Social Media for Law Firms: Which Way Should Your Firm Go?
Social media for law firms - it's the dawn of a new era in marketing and publicity. With the increase in Web 2.0 traffic, many law firms have begun to acknowledge the importance of maintaining some sort of social media presence.
For law firms, this might mean generating unique content to put on the web. Do you have a LinkedIn profile for your firm? A Twitter account? A blog? Have you heard of del.icio.us? How about a Facebook account?
There are so many different ways for law firms to tackle social media. But, one thing is for sure - with so many firms getting on board the social media train, those that don't might get left in the dust.
Social media can be used as a double-pronged weapon. First, social media can be a great way to control your firm's public image. Utilizing social media tools and other web tools like RSS feeds can help alert you of any negative publicity that your firm might face. Keeping abreast of certain legal blogs and other industry news sources can also help your firm face public relations disasters head on.
Of course, for most firms, the crux of the social media content should be in an area of law that you are knowledgeable in. For example, if you have a website, Facebook profile, or Twitter feed, you should be trying to demonstrate that you are an expert in the field your firm practices, and that you stay on top of the news that is relevant to your field. Demonstrating this can shore up client confidence in your firm's practice areas.
And, as contrary to logic as it may seem, having a Facebook profile or a LinkedIn profile can help build your firm's reputation. In this day and age, it almost seems that not having a Facebook profile is a negative image. Plus, having these client-facing profiles can help clients put a face to the firm, and in turn, create a positive image of the firm in clients' minds.
There are many resources available for firms that are interested in social media. And, with the increase in social media on the internet, it seems that social media for law firms is a phenomena that is not only growing, but is here to stay.
Related Resources:
- Social Media Guide to PR 2.0 for Law Firms (FindLaw)
- Face Time: Internet Users Stay on Facebook the Longest (FindLaw's Technologist)
- Effective Tips on How to Use Social Media Marketing (FindLaw's Technologist)