What You Can Learn From How Top Law Firms Are Using Social Media

You know that your firm needs to be on social media, but how do you get started and what should you do?

We’ll take a deep dive into what some of the top law firms in the country are doing and see what we can learn from them.

According to the ABA 2018 Tech Report, 76% of survey respondents have a presence on social networks.

You already know it’s important to have a social media presence, but how can you stand out?

Top Law Firm Facebook & Twitter Statistics

We looked at what some of the top Vault 100 law firms are doing on Facebook and Twitter. Some of the results are surprising, while others seem like common sense.

Facebook – 2018

Firm	Fans	# of Posts	# of Shares	Avg Engagement Per Day*
Latham Watkins	8,.726	342	678	37.9
Skadden	5,875	43	121	5.9
Cravath	1,055	0	0	0
Davis Polk	115	0	0	0
Gibson Dunn	905	40	7	.3
Paul Weiss	547	68	23	1.5
Cooley	2,464	82	210	6.,4
Morrison & Foerster	1,114	93	40	1.8
Covington & Burlington	1,151	716	106	4.2
Allens Legal	4,325	120	58	8.7
Jones Day	3,161	154	193	9.7
Paul Hastings	844	25	5	.3
Sidley Austin	2,684	122	112	10.4

*Engagement is a combination of  likes, shares, reactions, and comments.

Some Of The Most Engaged Posts:

Twitter – 2018

Firm	Followers	Tweets	Avg Tweets Per Day	Avg Engagement Per Day
Cravath	1,989	97	0.3	0.8
Skadden	10.408	229	0.6	1.5
Sullivan & Cromwell	2,875	488	1.3	3.2
Latham & Watkins	33,509	981	2.7	6.8
Davis Polk	2,966	72	0.2	0.3
Kirkland & Ellis	22,100	586	1.6	4.4
Gibson Dunn	7,639	223	0.6	0.6
Paul Weiss	1,273	40	0.1	0.2
Cooley	8,407	420	1.2	5.3
Morrison & Foerster	7,290	1,079	3	2.8
Covington & Burlington	7,983	1,067	2.9	2.8
Allens Legal	9,505	425	1.2	4.8
Jones Day	20,075	75	1.7	5
Paul Hastings	5,200	281	.8	1.2

Some Of The Tweets With More Engagement:

Key Takeaways:

The most engaged posts tended to be news that related to the firm or it’s attorney’s.

It might seem like common sense to post about your firm’s news and updates, but actually doing it consistently is hard.

At the very least, posting consistently keeps your firm top of mind. Your audience may not be looking for a lawyer or law firm now, but they might in the near future.

Some firms like, Kirkland & Ellis focused on 1 social media site.

What Could Be Done Better:

1. More posts that were helpful to their target audience rather than just news and updates.
2. A consistent posting/tweet schedule.

What You Can Do For Your Social Media:

Attract and Know Your Audience

Before you begin to capture the attention of your audience, you must first know who they are and what they are about.  Demographics matter. The way you’d talk to insurance adjusters about workers comp is far different than how you’d approach someone getting a divorce.  

Establish who you’ll be targeting and then approach them based upon their age, needs, likes, dislikes, and everything else they are about.  The more you know about your group, the better chance you have of winning their attention.

For more a more specific breakdown read our post on demographics and psychographics here.

See when they are most likely to be on social media.

There are some of the best times to post according to Co-Schedule:

Facebook	9:00am & 3pm-4pm
Instagram	12pm-1pm, 5pm-6pm, 8-9pm
Twitter	7am-8am, 11am, 6pm, 9pm
LinkedIn	8am, 10am-12pm, 6pm

Set a consistent posting schedule.

Use a tool like Hootsuite or Buffer to schedule your posts in advance. You’ll want to post at least 2-3 times a week and depending on which network you are using, you may want to post 2 or more times per day as well.

4. Post about a variety of topics that would be helpful to your target market, not just updates and news about your firm.

Here are a few actionable tips on how to do so:

Be a Story-Teller

Decide what story you want to tell.  What’s your message? Do you want to inform your audience about yourself, your practice, or perhaps your mission?  Maybe you’d like to let them know individual cases you’ve been successful on.

Tell your story with passion.  Based upon the statistics, it’s clear that getting your message out to the public is imperative.  An audience can’t respond to or engage with information they haven’t seen.

But while exposure offers you the chance to engage, the way in which you tell your story will determine what you do with that opportunity.  Connecting with people is the key. Pull on their heartstrings. Stir up emotions. Give them something – information, a cause, or something else of value.

Have a Game Plan

What is your strategy?  Where is it you are wanting to go with the information you have given?  Maybe your purpose is simply to attract followers. Ask for what you want.  If your intention is to direct your audience to your website, let them know.  

Have a goal with what you want to accomplish and a make a precise plan of how you intend to carry it out.  Be clear with your intentions by giving a direct call to action.

