Social media has revolutionized the professional world, and LinkedIn is viewed by many as a vital platform for lawyers and their firms.
LinkedIn is a leading tool for the legal profession, according to the American Bar Association’s TechReport 2021.
“LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform for law firms with 96% of those from firms with 100+ lawyers, 90% of those from firms with 10-49 lawyers, 71% of those from firms with 2-9 lawyers, and 95% of solos reporting a firm LinkedIn presence,” the survey found.
The New Jersey State Bar Association offered members a free webinar, Legally LinkedIn with marketing consultant Marc W. Halpert, who shared tips and strategies to help attorneys make the most of their profile.
Check out these powerful tips:
- Don’t skimp on your profile. Be smart, relevant, and thoughtful about how it will convey your reputation. Make sure there are no typos.
- Know what your “why” is; it is critical to professional branding to be able to tell people why you do what you do.
- LinkedIn differs from other social media, especially Facebook, because it addresses a business audience and should complement your website and CV, not restate them.
- Vet connections to ensure they can add to your professional portfolio and nurture those connections.
- Keep ethical considerations at the front of your mind when developing content and making connections.
- Use only high-resolution graphics, a recent headshot and logos of places you have worked and schools you have attended. Consider adding multimedia, such as slide decks, GIFs and video, especially in the “featured” section.
- Always keep your audience in mind and make sure your information speaks to that group.
- List multiple skills, and use details, to help foster meaningful connections.
- Don’t let your profile or connections stagnate; post updates when you have something important to share.
- Learn how to use hashtags strategically.
- Don’t feel overwhelmed. Remember nothing in your profile is written in stone and everything can be changed or updated.
Get more information
To get all the tips for how to improve each LinkedIn field, visit the PracticeHQ hub in the coming days for a recording and the full presentation at njsba.com.