Ten steps to using social media

Social media refers to any form of internet-based network or application (app) where users can create, share, and interact with each other’s content.

Guidance and ethics, Younger Members 08/10/2021

twitter

  1. What is social media? Social media refers to any form of internet-based network or application (app) where users can create, share, and interact with each other’s content. Well-known examples include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, SnapChat and Linkedin.
  2. Recognise the benefits. Social media can be an effective way to market and advertise your firm and the services you provide. Using social media can increase people’s awareness of your firm by reaching a wider audience than more traditional media outlets. You can optimise your firm’s presence on internet-based searches through social media activity, allowing potential clients to find you online quicker and easier.
  3. Be aware of the shortcomings. Content published on social media is generally publicly available and may not always be easily removable. Even where a firm attempts to remove published content, it might be possible for a third party to retain photos of that content and publish it separately. In general, a firm will not be able to control comments and replies to content from third parties – some of which might be critical of the content or the firm.
  4. Understand your audience. Different demographics tend to use different social media platforms. For example, Linkedin is generally used by professionals, while SnapChat is generally used by teenagers and younger people. The message you wish to convey and the audience you wish to reach should inform which social media platform(s) you use. By doing some research, you will learn which demographics use which platforms and what type of content is most popular. One of the advantages of using social media is that a new demographic of potential clients (which would otherwise have missed you) may become aware of your firm.
  5. Develop your professional profile. Social media can also be used by individual solicitors who want to demonstrate their expertise in a particular practice area or are seeking new employment opportunities. For example, Linkedin is often used by employers and recruiters to approach potential candidates and to advertise vacancies. However, you should also consider what you publish on other social media platforms (especially more personal or informal ones), as potential employers and clients may see any publicly available profile of you across various social media platforms.
  6. Set social media goals and objectives. As part of establishing a social media presence, firms should consider what objectives they would like to achieve by using social media. For example, social media activity can be used as a tool for attracting potential clients to your firm’s website. Having a branded website with links to it across your social media profiles is a good start. Your firm’s website should be mobile friendly and easy to navigate.
  7. Track your performance. Firms can measure the effectiveness of their social media activity by tracking the level of interest their content attracts. Many social media platforms provide detailed analytics to business users, which include how many times a piece of content was viewed and how many users clicked through to the business website from a social media platform. It can be difficult to measure a general increase in brand awareness, but the business analytics are very good indicators.
  8. Getting the most out of it. Encourage staff to partake in the firm’s social media strategy by creating a content plan and timetable for your firm’s blog and social media platforms. Postings should contain new, useful, and relevant content – for example, your firm’s achievements, news, recent judgments, and changes in the law. Regular social media activity keeps your firm in the minds of potential clients.
  9. The same ethical and legal considerations that solicitors are required to follow in their day-to-day work also applies to their conduct online. For example, considerations regarding client confidentiality, data protection, and defamation all apply to any content published on social media. The advertising of legal services regulations also applies to your firm’s social media profile and postings. If your firm is active on social media, you should have a social media policy, which should include items such as who will operate the firm’s social media accounts and the process for deciding what content is published.
  10. Keeping up to date through social media. Social media can be a quick and easy tool for solicitors to keep up to date with legal developments and case law. Various organisations – such as the Law Society, Courts Service and the Workplace Relations Commission – have social media accounts and regularly publish relevant updates for solicitors. The Law Society also publishes the Legal eZine for Members, which contains helpful summaries of the latest news on various legal topics.