Be on Their Side

To someone with a legal issue, an attorney is like a doctor is to a person who is sick.  They are depending on you for assistance, both professionally and personally. It’s important that your audience knows that you are on their team.

In order to accomplish this order, be careful not to talk down to your readers by using judgmental wording, professional jargon, or a vocabulary that is over their head.  Get on their level. Assure them you know how they feel and sympathize with them. It is up to you to convince them that not only do you understand their problem at hand but you are also able to provide a solution.  

Summary Of The 4 Key Takeaways From This Case Study

When it comes to social media growth, seeing what the big firms are doing can help you when planning your law firm’s social media strategy.

1. Identify your target audience in order to focus your marketing efforts and to tailor your messaging.
2. Post At Optimal Times
3. Have A Consistent Posting Schedule
4. Post Helpful Articles Along With Firm Related News

It’s a Win-Win

Social media offers the potential to reach millions of viewers.  But there is a catch. You have to capture your audience’s attention and you have only seconds to do so.  And, once you do have their attention, you have to keep it.

Engaging your audience can only be achieved by knowing your audience and giving them something they want to latch on to – be it a touching story, a worthy cause, or a service they need.  Then, you’ll need to have a winning plan to seal the deal in order accomplish what you set out to do in the first place – to provide an excellent service for your viewer.

Now it’s your turn to test it out.

This post first appeared on Horowitz Agency - What You Can Learn From How Top Law Firms Are Using Social Media

2019 Law Firm Marketing Trends

Recently, the ABA released its yearly survey results on Legal Marketing. We’ve summarized some key highlights and takeaways from the report.

These are our suggestions for 2019 based on last year’s law firm marketing trends:

Where Should You Be On Social Media?

The survey results showed that most firms use Facebook while larger firms also use print and email as part of their marketing.

Most individual lawyers use LinkedIn for networking or for career development.

As for the effectiveness of social media for obtaining clients: 35% of respondents have gotten a client directly or through a referral. 19% did not know if social media got them clients.

Other Benefits Of Social Media

Social media is not just for getting new clients. According to the ABA report, firms can benefit from more visibility, more visitors to their websites, making media contacts, and obtaining speaking engagements.

Takeaway

Focus on Facebook and LinkedIn. Develop a strategy for creating and maintaining your presence.

Plan Your Marketing Strategy

According to the survey, over 60% of firms did not have a marketing budget. If a law firm did not have a marketing budget, it’s safe to assume that they did not have a ,marketing strategy either.

Takeaway

One of the best things you could do this year is to work out a marketing strategy.

We recommend the following fundamentals:

1. Choose realistic goals and set your budget accordingly.
2. Identify your target market and where they hang out online.
3. Narrow your focus in order to provide targeted messaging to your audience. It’s easier to market to a specific niche instead of everyone.
4. Track and measure your efforts.

Get Your Content Out There By Syndicating It

You’ve worked hard to produce content for your website, but you’re only partially done. You still need to get people to see and read your content. One of the easiest ways to do so is through syndication.

Based on the survey results, only 15% of firms syndicate their website content. Most firms are not taking advantage of spreading out their content to all corners of the internet.

Takeaway

Re-post your content to as many places as possible. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other sites. There are many different places where you post your content.

It’s possible to set up an automated syndication network that spreads your content to all of your social media and other networks with just 1 click.

Track and Measure Your Marketing Efforts

According to the survey respondents, most lawyers are not taking advantage of analytics or reports to determine the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.  About 1/3 never view the reports. 1/3 only review them quarterly.

Surprisingly, 15% of firms working with external agencies never even receive reports.

Not unexpectedly, lawyers rated their confidence in their firm’s marketing at 2.5 out of 5.

Takeaway

Make sure you are receiving reports on your marketing campaigns and review them at least once a month so you know how your marketing strategy is performing.

What Do These Law Firm Marketing Trends Tell Us?

The legal market is competitive, but there is still a lot of room for your firm to stand out in the crowd. Use these takeaways to make 2019 the best year yet.

Summary:

1. Focus on Facebook and LinkedIn for your firm’s social media channels.
2. Have A Marketing Strategy & Budget.
3. Syndicate Your Content For An Easy Win.
4. Track & Measure Your Marketing Efforts.

Need Help With This?

If you’d like to see how we can help you implement these takeaways, send us a message here.

This post first appeared on Horowitz Agency - 2019 Law Firm Marketing Trends

2019 Law Firm Marketing Trends Infographic

Based on the American Bar Association’s 2018 survey, we can extrapolate a few key trends and takeaways:

What are the most popular marketing channels?

Facebook (35%), email (33%), print (25%) and Avvo (20%).

Social Media for professional purposes

82% of respondents use LinkedIn, 47% on Facebook, 27% on Avvo

How effective is Social Media for getting clients?

