Lawyer blogs : Finding the right tone

Tom Mighell was also struck by the fact Kevin Heller of Tech Law Advisor and I both blogged on the same day last week about what we each saw as the problem with too many lawyer’s blogs.

I wrote that many blogs are “full of personal meanderings that their target audience couldn’t care less about.” Kevin Heller asked the question: “You Know What’s Wrong With Most Blogs? They’re not personal enough.“

Tom asked in a post this morning ‘Who’s right?’ I agree with Tom’s answer, we both are.

If you want to get business from your blog, you’ll certainly do better by sticking to topics that display your expertise. However, your clients also want to know that you have a personality, and even a life outside of law practice. That’s why I don’t mind the occasional personal meandering. I think it also has to do with the type of law firm culture you want to convey to your clients.

If I am a person who is strictly in search of legal information on a particular topic, then yes, I will be more interested in those blogs that confine themselves to the latest news on the subject. However, if I’m also interested in hiring that blogger as my attorney, then I think I would be more likely to tolerate the more personal posts — they would help me get to know my attorney better.

Even though I may stay close to message on Internet marketing through blogs, I hope my views on the subject, a sense of humor and taking cracks at some of the dinosaurs in the legal marketing profession make for a good read and give folks a sense of who I am.

Finding the right tone, like Tom says, is important. For this reason lawyers in small firms may have an edge on those in large firms who may be stymied by fears of what they should be saying. In addition blogs in large firms may be distributing content previously sent out in alerts and email newsletters. This type of content does not lend itself to wearing your heart on your sleeve.