Should you use Facebook personally or have a law firm Facebook page?

I received this question on an ABA Webinar this morning and during a state bar presentation last week.

It depends, but at a minimum a lawyer ought to use Facebook personally. The firm page may or may not be necessary.

Why the need to use Facebook personally? Effective networking online to build relationships and word of mouth.

Facebook is becoming ubiquitous as a source of news and information. More peole look at Facebook as the front page of their “daily paper” than the local paper directly.

Three quarters of Americans use Facebook for engagement and as a means to get to know each other or to stay in touch.

By using Facebook individually, Facebook’s algorithms can get to know whom and what you like. If you don’t use Facebook for friending smart people, sharing news and insight, and liking and commenting on what you read, you’ll find Facebook of little value.

But if you work the room, by truly using Facebook, you’ll find it an incredible vehicle to get to know people, to learn, and to build relationships. The content and pictures being shared are in many cases secondary to what they help deliver – relationships based on trust.

Relationships leading to people turning to you in a time of need. Relationships also with influencers, such as bloggers, reporters and association leaders, which are so important for a lawyer building word of mouth.

I can trust you on Facebook as a person. It’s hard for me to trust your law firm. I don’t dislike your firm, it’s just that it’s an inanimate thing. No feelings. No love.

Where are the pictures of the kids? Where’s the insight, passion, and care being shared by someone, not something?

Firm pages get started and 90% of the time draw little interest. How much time do you have to maintain two presences on Facebook? Are you willing to pay Facebook to boost posts on your firm page? Content that will not otherwise get seen.

By personally using Facebook, I mean sharing insight and commentary relevant to what you do and friending lawyers, business associates, referral sources, bloggers, and the media. That way you are learning and getting good news as well building relationships and word of mouth with the influencers.

I share my business insight right onto my personal Facebook. You know what? My personal friends on Facebook do not see it. On personal items shared sometimes my business friends ob Facebook do not see them. Facebook is smart that way.

For lawyers handling consumer and personal plight legal matters (bankruptcy, workers comp, estate planning, divorce, personal injury etc) I could see a firm page with paid promoted content focused in a hyperlocal fashion as being worthwhile.

But I am not sure just as much in long term business development couldn’t be accomplished for lawyers in these areas via relationships and word of mouth. For that using Facebook personally is preferable.

Finally, do you really know and understand Faceook? Are you still skeptical of Facebook and it’s value to you?

Getting to know Facebook and understand its value is much easier done using Facebook personally, than as a firm. Plus it’s a lot more fun.

I say go personal.

Image courtesy if Flickr by Scott Beale