The way you market yourself and your firm has changed drastically over the years. The days of all professionalism all the time are over. Clients today want to see a more personal side of attorneys.
This can be easily accomplished by building a network of followers on Instagram. At the end of the day, you want to be where your potential clients are. Instagram is an often-overlooked platform, yet, over half of the top 20 law firms in the US use Instagram to promote their firm and connect with clients.
Coming in behind YouTube and Facebook, Instagram is the third most popular social network among adults. Over 200 million Instagram users view at least one business profile daily, making this social media platform ideal for marketing your firm.
Instagram can be used to build firm awareness within your local community through posts, Stories, and long-form video called IGTV. Instagram also allows you to utilize a small advertising budget to achieve a significant result by targeting potential clients who recently searched for legal services.
Getting Started
To get started, you need to make an account and download the Instagram app to your mobile device. You can create a new account using your Facebook account, phone number, or email address. Using your firm’s name and contact information will help clients find you as you build your Instagram following. Be sure to match your username to your other social media networks, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
New profiles are created as personal accounts; you can change your account classification to professional in the settings. As a business, Instagram allows you to link your profile to your Facebook page, choose the Lawyer & Law Firm category for your Instagram account, and add public contact information.
Building Your Network
Spend some time to get to know Instagram by following people who inspire you, brands you respect, and local businesses in your community. You may even want to follow top lawyers and firms from other states that offer similar legal services to spark ideas for your own social sharing ventures.
Pick a few hashtags to follow for your hobbies or things that excite you as well. Hashtags are essentially keywords and phrases used to categorize topics. Take note of the content and flow of posts you follow to gain a sense of how to promote your firm. The goal is to understand how your followers experience Instagram.
Customize Your Profile
Creating customized content is the best way to make a great first impression. To customize your profile, select or tap on your profile icon in the Instagram app and choose the Edit Profile link. For easy brand recognition among your followers, upload the image you use on other social networks as your profile photo.
Use the bio section to introduce your law firm or set the tone for what people can expect from your Instagram profile.
Once you are happy with your Instagram profile and have included all relevant business information, you’re ready to share content. Create engaging posts and personalized stories to start connecting with potential clients. If used correctly, Instagram can play a significant role in growing your law firm.
