Social media may not be at the forefront of your mind when it comes to what it takes to keep your law firm running. However, using digital spaces to put your firm in the forefront of people’s minds takes you from vague awareness to a reputation as a trusted firm. By using social media as part of your marketing strategy, you will move your brand forward, create an audience of potential clients, and garner more leads. Social media greatly improves recognition and trust by:
Creating Brand Awareness
You can present your firm in the best light on a daily basis on social media. You can post regularly about everything happening at your firm and present it from the angle you choose. Over time, your audience will recognize your logo, become aware of your vision and what you firm stands for, grow knowledgeable about the kind of cases you handle, and know what your firm is doing in the community. When the time arises that they are in need of legal services, potential clients will already know and remember your brand, thus turning them into clients.
Engaging Your Target Audience
Social media creates a community where you can engage and interact with your specific audience. By joining groups, searching/using hashtags, and connecting with friends/followers/connections of your current followers, you can find people who are in need or may one day be in need of your particular services. You can also easily target ads to your niche audience (i.e. only new car owners in southern California), allowing you to reach new customers with less of an acquisition cost.
Social media presents the opportunity to ask questions, create polls, and comment on other posts. These interactions establish a rapport between your firm and your audience, creating familiarity. This is an important part of creating a community, brand identity, and connecting with your audience, as well as establishing you as dependable and knowledgeable in your field.
Lead Generation
When your audience is interacting with you and taking stock of your brand, they build a familiarity and trust with your firm. If they feel they know your lawyers and your firm, it makes sense that when they need a lawyer, your law firm will be who they go to. The American Bar Association found that 35% of lawyers using social media found new clients that way and an Attorneys at Work survey found that 49% of respondents acquired clients from social platforms. Implement social as part of your lead generation strategy and gain more traction.
Publicizing Your Events
Leverage social media to publicize your events and reach a greater audience at a price that is better for your budget. If you have a decent audience size, social media is akin to free advertising. Post events, webinars, or community outreach. This works two-fold in your favor. It encourages those who are interested in attending your events the opportunity to do so. In addition, by publicizing your webinars and law events, it shows you are a knowledgeable and trusted member of the law community. When you talk about community events on your social platforms, your audience will recognize your commitment and involvement with the community at large.
Establishing Authority
Scrolling through your posts on social media about legislative reforms, cases your firm has won, or webinars your staff is teaching establishes your skill and leadership in your field. Intelligent and thought-provoking posts give reliable information and encourage your audience to take action or consider new legislation, establishing your firm as an authority in your field of expertise. By joining groups on LinkedIn and participating in discussions, others will look to you as a leader in your field which could lead to speaking engagements and webinars, in turn creating even greater authority.
Improving Your SEO
Search engines look at social media in order to help rank your web pages. Active social media accounts that mention, highlight, and utilize your website will boost its rankings. Why is that important? SEO, or search engine optimization, essentially makes it easier for search engines to find you. When someone types information into a search engine bar (i.e. personal injury lawyer Bay Area), various algorithms figure out which websites show up on the search pages and in what order. People rarely scroll past the first page to find what they are looking for. Part of the algorithm for search engines includes social media. Boosting your social presence will boost your SEO, which will then increase leads.
Social media should be an integral part in your lead generation strategy. Creating a content calendar and developing a social media plan will greatly increase your online presence, brand awareness, and potential clients. Contact CloudFast if you would like assistance creating a social media strategy and managing your platforms.
