Social Media and Blogging for Lawyers

1 April 12, 2023How Social Media Can Help You Attract New Clients

Maximum Exposure: Social Media Marketing for Lawyers

April 12, 2023How Social Media Can Help You Attract New Clients2

Law Firm Marketing & Social Media Specialists

Jason WeingartenLexisNexis® Law Firm Marketing SolutionsProduct [email protected]

Featured Presenters

Introducing Today’s Presenters

Clay CazierPM Digital Sr. Director, Search [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Today’s Topics:

• Why Social Media Marketing Matters to Law Firms

• Top 10 Tips for Social Media Lead Generation

• Next Steps

• Q&A

Agenda


Why Social Media Marketing Matters to Small Law Firms


Source: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter

Today • 901 million

use Facebook • 200 million

use LinkedIn• 500 million

use Twitter

LinkedIn launch

Facebook launch

Twitter launch

1994 2000 20102003 2004 2006 2012

200 million

500 million

901 million

First websites and blogs appear

The Rapid Evolution of Blogging & Social Media

1998

Google launch

April 12, 2023

3 out of 4 consumers seeking an attorney over the last year used online resources at some point in the process*.

How Social Media Can Help You Attract New Clients6

*Based on a survey of 4,000 adult internet users (internet users comprise 78% of the US adult population** and the US adult population comprises 235 million according to the US Census 2010) conducted by The Research Intelligence Group (TRiG), March 2012. ** According to The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project's Spring Tracking Survey conducted April 26-May 22, 2011.

They look for legal services using search engines, websites, YouTubeTM, Facebook®, and other tools.

The Current Reality of Law Firm Marketing


1 Source: Greenfield/Belser, 20102 Source: ODM Group, 2011

of business decision-makers search for lawyers online.1

78% 74% of consumers are using social networks in some way to guide purchase decisions.2

Social media is attracting more and more consumers searching for answers.

Decisions are Made Based on Social Media


Use social media effectively to engage more prospects and drive more business.

* Source: The American Bar Association’s 2012 Legal Technology Survey Report.

50 percent of small law firms reported landing new clients as a result of their blog.*

Qualified Visitors Convert to New Business


Social Media Lead Generation Growing in 2012: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are becoming more useful ways to acquire customers with significant growth in 2012.

Company blogs continue to be strong performers as 57% of companies have acquired a customer from that channel.

* Source: The 2012 State of Inbound Marketing, HubSpot

Social Media Lead Generation Increasing


Small Businesses Spending More on Social Media in 2012:

In 2012, small businesses (1 to 5 employees) plan to spend 43% of their lead generation budgets on inbound marketing (blogs, social media, search engine optimization).

In contrast, in 2012, small businesses (1 to 5 employees) plan to spend only 14% of their lead generation budget on outbound marketing (direct mail, telemarketing, trade shows).

* Source: The 2012 State of Inbound Marketing, HubSpot

Spending Increase on Blogging and Social Media


Top 10 Tips for Social Media Lead Generation


1. Identify Your Business Goals

• For which area(s) of practice do I want to be known? • In what geographies do I want to compete for business?• Within social media, where do my likely clients “hang out”? • What content do I have to offer that people will find valuable?

Start by identifying your business goals.

Answer these critical questions to get started with your social media campaign:


2. Determine How You’ll Measure Success

Before we talk tactics, let’s discuss a useful way to think about social media: social

media as a sales funnel.

Artwork: getsatisfaction.com

Make Aware Educate

Engage ConvertReverb

Influence

less

more

“Noise”

more

less


2. Determine How You’ll Measure Success

With this framework, we can now associate real value with common social media

data points:

Awareness & Education• # of visits• # of followers, likes,

+1s, subscribers, etc.

Engagement• # of page likes• # of retweeted posts• # of shares• # of inbound links• # of mentions• # of comments• # and quality of

ratings

Conversion• # of calls• # of forms submitted

(lead gen)• # of site & store visits• # and AOV of

purchases• # of downloads• Event Attendance

Unfortunately, measurement will require an array of reporting tools: Google

Analytics for your website/blog & G+, Facebook Insights, LinkedIn Analytics and

Twitalyzer are among the best sources.

http://twitalyzer.com/


3. Select Relevant Topics to Engage Your Audience

Audience Engagement can spring from many sources.

• In social media, talk about problems you solve, not areas of practice (“hurt in a car crash” instead of “trial lawyer”)

• Research what’s trending on social media, Google alerts, newspapers, and magazines and talk about it on your blog… then post to social media.

• Ask a question based on a local or current event, like “What’s up with the way the Anaheim BOA treated M. Smith? No experience???” or “What do you think of the Trayvon Martin shooting?”

• Post a picture with a yes/no question. • Create a Top 10 list about a recurring legal issues.• Create a regular feature. • Respond to your posts’ comments and comment

on others’.


4. Have a Complete Social Media Strategy

Maximize your investment and reach with a comprehensive social media presence (including blogging), designed to drive leads to the firm.

