alvimorkel: What You Need to Have in Your Social Media Toolbox

Social media is shaping the way marketing and communication are conducted online. For law firms and solo attorneys whose Internet presence is limited to a website, getting started with online social networking may seem a bit complicated. Social media marketing is far more sophisticated than the Search Engine Optimization strategies of yesteryear, and legal professionals are urged to put together a social media toolbox with readily-available resources.

Since social media marketing is a burgeoning discipline, the number of social media tools is staggering. The tools chosen by a law firm will largely depend on the specific fields of practice. A Las Vegas personal injury lawyer working mostly by himself will probably not need a group messaging tool, but he may need to monitor the social media sphere with a service that provides daily alerts.

The following social media marketing tools are ideal for legal professionals:

Facebook

A couple of years ago, some staid law firms questioned the value of establishing a Facebook profile. They mostly feared that the world?s most powerful online social network would turn into a garish MySpace-like experience. Now that 1 billion members have made the network their favorite Internet platform, the value Facebook Timeline has increased exponentially. If there is a single network that legal professionals should be in, it might as well be Facebook.

Customer service platforms

Companies like Groupon, Hertz and Zappos keep entire customer service platforms on social networks. Law firms with multiple partners and associates can centralize their client service operations with solutions like Conversocial, a software platform that turns Facebook and Twitter profiles into customer service centers.

Research and alerts

Online social networking has paved the way for a real-time Internet paradigm. This means that social media netizens thrive on up-to-date information. Legal professionals can stay abreast of events shaping the social media sphere with a service like Social Mention, which provides insight on active trends, brands and topics.

Business Cards

LinkedIn, the premier business social network, can be described as a massive virtual business card exchange. Attorneys who use iPhones can now turn their smartphones into business cards scanners with apps like CardMunch, which automatically connects to LinkedIn to retrieve information and business connections.

Group Communications

Collaborative work is the cornerstone of any law firm. Group messaging tools with social media features like Campfire are ideal platforms for legal professionals to work together. These applications can be used internally or from outside the office.

About

Vanessa Setteducato has exercised her legal marketing skills with a nine to five that includes search engine optimization, social media and managing a network of blogs created by LexisNexis to promote community within the world of law firm marketing.