Get 10 tips that will help take your firm’s social media efforts to the next level!
Society has undergone a digital revolution in recent years and, while the internet is still evolving, no one can deny that your social media presence is just as important as your professional reputation.
In some cases, they can be one and the same. It’s important to pay attention to what posts attract new clients, as well as for how you and your office are perceived online.
1. Invest in a Completed Profile
The user profile exists on social media sites for a reason, and they’re important enough that even Twitter allows for a limited public profile. Drawing new visitors to your account may be as simple as sharing an authoritative post or comment, and the first thing they will probably do is to look at your profile. Make sure they find something good! The more information you supply, the more likely they are to begin following you.
2. Keep the Followers You Have
Once you’ve managed to amass a following, it’s just as important to retain them. This means keeping them interested and the best way to do that is by socializing.
Even Instagram, which is limited to sharing pictures, works best when people engage with their followers. In this way, social media is just like real life, where a friendly, outgoing demeanor will gain you the most active followers.
3. Concentrate on Quality, Not Quantity
Many social media users, including lawyers, get caught up in the numbers game. They think followers equals success, even going so far as to buy followers. This might make your profile look impressive at first glance, but a million silent followers will do nothing for you. The point of social media is to engage and tempt others to engage with you, so, if those one million followers aren’t liking, commenting, and sharing your posts and comments, what’s the point?
4. Steer Clear of Auto Posting Services
You’re busy running a law office, so you don’t have time to post all day, like the average teen Twitter user. Again, concentrate on quality over quantity, avoiding auto posts that show you’re not really as invested in your online presence as you would like your fans to believe. Making one or two quality posts and responding to comments is far more advantageous than wasting money on an automated service. Your true followers will know the difference.
5. Save Your Arguments for the Courtroom
The internet can be a hostile place and it certainly can be easy to get drawn into an argument, especially with political activism on the rise. For that reason, it’s important to remember to remain professional and distance yourself from heated arguments and personal attacks. In this case, it can be just as important not to engage.
6. Identify Your Strengths
The social media world allows us to identify our strengths by the reactions we get to our posts and the attention we get from our followers. By paying attention to these analytics, it’s fairly simple to determine where you perform best. For instance, if Twitter is getting more views, likes, and retweets than Facebook or Google Plus, then focus primarily on Twitter.
7. Social Media Matters to Google
Maintaining a strong social media presence is important for your professional reputation in more ways than one. As you post more and gather a reputation as a source of authority in your field, Google will also consider you as a relevant source of information. Your website will rank higher in search results.
8. Avoid the Direct Hard Sell
For one thing, many bar associations frown upon this kind of self-promotion. Also, research has shown that users don’t like to feel like they are constantly being sold to. Be informative, friendly, and social and leads will come when they need you.
9. Focus on Connections, Not on SEO Tactics
This is another common mistake. While once SEO marketing was as clear-cut as infusing a specific rate of keywords but Google has changed. They now rank pages based on how useful they are to the user. By focusing your posts on the user experience, you will also become more Google-friendly.
10. Have Fun
Stop worrying about making the “right” connections. Instead, build strong relationships with the connections you do have. As you bond with more and more followers, your social media presence will also be bolstered.
Selene is a contributing writer for the Law Offices of Kenneth J. Steinberg. In her spare time, she enjoys shopping and spending time with her puppy.
