Can the number of law blogs reach saturation point?

Leading blog authority, Darren Rowse, asks ‘Will the popularity of blogging lead to its demise?’ The number of 110 million blogs, with 120,000 new ones a day sounds pretty daunting. Leads a lot of folks to conclude that blogging will go the way of the dotcom bust.

Every day lawyers who are considering a blog ask me that question. What happens when the majority of lawyers are blogging? What happens when there are already four lawyers blogging on my area of the law – in my own metro area? When will law blogs be passe? What’s the next big thing after blogging?

Oh my. Looking at things that way makes it difficult to pull the covers down from over your head and crawl out of bed. Relax.

Blogging for lawyers is no more likely to go away than lawyers forgoing networking, speaking, publishing and public relations as means of enhancing their reputations. If other lawyers practicing in the same practice area as you in your city were networking to grow their business, would you refrain from networking to grow your business?

I grew up and practiced law in a community of 50,000 people. Chambers, Rotary Clubs, Church Boards, Kiwanis Clubs, and the Country Club were full of lawyers doing the same type of work. Lawyers used such civic organizations to meet others and engage with people. Such lawyers were often asked to take part in such organizations because of their knowledge of the law. As a result a lawyer’s reputation grew among townsfolk.

For hundreds of years, lawyers have used such techniques to engage in local and relevant topic discussion. Meeting people, having others think highly of us, and passing the word onto to others is how lawyers have grown their business. I’d like to think it was the practice in the days of Abe Lincoln and there’s no question it was the practice 25 years ago in the small town coffee shops where I practiced.

Blogs are the same thing. We seek out relevant discussion and people we want to meet. We listen to what others are saying. We engage in that discussion. And others pass on word of what we’ve had to say or even our name to someone they know. Our reputations grow as a trusted authority and people seek out trusted authorities when in need.

Well done law blogs are no more likely to reach the saturate point than social interaction with other people.