7 ways law firms can optimize new LinkedIn Company Page

In early September LinkedIn offered redesigned company pages to a few select companies. After much anticipation, LinkedIn is now offering new company pages to the more than 2 million companies with LinkedIn Company Pages — including your law firm.

With other social networking sites such as Google+ and Facebook having more advanced company pages, it was time LinkedIn joined the competition.

The company pages are more attractive, easier to use, and allow for the sharing of more relevant information about your law firm.

Social media strategist, Bryden McGrath (@Bryden13) shares 7 steps for optimizing your LinkedIn company page.

Step 1: Optimize the basics

Start by clicking “Edit” in the upper-right and filling out all of the basic information. Here you will fill in Company Type, Company Size, Company Website URL, Industry, Company Operating Status, and Year Founded. Below this you will find “Company Locations.” McGrath adds it’s important to enter your business address the same way across the Internet for local SEO purposes.

At the bottom of the page you will type in a description of your law firm in a couple of sentences. You may also add a few of your law firm’s specialties below that.

Step 2: Optimize the new cover image

With the new look, you will be able to upload an image to your page that best represents your law firm. This new feature is similar to Facebook’s cover photo.

Step 3: Add designated page administrators

You may designate specific people as administrators or decide if all employees with a valid email address can access the page. For law firms, you will want to limit admin rights. When selecting administrators, you need to include yourself on the list. You have to be connected on LinkedIn to any other members you add as administrators.

Step 4: Post updates and target audiences

McGrath suggests posting daily updates to stay connected with your connections. These updates need not be about your firm, updates can be information and news of value to your audience. You now also have the option to feature an update to keep it at the top of all your posts.

The content targeting feature has been enhanced in the new pages. You are given the choice to share your post with a “targeted audience” or “all followers,” depending on whom you’re trying to reach.

If you’re posting an update you think only healthcare providers would find interesting, then specify a target audience using that industry. Other targeting options include company size, function, seniority, or geography. LinkedIn will show you exactly how many followers you are targeting, as well as provide you with an update of how many people you reached 24 hours after sharing the post.

Step 5: Add job listings

In order to post a job you will need to pay for a subscription to the careers page. Although it isn’t free to put up a job, as McGrath adds, it can be very useful to post openings on a website that so many professionals are using.

Step 6: Add services

Adding services can be time consuming with all of the customizable options. You can edit your page to include a description of what your law firm offers, up to three banner images, a YouTube video, and audience targeting. You can promote up to 25 services. McGrath’s examples of services are Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, and Copywriting. As a law firm, you may list your practice areas and/or industries you represent.

The right sidebar now highlights the names, job titles, companies, and profile images of LinkedIn users who have recommended particular services on your page. For states and firms allowing testimonials, these recommendations receive a much higher profile.

Step 7: Measure your pages success with insights

The new LinkedIn Company Page makes it easy to measure and keep track of how your page is performing. With insights you can see the type of people viewing your posts are attracting. It keeps track of company update engagement, follower demographics, and company update impressions.

LinkedIn has become a ‘go to’ place when reviewing the credentials of lawyers and law firms. Even when your firm’s target audience doesn’t go directly to LinkedIn, a Google search for a lawyer or law firm will result in the lawyer’s or law firm’s LinkedIn page being displayed near the top of the search results.

Whether your audience then goes directly to your law firm’s LinkedIn Company Page or does by clicking on your firm’s name on a lawyer’s LinkedIn page, your firm’s company page at LinkedIn is going to be viewed.

Though many of the changes to the company pages are cosmetic, a law firm’s failure to present a professional look and feel on LinkedIn says a lot. It’s akin to a lawyer’s dismissing LinkedIn and failing to complete their own LinkedIn profile.

Having said that, I expect many law firms not to take advantage of the new LinkedIn Company Page. Do so and you can set yourself off from the pack.