You Finally Signed Up For Twitter, Now What?
Social media is not just a small part of life, it's a way of life. Chances are you've come across tweets even if you're not on Twitter -- news programs report on the latest tweets and quote celebrities daily.
Twitter isn't all fun and games though, and it can help you build your business and cast you as an expert in your given field. Think of it as a tool to further your legal career, and less as a tool to let your followers know what you had for dinner.
Here are some tips on how Twitter can help build your legal business:
Choose an account name
Don’t be afraid to keep your personal and professional life separate on Twitter. While @LawyersAreCool may be clever and witty to your friends, you may want to select a name that is more serious for your professional account. Think of yourself as a legal brand and use your name as your Twitter handle.
Have a picture
When you create your account it’s important to upload a profile photo. Whether it’s a photo of yourself or something abstract, from a lawyer marketing perspective it’s really important to have some imagery to represent you. Twitter accounts without photos uploaded immediately look like spam accounts.
Create a good bio
One of the first things prospective followers read on Twitter when deciding whether to follow you is your bio. You basically have 160 characters to convince Tweeters to follow your account. Make it clever, simple and to the point.
Find your voice
Who are you trying to engage with? Prospective clients? Other legal professionals? News media? Keep your audience in mind when crafting your tweets. Always stay relevant, always stay on point.
Keep it simple
Because of the 140 character limit on Twitter, you’re basically forced to keep your thoughts concise. #seewhatimean
Use hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to amplify your tweets and gain more followers with very little effort. Think of hashtags as the subject of your tweet — once you put a # in front of that word, anyone who searches that hashtag will see your tweet.
Time your tweets
Tweeting regularly helps you build your audience. So what if you’re busy and running from meeting to meeting? Tools like Hootsuite help you schedule posts hours, even weeks in advance. Scheduling tweets is a great way to be consistent and efficient because you can draft a week’s worth of legal tweets in one sitting. Also schedule your tweets for “hot” hours — usually in the morning or after lunch time.
Interact and engage
Replying to other Twitter users is a great way to interact and engage with your audience. If you are trying to gain more clients or put yourself out there as an expert then make sure to get back to people that write to you.
We’d love to hear how these Twitter tips for lawyers work out for you — tweet us @FindLawLP and let us know!
Related Resources:
- Hashtag Rules for Your Firm: 5 Basics To Know (FindLaw Strategist)
- Five Areas Where Your Website Needs Changing (FindLaw Strategist)
- The Profits and Perils of Twitter (FindLaw Strategist)