Five social media tips for solo lawyers, small law firms

By Marly Broudie, Author at The Lawyer’s Daily

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 25, 2020 @ 4:17 PM

People are spending more time on social media than ever before. In a Harris Poll, over half of all adult respondents reported using social media more now than they did pre-pandemic.

This does not come as a surprise. We use social media for news updates, entertainment and for maintaining a sense of social normalcy. As solo lawyers and small law firms, you can use this increase in social media usage to your advantage.

You may be concerned that the world of social media is too robust and complex to figure out. However, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you know where to focus your efforts.

If you’re interested in capitalizing on social media for your firm, here are five tips to follow:

1.  Start with LinkedIn

Of all the social media platforms, LinkedIn is one of the best suited platforms for lawyers. It connects you with other professionals, thus allowing you to build your reputation, centres of influence and name in your industry and practice area.

For example, if you are a professional regulation lawyer, perhaps you want to connect with doctors, dentists and other physicians. You can make it part of your practice to reach out to those with specified job titles, introduce yourself and network among your target market.

Get active on LinkedIn. Take 10 minutes per day and engage. Comment on your peers’ posts, like their videos, engage with articles that interest you.

Network, network, network!

2. Create video content

Face-to-face meetings, lunches and networking events may feel like a thing of the past. Instead, people are spending time researching, connecting and networking online. Video content is the next best thing to in-person meetings and is now outperforming all other social posts.

It comes down to authenticity — people want to see and connect with real people. Those who use video can show their prospects a more raw and exclusive side of who they are, what they do and how they can help their clients.

Social media is the best way to introduce prospective clients to your firm/practice and build loyalty. Video is the number one medium to use on your social media platforms to establish your presence and build credibility and authority.

3. Optimize your presence

This tip is especially important on Facebook and Twitter. According to the American Bar Association, 48 per cent of large firms (100-plus lawyers) take advantage of Twitter’s immense database for networking and lead generating. Smaller firms have been slower to the draw, but it is definitely an optimal platform to invest your time in.

Facebook is another important platform for firms and lawyers, with 30 per cent of solo lawyers using it for marketing. Twenty-five million Canadians are on Facebook, making it a worthwhile platform to generate exposure, connect, build your name and network.

4. Utilize social ads

Social ads are affordable and effective tools for getting your name and services in front of your ideal clients. You can target ads to the exact demographics of your target market, down to their geographic location, age, interests, job titles and more.

With more people online now than ever before, this is an ideal time to utilize ad dollars to get in front of the right audience, broaden your reach and increase your exposure.

5. Plan your content

Social media is not a one-and-done tactic. To use it successfully, you need to be consistent in your posting and engagement. Since most lawyers are busy enough as it is, consider planning your content in advance and scheduling it. Once a month, spend a couple of hours writing captions and creating images or videos for your social media pages. Schedule them with a social media scheduler and you are good to go. 

Social media use does not have to be overwhelming. Follow these steps, dig in and get creative, and remember, social media is a marathon, not a sprint. 

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect the most recent number of Facebook users.

Marly Broudie is the founder and CEO of SocialEyes Communications Inc., a digital marketing agency based in Toronto. Broudie started her career as a paralegal and then worked at a litigation firm in business development and marketing, where she honed her skills in social media, marketing, content creation and Internet marketing.

This article was originally published by The Lawyer’s Daily (www.thelawyersdaily.ca), part of LexisNexis Canada Inc.

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