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Social media: the online marketing method lawyers most want to learn

August 29, 2012

social media learning lawyersThis continues my series of posts to provide lawyers and legal marketing professionals with support for making the case for social media in their firms.

As more lawyers take on business development and marketing themselves, there’s a dominant demand by lawyers to learn about social media above other online marketing methods. This from this years Legal Marketing Survey Report by Avvo and LexBlog.

The findings with commentary from me:

  • 44% SEO – With sharing of content on social networks and blogging effecting SEO more and more, social media is big here.
  • 41% Online Reputation Management – Developing a powerful online reputation that is the equal of your offline reputation requires adept and effective use of social media.
  • 32% Business Development Strategies – Business development online requires building relationships and growing an online word of mouth reputation. Social networking and social media are at the heart of this.
  • 31% Social Media – Enough said.
  • 28% Blogging – Another form of social media.
  • 28% Website Analytics
  • 27% Mobile Optimization
  • 26% Website Design
  • 24% Marketing and Advertising Ethics

I am always being asked, “How do I get our lawyers to start using social media? How do I overcome resistance.” I am always answering, “Education.” Educate your lawyers as to what social media is all about – developing relationships and building a strong word of mouth reputation, the same thing business development in the law has always been about. Then reach them about specific social media following a strategy you’ve developed.

Visting the Texas Bar Association a couple weeks ago, I was told their lawyer education sessions on social media are overflowing with lawyers wanting to learn more about social media. Now I see why.

Five of the first nine online marketing methods lawyers want to learn about involve social media.

Image courtesy of Flickr by Lawton Chiles.