Due to ethical concerns, attorneys know that setting limitations on social media interaction are a must.  There is a fine line about what can legally be posted and what cannot and each state has its own laws which govern this.

Giving specific online advice to an individual can create an attorney/client based relationship. You can provide a general answer, but you should not give exact advice on the details they provide. You can suggest recommending that they consult with a local attorney in their area, to avoid crossing any ethical boundaries.

 

Let’s take a look at some beneficial ways lawyers can use social media:

 

Regular (High Quality) Blog Posting

Attorneys that post regular content to their blogs, have the potential to grown their client base by leaps and bounds. Provided that optimal SEO and content are applied, viewers will be able to easily find the law firm on search engines.

A recent survey states that 8% of attorneys currently post on a blog for their law firm and 39% of lawyers have gained new clients by using a blogging platform.

Regular blog posts on interesting topics will make visitors want to return to read the latest news.

Article content can range from industry news, recent law changes, or information about the particular niche that your law firm specializes in.

 

Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook

The blog posts mentioned above should be tweeted or posted on Facebook or LinkedIn to gain new visitors to your website. Sharing your knowledge with others will help you obtain more followers and some of those will hopefully turn into clients.

The ability to follow other experts on these two platforms will give you the opportunity to discover new content that may spark ideas for your own posts. You may also connect with others in your field with whom you can develop a referral system.

Consider Twitter and Facebook as tools that will help you grow your client base. There is unlimited ability to expand your audience. Make your tweets and posts sound interesting so more people want to click and read more of what you have to say.

 

Add A Personal Touch & Break the Internet Barrier

You don’t want to come across as just a lawyer, you need to present yourself as a “real person” as well. Doing so will make your audience feel like they know you better and will feel more confident in you as a person, as well as an attorney.

Avoid posting updates on your family details, but instead mention your favorite local businesses, restaurants, or local events that are happening in your area that you may be interested in. This not only promotes others, but they may return the favor, which will benefit you as well.

It is not recommended to combine your personal and legal accounts, but give a peek of your true self on your professional page.

 

Conclusion

By using online platforms, you can help build your credibility and become more familiar to potential clients. Integrating and cross promoting on all of your social media accounts will create a strong online presence.

Consider hiring a professional to improve your site’s SEO and maintain your blog updates and plug-ins. Concentrate on practicing law and leave the technical details to someone else.

If you don’t have the time or patience to write the content to include on your blog, there are resources online that can do that for you. At LuckyFish Media I work with a team of excellent content writers who can ghost write articles for your blog.

You can eliminate adding something to your to-do list and build your credibility at the same time by providing interesting articles and information.

Check out these articles to read more on how to use the internet to expand your law practice: How To Get Your Law Firm Optimized On Google Maps and 3 Of The Best Search Engine Optimization Tips For 2015.