29 Apr Marketing For Attorneys in the Digital Age

Social media has always been a hot topic in the law field but arguments over how it should be used and to what degree are always in flux. Social media has gone from being a gray area for many attorneys to something that has been embraced and embedded into various legal firms’ business marketing and networking strategies. While social media is now a necessary part of today’s marketing for attorneys, it can seem like a bit of a minefield to maintain your firm’s professional reputation while utilizing the digital marketing landscape to its full potential. Social Spice Media offers the following tips to help you conduct yourself as a professional attorney in the digital age:

Avoid Giving Legal Advice

Quality, informative content like legal blogging might seem to toe the line between drawing in a goldmine of potential clients and being caught into a malpractice suit. However, it’s a pretty safe route to focus on providing informative content without providing prescriptive content. Law blogs can be an excellent draw for potential clients because they can assert attorneys as authorities in their fields, build credibility with the public, and drive traffic back to their websites. A person is more likely to seek services from a voice that is familiar to them and gives them useful information when needed without an associated cost. General background on common legal situations you might find your clients in with speculative suggestions and applicable information is fine so long as you steer clear of specific advice for particular situations verbatim. This is a good rule of thumb because 1) you do not know the particular situation of the person who might be reading the blog, and every legal situation is unique and 2) you want them to call you or come into your office! Save the legal advice for clients.

Be Mindful of Ethics

Ethics rules like maintaining confidentiality, non-solicitation, and avoiding false and misleading statements that you follow in your practice should carry over into social media. This means that it’s always a good idea to steer clear of politics, controversial topics, and specific cases. There are a lot of myths surrounding legal ethics rules on the web. For instance, although the American Bar Association (ABA) presents the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, these are not rules so much as guidelines that many law schools use as the basis for teaching professionalism. The ethics rules you need to follow will be state by state and depend on the location of the clients you intend to work with. Be mindful of multistate compliance if you work with clients from various states. Do your homework on the rules of your particular state or states of practice and work within that scope.

Be Aware of Your Online Presence

While the internet may seem like a place where you can anonymously say and do whatever you please, this is not always the case with constantly changing privacy rules and settings. As an attorney, attempting to post anonymously or have alternative profiles is too risky. Be mindful of the pictures you post, the language you use, and even the online connections you have. All of this can become public as privacy settings shift. Your clients will likely have googled you before they consider arriving at your office. Google yourself regularly to see what results you get and post as much positive content as possible so that this is what will appear first. Make it a goal to follow “influencers” in your area of practice and interact with others in the field in a professional manner—this will increase your visibility in the field and build your credibility as a professional. But be careful not to give competitors any intelligence they might be able to use against you through your posts and connections.

Make Yourself a Credible Authority

Social media is an effective tool to make yourself visible as a credible authority in your field. The best way to do this is to avoid hard sales pitches and focus on what people value that you can give them. Blogs can make you a “go-to” person for information and can even boost your ratings on Google. Visual content like images and especially videos are known to draw in crowds and direct them to your website. Most importantly, focus on real, authentic, informative content that gives value to the public. Get in touch with Social Spice Media today to learn about how we can craft and refine your law firm’s digital marketing strategy. We know that every law practice is different, and our team can create website copy, blog content, and web design that reflects your practice and it’s goals. Do you know someone who could benefit from our services? Refer them to us today! Our team is eager to connect with businesses in any industry. We serve the local needs of Ventura County and Santa Barbara as well as anywhere in the United States.