news and display their legal expertise in a whole new way. Here’s how you can use these stories to engage your own legal audience:
Blogs
In a blog, showing your readers how the issues presented in each case relate to your practice area will help to display your overall legal expertise. Explaining the difference between the criminal and civil aspect of the Casey Anthony case, breaking down the implications of a verdict that contains both guilty and not guilty results or discussing how the media attention surrounding both individuals can play a legal role in a case are all topics that can be transformed into social media fodder. A blog on why the judge declared a mistrial so quickly in the Roger Clemens case or what the court is looking for in the recently filed defamation case against Casey Anthony are both great legal angles readers will enjoy learning about in the informal setting of a blog.
Another way to engage your audience about these two trending trials is to post your thoughts or observations about each on Facebook and then interact with your fans by responding to their comments and questions. The Casey Anthony trial even had a very public issue with Facebook playing a role in the jury pool. Try posting a link on your Facebook page and start a discussion on whether a juror should have access to Facebook during a trial.
Using Twitter, you can interact with both your followers and Twitter users who are following the cases generally by asking what they think about the verdict in a given case. Roger Clemens is the perfect figure to tweet about because so many people are following his story. Try asking your followers whether they think his trials should play a role in remembering his sports career. Participating in the #RogerClemens discussions will also help you draw in new followers.
So what can you do with legal news across social platforms? Lots. And firms should explore this option not just for trending cases but also for general and specific issues that are of interest to current and potential clients. Every social media outlet serves a different purpose, making it important to appreciate the benefits of each and use Facebook, Twitter and blogs to your best advantage. One thing that is consistent across the board for any type of social media is the importance of posting quality content and responding to your users and followers. So give social media a try with the latest legal news and stay tuned for our next installment when we give more tips on how to use legal news to your advantage!
— Kevin Ahlvin, Director, Business Marketing
with Laura Strachan, FindLaw Audience Team
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