Assured Social Media

If a lawyer asks me how to use Facebook, Twitter, and other social media services to generate more clients, one of the first things I ask is if they have a blog. Even though social media can be very powerful promotional tools, having a blog gives you something to promote.

Lawyer marketing with your blog: Fastest results possible please.

I like the thought of a quick, easy return as much as the next person. However, this approach does not lend itself to long term success when lawyer marketing with social media. An occasional comment or status update will never offer the substance of a good blog post. Sharing your blog material through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites is a great way to enter the conversation.

If all you do is comment and posts status updates on Facebook or Twitter, then people will never understand the true depths of your thoughts. Creating longer, thought out content will provide the substance to attract more attention to your expertise.

When you maintain a blog that provides valuable information, this serves two important purposes when used with social media:

1. Your blog will gain exposure through the social media outlets. When you write thoughtful blog posts, people will get a better understanding of your ideas and offerings. This will increase the likelihood that they check out your blog or website where they can be converted into prospects.

2. People will come to respect your expertise. Posting your thoughts and professional opinions on a blog will help you develop a reputation as a thought leader in your field. Status updates or short comments will not achieve the same level of respect.

The point is that this involves some amount of work on your end. You have to write thoughtful, engaging content. But when you accomplish this, sharing your blog through social media is terrific exposure.

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The web has fundamentally changed the speed with which we can publish information as well as the access others have to that information. With these changes, it has become increasingly important that you not only make sure you are putting forth efforts to establish your reputation online, but that you monitor what is being said about you as well.

What follows are 4 suggestions to help you not only track what others are saying about you online, but also how you can help build your reputation and position yourself as a thought leader.

1. Create a blog and regularly contribute to it – By writing articles about the fields of practice you work in is a great way to build trust and reputation. Others will look to you as an expert and you will build a great catalog of material to “show off” to prospective clients.

2. Use Google Alerts – Google provides this tool to everyone for free. This powerful tool enables you to enter words you want to scrape the internet for. It will email when a new instance of the word you are tracking appears. You can track your name, the name of your firm, and much more.

3. Use Twitter Search – By searching in the Twitter stream for your name and your firm’s name, you can track in real time when others tweet about you. You can also respond quickly if a criticism or complaint is found.

4. Participate in social media sites and discussions – Getting active in social media is a great way to build your reputation online as well as keeping track of what others might be saying. Answering questions in your area of practice on LinkedIn or submitting new articles on Digg is a good way to build relationships as well.

Fundamentally, interactions on the web are very similar to those in the offline world. As you get recognized as a thought leader in your areas of expertise, people begin to trust you and your reputation gets built. This comes in especially handy if others write negative things about you or have questions about your work.

When others write things that are negative or complain about and experience with your firm, this is an opportunity to track what is being said and respond accordingly. Most often, the situation can be diffused and turned into a positive for your firm.

If you take the time to establish an online reputation and follow up on monitoring it correctly, you will see gains in trust and ultimately more business coming your way.

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