Should a lawyer create a Facebook Page for discussing legal matters?

Following my blog post regarding posts on law firm Facebook Pages not reaching people’s Facebook Newsfeeds, I was asked in a comment what I thought of lawyers having a Facebook Page.

My answer is not much.

I understand the desire to have a Page where a lawyer can post matters which relate to their legal practice. Rather than a lawyer needing to befriend people, people could “Like” the lawyer’s Page to receive updates.

As way of background, Facebook Pages are for businesses, brands, and organizations to connect with people on Facebook. A Page enables you to represent your business, brand or product on Facebook.

Though a Page sounds good in theory, I’d advise that a lawyer not set up a Facebook Page — unless they have achieved celebrity status as a big time public figure on a national level.

One, it is unlikely the Pages are going to get many Likes. The Pages are going to have no more success getting Likes than the vast majority of law firms do on their Pages. As a result the lawyer is going to look like no one likes them.

Two, the lawyer’s posts to the Page are not going to get seen in people’s NewsFeeds because the Pages are going to get few likes and little engagement in the form of shares, likes, and comments.

Three, the lawyer risks looking like they think they are special. “Look at me, I am so important, I have my own page as a lawyer. I don’t mingle with the rest of you when I have my lawyer clothes on.” Not the intent, but many folks will think that.

Pages tend to be for celebrities. Check out the Facebook Page of Tom Brady who plays Quarterback for New England Patriots. What’s not to like about it as Bill Speros of the Boston Globe writes about Brady’s Page which has over two million Likes.

Four, and most importantly, Facebook works incredibly well when you engage socially as a person.

Lawyers ought to share what they are passionate about from their personal Facebook account. This includes both personal items and business/legal items.

Once you use Facebook on a regular basis Facebook’s algorithms will display your posts in a relevant fashion. Your legal posts will only be seen by people who want to see legal and business matters.

I understand many lawyers want to keep their professional and personal lives separate on Facebook. But Facebook doesn’t work well for that.

Facebook is all about personal engagement to establish relationships and word of mouth — on personal and professional matters.

Image courtesy if Flickr by Scott Beale