The Ways an Effective Social Media Campaign Can Enhance Your Bottom Line
In today’s highly competitive legal marketplace, it’s unlikely you can succeed without a well-conceived and carefully implemented social media campaign, one that takes advantage of the access to prospective new clients offered by Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media platforms. In fact, if you’re not using social media, you might as well be on another planet—an ABA study found that nearly every respondent (96%) used social media to some extent, with more than two thirds (70%) indicating that it was an integral part of their overall marketing approach.
If you’re not using social media to any meaningful extent, you likely have two questions:
- What are the benefits of a social media campaign?
- How do I get started?
How an Effective Social Media Campaign Can Help Your Practice
If you’re going to spend precious advertising dollars on social media, you want to know what benefits you can expect:
- You’ll be more visible to prospective clients and have more name recognition—According to industry analysts, about half of the planet’s population uses some form of social media on a regular basis. For those with access to digital data, usage is nearly universal—97%, according to one study. Another report found that nearly half of those who use social media increased their personal usage in 2019. Social media puts you in front of more people, who will start to recognize you by name.
- Social media lets you engage directly with potential clients—You can provide specific content, answer questions, and give individualized attention to people through social media.
- Social media presence provides SEO benefits—Google has been increasing the impact of social feeds on search result rankings, which offers you the potential for a greater online presence.
- Social media allows you to demonstrate knowledge and thought leadership—You can directly respond to potential clients with information that shows your experience, insight, and abilities, enhancing your credibility and establishing trust.
Putting Together Your Social Media Campaign—An Overview
Here are the fundamental steps to take when formulating and implementing a social media strategy for your firm:
- Start with a plan—Don’t just go to Facebook and sign up. Before you do anything, think (and talk to experienced professionals) about the different social media platforms. Understand how they work, how they help you reach potential clients, and what they require of you. Once you’ve determined the platforms you want to use, establish meaningful goals that you can actually measure. Put together a calendar for content and posts to social media. Identify who will create the content and how often you’ll post.
- Understand that social media is essentially visual—One of the most effective ways to quickly and effectively build a social media presence is with good graphics. Make certain your social media content strategy gives priority to visuals that provide facts, data, and other statistics that will immediately engage potential clients.
- Create and post informative YouTube videos—Video is an essential element of any online marketing approach and is particularly effective when created in conjunction with a social media strategy. Videos put a face and a voice to your name, help establish credibility, and require less effort by your target audience. One particularly effective type of video is the interview format, which can establish your expertise in different aspects of the law.
- Focus on informing potential clients—Avoid content that’s primarily self-promotional. Make your posts informative and you’ll establish expertise without the feel of a sales pitch. When it comes to selecting a lawyer, people are usually more interested in knowledge and credibility than name recognition.
- Engage with your social media platforms—Be willing to add comments on social media and respond to questions or comments from potential clients.
- Personalize your story—The more a potential client knows about you and what makes you different or unique, the more likely they are to engage with you. Be willing to share the story of how your firm was created, why you decided to go to law school, and what motivates you. Talk about the things you’ve accomplished that make you proud, or highlight your involvement in the community.
Contact GetLegal
At GetLegal, we have decades of experience providing digital marketing services and products to attorney and law firms nationwide. We offer a wide range of products and services, including website development, search engine optimization, social media campaigns, reputation management, directory listings, customized content, and full video production capabilities. To learn how we can enhance your digital marketing efforts, visit www.getlegalpracticebuilder.com or call 1-817-359-7077.
