So you started a few social media pages like a good law firm should. Now what? Well, that’s the first step of many, but building, maintaining and benefiting from social media takes work and time. If you’re not sure about how to do this, don’t worry; you’re certainly not alone.
Barracuda Networks just released its 2010 midyear report that shows that only 28.87 percent of Twitter users are actual “true Twitter users”—meaning they have posted at least 10 tweets, have at least 10 followers and follow at least 10 accounts. In addition, Barracuda found that 30 percent of all Twitter members have yet to post a tweet.
Just because many law firms are stuck with inactive and disengaging social media pages doesn’t mean it should be industry-accepted. Read on to find out the top five mistakes law firms and other organizations make in their social media plans of action and how you can overcome them to start profiting from these free networking and business-building tools.
1. Failing to develop a strategy
Many companies forget to establish a strategy when setting up their social media pages. They usually sign up for all the Web sites they can think of and spew out all the press releases and ad copy they can think of. Know your target audience and what you want to achieve, and keep this in mind when selecting the social media sites you join.
2. Shoveling the task onto those lowest on the totem pole
Social networking is still fairly young and uncharted territory, and many partners and veteran lawyers will automatically toss the task aside to new associates or interns. This may be fine and dandy for your law firm, but it’s vital that you recognize social media’s potential for your business and make sure these sites are acting on these objectives for you. Above all, make sure you assign the task to someone who cares about the endeavor and isn’t shy about igniting conversations and reaching out to other users.
3. Neglecting to drive conversations
This is the biggest social media sin of all, in my opinion. It’s so easy to sit back and post a few self-serving comments or links every day on your social media Web sites, but that’s a waste of time and just plain lazy. First, you should seek out topics and news that pertain to your business and the interests of your social media audiences. Ask questions and encourage feedback about issues. Once a conversation is started, make sure to respond and follow up. In addition, look for other users’ posts that you can comment on. The dialogue should go both ways. Even if it’s only one user participating with you, that person may end up becoming a resource or prospect. Every conversation is an opportunity.
4. Not watching the social media mouth
Whether it’s your individual account or your firm’s account, think before you post your opinions on your social media pages. The words you post represent your organization and its image, so it’s important not to be too brash in your comments. It’s easy to post something that seemed like a good idea 30 seconds ago…and even if you realize it was a mistake, the 600-plus followers who instantly saw it won’t forget it after you delete it. Casually posting a short and snappy comment on a social media Web site can get you in a huge PR mess, so weigh the facts and the risks first.
5. Forgetting to track and learn from results
Just because you cannot track your social media pages’ traffic and activity doesn’t mean you can’t find correlations and trends. When you post links to pages from your own Web site, you can track that link to see how many users actually clicked on it, which will tell you how much interest your inbound links are getting. Also monitor how many users are adding you and communicating with you and think of ways to better serve your audience. If you feel alone in the social networking world, it probably means you are, so keep your presence active and don’t fall off the map.
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Register for The Rainmakers Roundtable
The Rainmakers Roundtable is new business development resource for lawyers and other professionals who want to take their business to the next level. Please join us in our Facebook page if you want daily tips and resources related to rainmaking, legal PR, and professional development. We also encourage you to sign up for our mailing so that you will receive further updates about the service. Just click on the link below:
