When it comes to social media, 99% of users — businesses or otherwise — try to play an engagement game. They think likes, comments, and shares are currency and that they can only win by chasing them. While this might be true for celebrities, food bloggers, and Nike, in our experience, lawyers won’t convert social media leads by aiming for engagements. The best thing for a lawyer to do is to abandon the social media “influencer” dream and reach for a new archetype: social media resource. There are three big problems with aiming for influencer status.
1. NO ONE WANTS TO BROADCAST THEIR LEGAL NEEDS
Do you think a guy looking for a divorce is going to like a divorce lawyer’s post? What about a woman facing bankruptcy — is she going to share her secret with all of her friends? Of course not. Lawyers solve problems, and often these problems are personal, embarrassing, and unshareable. This makes becoming an influencer nearly impossible, and you’ll waste your time trying.
2. MOST EYE-CATCHING POSTS DON’T INFORM.
This isn’t an absolute rule, but in general, social media posts that grab the eye and generate engagements aren’t the most informative ones out there. Most posts that get likes on social media are pretty, sexy, or shocking. None of those things will help bring you clients that are educated, informed, and ready to work with you.
3. HYPE DOESN’T ALWAYS EQUAL TRUST
You don’t want your potential clients to see you as an attention-grabber or an alarmist — you want them to trust you and view you as competent, confident, and experienced. If you’re constantly pedaling irrelevant stories or begging for likes, you’ll build wariness, not trust.
So, what should a smart lawyer do? The law firms we’ve seen succeed on social media are the ones who use it as a tool to educate their audiences, reinforce their expertise, and stay top of mind. By filling their feeds with relevant, well-researched, expert content, they build trust with their followers, convert them to clients, and inspire referrals. If you’re ready to refresh your social media presence and become a resource, call our team today. We can put together a marketing campaign that will take your firm to the next level.