A quick lesson on the best practices for social media marketing for lawyers.

Social media has become a major marketing tool across all industries – some would argue that it’s the marketing tool. Naturally, attorneys has been embracing social media marketing as well. After all, it’s where clients spend their time, and it offers plenty of targeting options to reach very specific audiences. But social media marketing for lawyers can be a bit more complicated than you might expect at first. The following do’s and don’ts should help guide you through the process of promoting your practice the right way on social media.social media marketing for lawyers

  • DO utilize professional networks such as Google+ and LinkedIn. They offer a great way to position you as an expert in your field, while also offering a way to connect and network with potential and current clients.
  • DON’T use social media thoughtlessly. A number of lawyers have gotten into serious ethical trouble doing just, so it’s important to put serious thought into all of your social media actions.
  • DO read these Social Media Ethics Guidelines. They’re a great way to get you started on how to act and what to avoid in order to keep your business reputable and on the right side of the law.
  • DON’T inadvertently misrepresent your specialties. As you know, lawyers are not permitted to call themselves “specialists” in any area in which they aren’t certified by an accredited body approved by the American Bar Association. Unfortunately, the lines get blurred on social media, where you can list specialties on your business page. Precedent suggests that listing your areas of expertise under this section is prohibited.
  • DO utilize disclaimers. Whether you utilize a business account or promote your services on your personal account, be sure to use the standard disclaimers you’d use on other advertisements in all of your social media posts. Even a Tweet – limited to 140 characters – needs this disclaimer, typically consisting of something like “This Tweet contains attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.”
  • DON’T think you have a carte blanche. Even though the field of social media is rapidly changing, the same old rules of attorney advertising and ethics continue to apply.

All that being said, social media can be a significant and effective tool when promoting your attorney practice. Contact us to let us help you utilize it ethically, legally and successfully!