Absolutely! Worldwide, Facebook now has 1.79 billion active users every month, who check their feeds on an extremely regular basis. Facebook for business works better for some areas of law than others, particularly when it involves marketing to consumers. Without a doubt, when it comes to social media for lawyers, you require a carefully thought out strategy. You need to identify your target audience and your goals.
It can also be about breaking down the barriers, as solicitors traditionally have an image of being aloof and not very approachable. It is important for your prospective clients to realise this is not the case. I would advise promoting the human element of your team by creating posts that feature different members of the firm, or photos of them taking part in charity initiatives such as ‘Wear a Jumper Day’. It can be good to adopt a slightly more casual tone at times, but always stay on subject.
It is also about sharing your expertise. You can use posts to publish articles or blogs that you have written; you can also share articles from professional sources relating to your area of law. This will then help to build trust, which is important for any new business relationship.
Consistency is vital for any social media campaign so we ensure that our clients’ regular posts are put out at key times. We also manage accounts to ensure that any questions or comments are answered promptly. In addition, selecting the right images to accompany posts can increase the level of interaction, gaining you maximum likes and shares!
I am shocked as to how many law firms have a ‘skeleton’ presence with their Business Page on Facebook. It’s better to have no Facebook Business Page at all than a seriously outdated one, so if that is the case, I would advise deleting your page until you are ready to post regularly; Facebook users could assume you are out of business or have doubts as to your business stability.
Also, what do people do when they are researching a service? They use Google. Facebook Business Pages are always very prominent in Google search results. If you have a Facebook Business Page, it will appear on the first page of a Google search. You cannot underestimate how having a professional online presence can make or break the decision of a potential client to work with your firm. People place a lot of value on reading recommendations so consider how well your firm is represented by your Facebook reviews.
Facebook can also be a way of building a relationship with your existing clients so that they stay with you and are regularly reminded of your services. If they are happy clients, your firm’s name will trip off their tongue. You can also promote your events and seminars to the wider community via your page.
We had amazing success during 2016 with our Facebook Advertising campaigns for law firms and it can be relatively inexpensive. Just £100 a month spent on Facebook Advertising to the right audience, based on geographic location, age, gender and interests, can produce amazing results in terms of profile raising and obtaining actual client enquiries.
Finally, have you considered Facebook Live? Facebook is highlighting its live services so videos produced in this way are given preferential treatment by Facebook algorithms. Your audience is also more likely to see and watch video where they are browsing – on social media, not your website.
I am currently offering a FREE 15-minute telephone consultation where I will review your Facebook Business Page with you. Together, we will try to identify ways that you can increase your professional visibility via this medium. Please send me a connection invite via LinkedIn and we can then arrange a time and date to suit you.