HOW MANY OF THESE DOES YOUR FIRM HAVE? A Blog – audience engagement is far easier to attain within a blog

format than with a “traditional” website

Social Media Profiles – secure your firm’s reputation and engage consumers by creating business pages within Facebook®, Twitter®, Google+ and LinkedIn® that are all branded uniformly and linked to your website/blog.

Pinterest and Instagram are of value but, for most attorneys, should be a secondary focus.

A Content Plan and Calendar containing quality content in consumer-friendly language. Plan a quarter at a time.

Automated Sharing of Blog Content to social profiles and external sites

Website Analytics reporting traffic and leads by social media referrer.

Call Tracking Number and Custom Contact Form to track leads.


5. Best Way(s) for Attorneys to use a Firm Blog

• Establish your firm as an authority on a specific legal topic • Post fresh content quickly • Target search rankings for “long tail” keyword searches (eg “Lake Street Accident

Investigation”)• Participate in social media in a way you can more easily control• Create links pointed to the attorney’s primary website• Write about things attractive to influencers

Own More of the Search Engine Results Page

April 12, 2023How a Blog Can Help You Attract New Clients18

6. Best Way(s) for Attorneys to use LinkedIn

LinkedInMake contact with business clients and potential clients, meet referral sources, market yourself with recommendations

Top Tips• Make sure your personal profile is as complete as possible, including

reference to your areas of practice. – Pay attention to the Summary + Skills & Expertise sections

• Encourage all employees to do the same• Ensure your Business Profile page is also as complete as possible,

including your company logo and descriptions of your areas of practice under Products & Services

• LinkedIn Groups and Answers are good ways to show thought leadership. You must give something to get something.

• Frequently go through business cards you’ve collected and connect with them via LinkedIn

Social media channels can be used for varying purposes


7. Best Way(s) for Attorneys to use Facebook


FacebookBe found where social media users spend the most time, collect fans and converse directly with your target audienceTop Tips• Create a Facebook Business Page and populate all About and Location information• Choose a cover photo that represents your firm’s areas of practice. It's the first

thing people will see when they visit your Business Page.• Post only as often as you have something unique to say or show (image/video).

Generally, 3-5 times a week. • It depends on market, but generally post in the afternoon (4-5pm). Wednesday-

Sunday will generally be the best times to engage followers. • Share photos and videos because they tend to be more engaging• Ask questions or seek input• Share exclusive information that people are likely to want to pass along to their

friends• Explore the options under the Build Audience button on your admin panel to find

new “friends”


8. Best Way(s) for Attorneys to use Twitter


TwitterPosition self as an information source, share your own content, attract followers

Top Tips• If anywhere in social media, consider tweeting under a personal profile

here instead of a business profile. That means using your image instead of a logo.

• Tweet on the weekends • Add links within Tweets to get higher Retweet rates • Follow and Retweet local or topical influencers – you can find them

using Advanced Search • Share content that’s “behind the scenes” or to show things in

development at your firm – photos work well• Share things from your community• Watch your Mentions tab and always respond to positive things people

say about you. Carefully consider responses to negative tweets.


9. What NOT To Do

Some are common sense and some are funny, but all are important:

• DO NOT mix business and personal accounts• DO NOT create false identities • DO NOT type in all caps – it’s considered shouting• DO NOT drink and post – Facebook & red wine do not

mix• DO NOT post information or images that could

embarrass you – even if you THINK it’s private• DO NOT self promote all the time (spam)• DO NOT post to other’s Facebook timelines (spam)• DO NOT share an idea without citing the source• DO NOT ignore comments/questions• DO NOT continue to reply to a negative comment

thread. Some people can continue the argument forever and very publicly. Take it offline.


10. Research Ethical Considerations

Learn: ABA Model Rule 7.1 (Communications Concerning a Lawyer’s Services)

Learn : ABA Model Rule 7.2 Advertising

Advertising involves an active quest for clients, contrary to the tradition that a lawyer should not seek clientele.


Next Steps


Next Steps

• Create a “To Do” list to keep yourself on track, put tasks on you or your assistant’s calendar

• Use your posts to update, educate and stay in touch - not to market• Commit to updating regularly and maintaining conversations• Focus your content on the areas of law you practice• Write about the challenges facing your clients and potential clients• Use images & video, not just text. Nobody likes reading a wall of text

Applying a few best practices can make you much more effective with social media.


Schedule Your Free Social Media Consultation + Evaluation• Compare your blog or website with

those of competitors• Evaluate whether you are using the

latest best practices• Learn how to measure ROI• Talk with a law firm marketing expert

Questions?MCGUIRE & ASSOCIATES LAW FIRM

Receive your own, free, custom “Blogging & Social Media Grader Report Card” with your evaluation. To schedule your free evaluation today, please visit: www.lexisnexis.com/free-evaluation.

http://www.lexisnexis.com/free-evaluation

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