35% of respondents have gotten a client directly or through a referral. 19% did not know if social media got them clients.

How many firms have a marketing budget?

33% of respondents’ firms have an annual marketing budget.

Using syndication to multiply your content efforts

15% of firms syndicate website content. Firms of 100+attorneys (24%). In firms of all other sizes, less than 20%.

How are firms measuring their marketing results?

⅓ or more never review their analytics. ⅓ view their analytics quarterly.

Firms working with marketing agencies: 15% do not receive regular reports.

How confident are firms in their marketing?

2.5 out of 5.

Key Trends & Takeaways:

• Facebook and LinkedIn are the best places to network and to get your content in front of potential clients.
• Setting up a marketing budget (and possibly strategy) is something that many firms do not do.
• Syndicate your content to get it on as many platforms as possible. A lot of firms are not taking advantage of this strategy and strategies that can automate this process.
• Track and measure your marketing so you know what is working and what is not.

This post first appeared on Horowitz Agency - 2019 Law Firm Marketing Trends Infographic

How to Write a Press Release

Content goes a long way in the age of integrated marketing. Your press release will be distributed, and therefore seen by numerous people, on an array of platforms. It is essential that your release is written well. Here are some tips on how to write a press release.

The title of a winning press release tells you who won. It tells you the score, so to speak, before it tells you how the winner scored—because the title, “UNDERDOG MOVIE ‘WE JUST WON’ WINS ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE” is the story. (Disclosure: This is a hypothetical release. The text is original, and for teaching purposes only.)

The sentences of the first paragraph augment the title.

Production Company announced today that its low-budget fantasy film, WE JUST WON, received the Academy Award for Best Picture. The film had its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in January. This is the first time in over a decade that a movie with a budget of under $20 million has earned the film industry’s top prize.

The second paragraph tells you how the winner scored.

WE JUST WON is a fantasy film that envisions life in America after the apocalypse. The movie hits home in an era of dissension. Resonating with today’s youth, the film shattered box office expectations by attracting a demographic that likes to consume entertainment in the comfort of their own homes. 

 The third paragraph (and possibly fourth) features a quote(s) from relevant authorities. Insightful quotes take the place of a substantive paragraph (or two).

“For me, WE JUST WON captures the mood of today’s youth in America. It offers hope in an era of despair. When we sat down at the drawing board a couple of years ago, we knew we faced an uphill battle both in terms of budget and fully executing our vision,” said John Doe, director of WE JUST WON.

The fourth and final paragraph is about the winner, the section that contains the boilerplate about a person or team.

About Production Company

Production Company is a boutique production company formed by former executives of Major Studio. Since 2009, it has released 17 films with budgets ranging from $8-22 million and has won several domestic and international awards.

Always remember to include Contact Information in your release.

Contact: Jane Doe, Phone Number, e-mail

Press release authors have a tendency to write too much. When it comes to press releases, less is often more and the tighter the better.

This post first appeared on Horowitz Agency - How to Write a Press Release

Marketing Mistakes Law Firms Should Avoid

Hiring a web designer or development company that doesn’t have an SEO person in staff

This is one of the biggest mistakes law firms make when hiring a company to redesign your site. It’s not something many law firms think about. They either assume the development company knows what they are doing or the firm isn’t concerned with SEO.

One global law firm I worked with had some serious issues that impacted the site’s ability to rank within Google. Issues an SEO expert would of made sure didn’t happen.

Unfortunately, this can be costly for the development company and the law firm. In most cases the development firm is on the hook for making sure the site is SEO friendly. They will need to correct the issues. The law firm will foot the bill for the SEO expert that will need to conduct a lengthy audit. All of this creates unnecessary costs on both sides.

Avoid using proprietary content management systems

I’ve seen more and more lawyer clients regret using a development agency’s CMS. It seems counterintuitive to pay for a custom platform when many free and robust platforms such as WordPress exists. WordPress has a ton of plugins and has loads of flexibility already built within it. I’s regularly improved with updates and can be customized to do just about anything a law firm would need it to do.

Businesses owners eventually realize that the custom CMS has many limitations and that new features come at a hefty development cost – in many cases would be a simple plugin for WordPress.When your CMS is built by another company platform, you’re stuck. If you want to switch companies it usually means you need to have another site built. More common platforms can be updated easily without needing to be tied to any one agency.

I personally feel this is a cheap ploy to keep you as a customer. The alternative will cost you more time and money. These companies hope that the fear of redesigning with another company will keep you with them.

Improper https integration

Since Google started pushing site owners to incorporate https many law firms have decided to go that route. It usually the firm’s developer or  design company that suggests the change from non-secure to secure. Unfortunately, 3 out of every five site’s I evaluated this year were implemented incorrectly.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t implement https, it just means that you need to be made aware of the common problems that happen with setting it up.

Read More: Marketing Mistakes Law Firms Should Avoid in 2018