Social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Linked-In, offer a potential new venue for legal marketing. Though the prominence and influence of these sites cannot be overstated, it remains to be seen whether these sites can become an effective part of a law firm’s promotional strategy. It is not too soon, however, to consider some of the potential benefits and possible problems tied to using social network sites for marketing.
Potential Benefits of Social Network Legal Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Whether a law firm is building a new website or is optimizing an existing site to appear more prominently on google, social network sites offer free inbound linking opportunities. These sites receive a lot of traffic and typically have high google rankings so inbound links can help a law firm website’s google ranking and increase direct traffic. Some law firms set up multiple pages on the sites with relevant content for different practice areas or different attorneys, increasing the value of the links.
• Direct content based promotion: Social network pages allow law firms to develop content specific to the firm’s practice area. This means the content can contain a large number of relevant terms for search purposes. The content also can provide substantive information for consumers, making it far more valuable than generic advertising. Consumers who find the firm’s social network page may contact the firm because they already have received helpful information provided by the firm.
• Free marketing and promotion: One of the most useful features of most social networks is that it costs nothing to develop a web presence. That means a law firm can develop any number of pages devoted to marketing with no cost. The firm can even add client testimonials and ratings if it does not violate state ethical rules.
• Direct client interaction: Many social networks allow visitors to ask questions or make comments on the law firm’s page. This type of direct contact can be an effective way to initiate communication with a potential client.
Potential Disadvantages of Social Network Legal Marketing
• Lack of control: Most social networks allow consumers to post content on the site without significant restrictions. This lack of control over the content published by users can pose problems for a law firm. The firm cannot prevent users from making derogatory, inaccurate, or negative comments on its social network page., nor can it prevent users from posting testimonials that may expose the firm to ethical rule violations.
• Lack of professionalism: Some social networks, such as Facebook and Myspace, gained popularity as tools used mostly by teenagers, and still lack the professionalism appropriate for attorney marketing programs. For this reason, firms may wish to consider whether the site promotes an image that is appropriate for the firm. Some social network sites, like Linked-In, are based on business affiliations and project a more professional image.
• Potential time drain: Because social networking sites allow consumers to post on a law firm’s page, a firm may have to respond to many different consumers who are not potential clients. Consequently, a firm could be forced to spend a significant amount of time providing free information.
In the final analysis, social media sites have not been used for law firm marketing long enough to test their effectiveness as a marketing tool. To date, it seems that a law firm might receive some benefits from a carefully managed social media site, but those benefits come with potential risks.
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