Facebook has become an integral marketing tool for solo attorneys. Are you getting the most out of this cheap and easy tool?
In this day and age, it is quite difficult to not know what Facebook is and its purpose. Whether you are 18 or 80, you have at the very least heard the “Facebook” name in conversation.
Millions of Americans log on to this site daily and as newer and younger attorneys come into their careers, Facebook acts as a useful tool for the ever-changing industry standards.
How can solo attorneys reach their target client on Facebook?
Facebook is great for creating micro-targeted ad campaigns because it helps you further reach your audience in an easy and extremely cost-effective manner. Unlike other online advertising outlets, Facebook costs much less to just boost a page and get it noticed. Doing this also saves you valuable time that could be used actually practicing law.
However, Facebook should not be your only outlet of advertising and in general terms acts as a great source of secondary marketing in addition to any other marketing campaigns that might exist for your firm.
How do Facebook ads work?
A Facebook advertisement is usually shown to consumers based on their profile content. This may be relevant to age, relationship status, education, location, and so forth. Advertisers typically warrant this on a “needs” basis.
For example, advertising a baking company that only serves the New York area to someone in California would not be advantageous and Facebook allows you to remedy this indefinitely.
Basically, the more a Facebook user “over shares” their interests, the easier it is to target them.
Example:
Let’s say you are an immigration attorney whose main clientele is Latin immigrants who live in New York City.
By doing a little Google research, or through past client experiences, you know there are large Latino communities in Brooklyn, New York and Queens, New York.
Facebook is special because it allows you to create content that is sensitive to geographic preferences. For example, if you are a NYC attorney, you can choose to just have your ad run for New York state viewers as opposed to some random in Georgia. You won’t waste your advertising efforts on those who cannot even partake in your services.
Facebook also helps you tailor your message to a more specific audience by use of advanced demographics. If your message is in the Spanish language, you have the ability to promote that message to only Spanish-speaking individuals; if age is of concern, Facebook also has an option for that.
Tapping into a potential client’s history also allows us to truly find our target audience. Advertisements can be limited to individuals that originated from a specific geographic locale. In the case of the immigration attorney with a Spanish-language ad, he or she could directly target individuals from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, or even Columbia.
Finally, an attorney can tap into their target audience’s social behavior. Facebook has a feature called “Like.” Individual users can like anything from a musical artist to a particular cookbook. It is a reflection of the individuals taste. Lawyers can refine their advertisements to take into account an individual’s “likes.”
For example, the lawyer in the above scenario can limit their advertisement to Facebook users who have “liked” the category “Mexico.” It is a safe bet to assume that of the 60,503 users who liked the category Mexico, at least a few may be in the immigration attorney’s ideal client profile.
Advertising on Facebook is that easy, and cheap.
When it comes to money, Facebook is crucial in terms of advertising. Utilizing Facebook allows for a relatively low expenditure as opposed to something like a billboard or local magazine advertisement that costs thousands just to use the space. Attorneys have the luxury of designating how much money they want to use to promote their brand, etc.
You can start with $20.00. Even if you choose to start with $100.00, it is still a low initial spend, especially in light of what many solo attorneys charge per hour. (Basically, you have to find an additional 20 minutes of work to cover the advertising spend.)
Advertising on Facebook gives solo attorneys a way to connect with users on a social, personal level in a comfortable, friendly space. Your campaign may not necessarily result in immediate client retention, but this is not the point. Rather, a Facebook advertising campaign is a way for your law firm to build brand awareness within a specific community. A Facebook advertising campaign can be a powerful tool for your law firm.
Facebook advertising is just one day to organize your law firm.
Learn more from our eBook “Organize For Success!”
