More and more people, including legal practitioners are using social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and other blogs to market their practices and share information online. Using the Internet and these resources is often very cost effective, and has become an irreplaceable communication tool.

Actively using these social media resources allows businesses including law practices to build their brand names, increase brand awareness, client base, and media exposure. Exploiting social media allows even smaller firms to showcase their law firms with minimal investment, allowing them to compete on a relatively even playing field with the larger practices.

Social media allows for potential clients to form “personal” online relationships with staff who may be blogging, tweeting or posting information online for others to see. This is great to develop a larger clientele base; but when using social media in a professional capacity, there are a few things that should always be kept in mind.

Here are a few tips to ensure you build great e-networking relationships while maintaining your professional status:

1.  Don’t treat these communications any different from typical client communications – always maintain your professional integrity.

2.  Always remember when marketing your law practices online that you should still conduct yourself in a professional manner, and adhere to the Solicitors’ Code of Conduct – especially Rule 1, which sets forth the core duties of a solicitor; Rule 4 which covers Confidentiality and Disclosure; and Rule 7 discusses Publicity. Of course all other provisions in the Code apply, but these would appear to be the most relevant to the subject at hand.

3.  It is no more acceptable to discuss and disclose a client’s business online than it is anywhere else.

4.  Assume that anything you say in an e-communication will be disseminated and read

widely, so ensure that you govern yourself accordingly.

5.  Be yourself and let the people with whom you interact with online learn to love you as much as the people you see on a daily basis. Building these types of relationships for law practices and other businesses have never been more important as they are now.

If you are looking for other cost effective, innovative and efficient ways to increase your online presence, join Solicitors Search today and let us help maximise your online visibility.

Disclaimer