Lawyers and Social Media: A Weird Yet Effective Relationship

Lawyers and social media have a weird, yet effective relationship. Social media for law firms has been a trending topic in our industry for years now, and we suspect that some law firms are probably tired of hearing about how social they should be. How many of you really, truly, actively engage in social media? More to the point, how do you feel about your answer?

Well, Maybe That Doesn’t Matter

After all, whether an idea is “old news” and whether it works are two different inquiries. There’s nothing new about having a website, but you sure wouldn’t want to be the one firm in your market without one.

A new study tells us that social media’s taking a similar turn. Attorneys aren’t necessarily excited about it, but they’re doing it — and the pudding’s proof shows that social media is working for lawyers.

Attorney Social Media Marketing Survey Yields Surprising Results

The latest survey from AttorneyatWork.com shows that lawyers and social media have a weird relationship. In Facebook parlance, “it’s complicated.”

For starters, lawyers do not trust social media as an effective means of marketing. 56% of attorneys said they suspect that social media marketing for law firms is “more hype than reality,” with men reflecting a little more skepticism than women.

And yet they do it anyway. 91% of attorneys report that they use social media — a much higher number than we’ve seen in the past. And 60% even identified social media as a critical part of their marketing strategy!

Clearly, there are a lot of lawyers out there investing in social media marketing despite a lack of faith in it. Why? Maybe because the competition’s doing it. Maybe because they aren’t sure their skepticism is well founded.

Or, maybe — just maybe — because it works.

Study after study demonstrates that social media marketing reliably grows a client base and increases firm revenue. Moreover, it establishes a personal connection with prospective clients — a valuable asset that could be the deciding factor when that plaintiff with a multi-million-dollar claim chooses your firm over your next-door neighbor in the Google results.

So Why the Skepticism?

So what’s with the apprehension? Why are so many attorneys skeptical of social media marketing despite the high rate of investment and the proven results?

It might be that the majority of attorneys still don’t really understand social media or how to best leverage it as a rainmaker.

The AttorneyatWork study supports that theory. It shows, for example, that lawyers invest most of their social efforts in Facebook even though the more effective firms get better mileage out of LinkedIn.

The study also finds that only a minority of law firms are using social media metric programs or are making a concerted effort to use social media as part of a broader web marketing strategy. Even fewer work with outside copywriters or attorney marketing agencies like Legal Web Design to manage their law firm’s social media marketing.

There’s a critical opportunity, then, for lawyers to zig while the rest of the pack zags.

Hire a Leading Attorney Marketing Firm to Handle Your Social Media

The relationship between social media and lawyers doesn’t have to be a boondoggle. Harnessed effectively, it can build your business with remarkably little investment. You just need a little expert knowledge on your side.

At Legal Web Design, we employ social networking for law firms as part of a broader web marketing strategy. We’ve helped thousands of attorneys grow their presence online, find new clients, and better position themselves in a crowded marketplace.

Don’t let another day go by with your competitors outpacing you online. Contact us right now to set up an easy, FREE consultation. We’ll get you started in no time.