Statistics make it evident just how often lawyers and their potential clients log onto various social media platforms. According to a recent article on Zephoria:

• 2.01 billion monthly active Facebook users were recorded in June 2017 (a 17 % increase year over year)
• Every day, there are more than one billion mobile daily active users of Facebook (a 23% increase year-over-year, proving the massive audience potential for the platform via smartphones)
• Five new Facebook profiles are created every second, affirming how rapidly the Facebook audience is exploding worldwide
• 16 million local business pages were created as of May 2013, a figure that represents a 100% increase from 8 million in June 2012. That proves Facebook marketing has altered how business is conducted and its use by local enterprises helps them reach new customers and clients

For businesses and professionals, however, LinkedIn reigns supreme. That’s great news for Kate Paine, whose business, Standing Out Online, educates professionals on how to utilize social media platforms such as LinkedIn to increase their bottom line.

Lawyers should care about social media “because if you aren’t in the groove of social media, you are out of it. Your competitors are, so you are missing out. If someone is looking for you, they often go to Google to learn about you,” says Paine.

If you are not active on social media, potential clients and opportunities are unlikely to beat a path to your door. While Paine says maintaining a presence on LinkedIn, for example, is important for professionals such as lawyers, there are definitely some ‘Do’s and ‘Don’ts’ for making a positive impression.

First, be certain your state’s Supreme Court doesn’t frown upon posting law-related information on LinkedIn, or other social media outlets. If you practice with a law firm, be sure to check the firm’s policy about it, too. Other suggestions Paine makes include:

• Posting a professional head shot taken within the last 18 months
• Joining groups that are industry-specific. For example, if you practice personal bankruptcy law, join groups focused on that area of law
• Joining groups where potential clients might be found. Be a listener and also answer questions to be viewed as a subject-matter expert

When determining which professional groups to join on LinkedIn, Paine says to be certain they are well moderated, meaning at least two people moderate the exchange of information. It is also wise to check the dates on posts made by members of the group. If they are not recent, the site probably does not enjoy much traffic and likely will not be useful or enjoyable.

The accuracy of posts is important, too. If you are able to read some of the posts before joining a group, check them for accuracy. If some posts are incorrect, rude or otherwise unacceptable to you, either don’t join the group or leave it.

A LinkedIn profile should also include a personal story, says Paine. For example, sharing why you choose to practice law or perhaps why you decided to focus your work on a particular area of law humanizes you so you seem more approachable. And, she says, write in plain English, not legalese. Be sure the summary you share “tells the story of who you are, the problems you solve and how you solve those problems,” says Paine.

Also, if your profile includes a disclaimer, such as the information contained on your page should not be construed as legal advice, “Don’t use boilerplate and keep it short,” cautions Paine.

Expanding one’s network on LinkedIn is of paramount importance, but there are strategies for doing it correctly, says Paine. For example, a best practice is to include a personal note to the person with whom you would like to connect. “Send a quick note that is relevant. There are a lot of people who won’t accept or even look at your profile if the invitation does not include some kind of personal message. And, if you accept an invitation to connect with someone, send a brief note thanking the person for inviting you” to join their network, she says.

Eric Pesale, who, after graduating from law school in 2016 decided to help attorneys create content for their websites rather than hanging out a solo shingle, says lawyers should care about social media because “it’s probably the easiest way to get your name out there and get established in your field.”

Since starting his company Write For Law last year, he says he has been amazed to learn how few attorneys include blogs on their firms' webstes. “Content is king and people are more likely to read something on Facebook than they are law review articles,” he says.

Although “Twitter has been getting a lot of flack lately, it’s a good place to be heard if you use the right hashtags and post at the correct times,” says Pesale. He also suggests seeking bylines in industry publications read by potential clients to showcase your knowledge on a particular topic.

Alan Savage, co-founder of Growth Hack Chicago and COO of Funded Justice agrees that participating in social media is critical to a lawyer’s bottom line. In fact, Growth Hack Chicago was founded based on the premise that start-ups and local businesses get more visibility using social media than more expensive methods of advertising and promotion.

Growth Hack Chicago’s emphasis is teaching professionals some marketing methods to increase their visibility in certain social media platforms. For example, hacking a LinkedIn profile allows the user to “take advantage of spaces provided in profiles” to add hashtags and words designed to strengthen a profile.

According to Savage, in the two separate spaces LinkedIn allows users to type their first and last name, type your entire name in the space available for just a first name. That allows the user to then utilize the then unused space where their last name was to be typed to include additional information about themselves or the services they provide. “It’s a great place to put your marketing message,” says Savage.

Sums Pesale, “Social media is a gateway to clients.” 

Tami Kamin Meyer is an Ohio attorney and freelance writer. he is also the Chair of the Marketing Committee of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.