How Law Firms Can Stand Out on Social Media
With so many attorneys and legal practices marketing themselves on social media, it can be hard for individual law firms to stand out from the crowd. That’s a real problem, because getting lost in the hubbub means that you’re not reaching your full potential in terms of raising brand awareness, attracting referrals, or engaging with potential clients.
Fortunately, it doesn’t take as much work as you might think to cut through the noise. You just need a little creativity, personality, and patience.
Here are some handy tips to keep in mind.
1. Implement a brand voice.
It isn’t just what you say — it’s how you say it. One of the quickest and easiest ways to stand out on social media is to find your brand’s “voice” and put it to work.
Maybe your law firm’s voice should be serious and polished. Maybe it should be casual and light, or bold and edgy.
Regardless, you’ll need to develop an authentic, recognizable tone that represents your practice well and resonates with your target audience.
Nailing your brand voice can be a bit of a process, and it will definitely take time to hone. But if you get it right, it will also set you apart from everyone else and attract the right type of followers to your social channels.
So hold a meeting among the relevant staff at your law firm, sit down together, and work out who you are and what you should sound like. That will become your brand voice.
2. Post with your audience in mind.
No matter your voice, always post with your audience in mind. Make sure that you’re speaking in a way that will connect with them.
How do you do that? You start by listening. If necessary, conduct some market research to find out what kind of tone your target audience responds well to and what’s most important to them. Then start testing the tone with content that’s useful for your audience, and fine-tune over time.
This will inform your brand voice, so don’t wait until you have something locked in to start asking whether your audience will appreciate it.
And unless you’re talking to other legal professionals, it’s probably best to leave the legalese at the door. Try to say what you need to in a way that your readers will actually understand. If you can’t do that yourself, maybe someone else on your staff can.
3. Focus on niche-specific topics.
As you provide value through your posts, offer answers and insights that are specific to your firm’s primary practice area. For example, if you specialize in divorce law, you could address the FAQs that a spouse would want to know before they file for divorce, perhaps in a series of tweets or a longer LinkedIn post.
It’s almost always best to niche down and speak directly to your target audience’s pain points. That way, you’re aiming your message at exactly the sort of person who might become a client — and demonstrating your expertise in the process.
4. Let other people speak for you.
One of the best ways to establish or grow your credibility is to let others do the talking for you.
You can accomplish this by sharing testimonials, endorsements, and case studies from past clients or attorneys at other law firms. Not only does it look less like self-promotion, but people always prefer stories to overt sales pitches.
So don’t just tell everyone you’re the greatest civil trial attorney around. Let outsiders who don’t have anything to gain by boasting on your behalf say it instead.
5. Use visuals.
Visual elements such as photos, infographics, slideshows, and videos are a great way to add some pizzazz to your posts. A strong visual approach will almost always increase engagement on your social content. It can also make it easier to explain complex topics or illustrate points.
If you do take this route, try to maintain a theme, such as a color palette. Your brand voice isn’t just for text. By creating a consistent aesthetic for your social content, you can take more control over your brand’s image and give your followers something more visually appealing to draw their eye.
6. Don’t become too predictable.
Regularity and consistency can be good, but getting stuck in a rut isn’t. If you’re just repeating the same thing again and again or only ever posting the same types of content, your prospects will probably lose interest.
Instead, switch it up. Cycle through videos, infographics, articles, and shorter posts, never staying in one place too long. If possible, you can even take advantage of features like polls, live streaming, Instagram Stories, or any other tools at your disposal.
If your goal is to stand out from the crowd, you’re going to want to get creative.
You can make yourself heard.
There may be a legion of law firms already vying for attention on social media, but armed with these tips, you should be able to carve out a space for your practice.
Want a little help? We’d be happy to lend a hand. Let America Know gives attorneys throughout the nation social media support, helping them promote their brand and stay in front of potential clients and referrers.
Check out our done-for-you social media marketing programs exclusively for plaintiff attorneys.