7 Steps for Legal Professionals to Build Strong Online Presence
As promised, these are my “talking points” based on the 7 Steps for Legal Professionals to Build Strong Online Presence webinar held on Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 1 PM ET.
Since the webinar slides are available for LexBlog clients to download, I won’t repeat what is on those slides. The INSTRUCTIONS for accessing the Webinar recording and slides are at the bottom of this post.
Here are a few introductory comments to get us back on the same page:
Point One
If you’re serious about developing business then being active on social media is “no longer optional.”
If your digital footprint is lacking and you don’t have a presence on basic sites like LinkedIn or Twitter, you’re likely to be dismissed as a Luddite. Indeed, even the basic notion of writing a resume is becoming antiquated; your “shadow resume” is Google. —Dorie Clark (HBR Blog Network)
Point Two
Blogging is not the only way to build a digital footprint. But blogging is a form of writing and that won’t be going out of style anytime soon.
Blogging may have been a fad, a semi-comic emblem of a time, like CB Radio and disco dancing, but independent writing and publishing is not. Sharing ideas and passions on the only free medium the world has known is not a fad or joke. —Jeffrey Zeldman
Having a blog offers you more strategically over the long run. That doesn’t mean you have to blog. Not everyone likes to write. If that’s you then get good at tweeting, commenting via Disqus, pinning or updating on LinkedIn.
Just know that your writing is the most definitive way to demonstrate your expertise online. And, blogging is the most flexible medium for your writing.
Point Three
The 7 Steps aren’t for just bloggers. The key concepts apply to other social media channels as well.
Why Care about Social Media?
Here’s some ammunition for your business case:
The Bottom Line Benefits of Blogging:
- Firms getting 40-60% of their leads online grow 4x faster than those generating no online leads.
- The greater the proportion of leads generated online, the greater the firm’s profitability.
- The #1 technique among the fastest growing and most profitable firms is blogging.
Word-of-Mouth Referrals and Content Marketing are Inextricably Linked:
- At some point in the buying process, 81% of all buyers go online to check out you or your firm.
- Either you have a compelling online persona that confirms your prized word-of-mouth referral or you don’t.
- Make sure you develop a content strategy that makes a positive (and lasting) first impression online.
All Business Customers Can Be Reached by Social Channels:
- 98% of business decision-makers read blogs, watch peer videos and listen to podcasts.
- In the legal vertical, 74% of in-house counsel say they use social media in listen-mode only.
And, now the:
7 Steps for Legal Professionals To Build Strong Online Presence:
- Make Listening a Habit
- Strategy First, Tools Second
- Write Authentic Content
- Leverage and Repurpose
- Converse with the Right Audience
- Be Shareable
- Seed and Distribute Your Content
Continue on to the detailed talking points (password provided for LexBlog clients).
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESSING WEBINAR RECORDING, SLIDES, AND TALKING POINTS
If you missed the webinar (or would like to review what you saw), both the webinar recording and PowerPoint slides are available for client viewing. In a separate post are my detailed talking points. If you participated or registered for the webinar, use the same password you entered to access the webinar (originally listed in your registration confirmation). If you did not register or are having trouble accessing either the recording or slides, email our webinar team at marketing@lexblog.com or lauren@lexblog.com and they will assist you. And, don’t forget the slides are a hot-linked “leave behind” for you.
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