Social media platforms have proven to be excellent methods of developing top-of-mind awareness for many businesses. This form of advertising has also worked well for the legal industry. Many law firms have been “listening” to social media for quite some time, the last five years in particular, but many have been apprehensive about establishing their own presence on digital formats such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.
Use of the these social media platforms is now becoming a necessity for law firms in a highly competitive market. Social media can also be cost-effective as well as a time management positive. A respected public relations company can leverage all of the above on behalf of a law firm to their great benefit.
Facebook
Facebook is no doubt the best known of these social media options that can promote a law firm. A public relations company can customize a Facebook profile for a law firm, monitor it, post information as well as reply to comments. In addition:
- Advertising can be purchased in connection with the account, which will push the firm’s brand to a wider audience.
- In return this allows for more potential clients to “like” and/or follow the page.
- This results in the law firm’s posts appearing on the news feed of those who have liked and subscribed to the page.
- Visitors also have the opportunity to comment which can make managing these comments time-consuming. Having a PR media professional managing the account is usually a more efficient use of your time.
- The PR pros usually have a better understanding of how to maximize the value of a business or professional Facebook account. They vary in features, navigation, and interface from a personal Facebook account. This can be very confusing and frustrating for those who are not familiar with business pages.
Twitter
Twitter is a social media format that utilizes a short message (up to 140 characters total) to reach subscribers. The platform does not rely on friend listings; instead, it allows users to tag their messages with a hashtag (the pound symbol) to categorize their tweet by subject. These categories are then “followed” by those Twitter users who are interested in that subject. A PR company can generate a following for your law firm using various methods including targeted messages.
LinkedIn
Law firms can consider their LinkedIn accounts to be the professional social media page for their business. LinkedIn focuses on connections and endorsements from other members in a particular industry or interest area. It’s more of a professional, online, networking community. There are caveats to posting on LinkedIn that public relations specialists should be familiar with, and can be help maximize the site’s value. Even a free account can be valuable as it can provide information about the law firm and lawyers. LinkedIn can serve as a good targeting device and provide real information the potential client is seeking. It can also be effective for interacting with other legal professionals in groups and one-on-one.
When used effectively, a social media profile, account, or campaign can be leveraged to maximize the return on investment. Contact a PR company to find out how these tools may help grow your law firm and keep existing clients.