Social Media Marketing 101 for New Attorneys

 Posted on August 18,2014 in Illinois State Bar Association

Congratulations, you have arrived. After 12 years of school, four years undergrad and four years of law school, you are finally ready to join the ranks of practicing attorneys available for hire in the Chicago area.

With the Chicago Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service listing over 300 qualified attorneys, how you plan on standing out in this impressive but competitive market may hinge on your understanding of the importance of social media marketing as a means of growing your practice in today's expansive legal industry.

Understanding how today's consumer narrows the field of competent attorneys to resolve their legal issue is just as important. At least 60 percent of prospective clients turn to the Internet to learn more about their options and choose the attorney that will best resolve their legal needs quickly and effectively.

As a novice attorney, you are certainly dealing with numerous issues. Office space, possible partners, staff and staying true to your first year business plan and budget are among the concerns you face, but the following information could bring you what you need most: clients.

Informative Website

A website showcasing your practice may be one of your most powerful marketing tools. Eighty-one percent of all consumers first visit a website as a means to measure an attorney's services and professional and personal attributes.

The Power of Google

Statistically, the number of Google searches conducted on a daily basis numbered 5,922,000,000 for 2013. It would be a fair assumption that a percentage of these searches were conducted by consumers searching for a reputable attorney capable of handling their current legal issue. Based upon the sheer volume of Google’s global market, any number of Google products should find a respective place among your social marketing tools.

New Referrals

Although consumers rely heavily on the Internet to provide them with informative snapshots of available attorneys, the personal referral is still in the running. 62 percent of consumers still seek out referrals via family and friends, but surprisingly, only 56 percent of those referred attorneys will ever experience a face-to-face consultation with that consumer.

This information only puts into perspective what you already know. You understand the importance of social media marketing as a means to build your practice and establish your brand. Staying in the social media loop will further assist you to leverage social media tools to effectively communicate and collaborate as you build a viable network that will surely get you noticed. You main objective is to use social media wisely, narrow your online activities to pursue specific goals, and take advantage of all opportunities to interact with potential clients and referral sources to become one of Internet's finest resources.

To learn more about how a well-rounded social media marketing campaign can grow your practice, contact a leader in online marketing for attorneys. OVC, INC. has been providing cutting edge solutions to attorneys since 2008. From websites to legal directory packages, we possess the knowledge and experience that will place you in the best position to grow your practice by establishing a crowd pleasing online presence. Contact us at 630-635-8000 for a free review of your existing website today.

About the Author: Greg Wildman is the President of OVC, INC. Since 1999, Greg has developed hundreds of websites for attorneys from his company's inception as Online Video Concepts, LLC to the modern era's OVC, INC. Greg's knowledge of law firm marketing has helped many attorneys establish online presences through custom website development, Search Engine Optimization, legal directory partnerships, social media marketing, content writing and more.