Two-thirds of Americans using social network sites : Can lawyers wait?

Nearly two thirds of American adults (65%) are using social networking sites pursuant to a report from the Pew Research Center.  This is up from 7% in 2005.

The report finds social media has affected work as well as the way people get and share information about health, civic life, news consumption, communities, teenage life, parenting, dating and even people’s level of stress.

• While we’ve achieved near ubiquity among younger adults, social media use by those 65 and older has more than tripled since 2010 when 11% used social media, compared to 35% today.
• Those in higher-income households were more likely to use social media. 78% of those living in the highest-income households use social media, compared with 56% of those in the lowest-income households – a 22-point difference.
• Those with a higher education are more likely to use social media. 76% of Americans with a college degree are using social networking sites.

Over the last ten years, social media has become part of the fabric of our lives. The use of social network sites has become as routine as using a cell phone or email. Social media is used in all aspects of our lives, whether in communications or information seeking, on personal or business affairs.

While social media has represented a wonderful opportunity for lawyers to engage others, build reputations and establish relationships, lawyers may now need to use social networks, like it or not, to stay in lockstep with consumers and business people in America.

A failure to use mediums of commnication that  average people in this country are using can leave you looking timid, afraid and behind the times. Though you may take some comfort in other lawyers being there with you, it can still leave you looking out of touch.