Newly released research suggests law firms are spending around a quarter of their marketing on social media advertising, despite nearly one in four partners dismissing it as a ‘waste of time.’
“TikTok or TikNot? Law firms in the social media age” is the 10th year legal marketing collective First4Lawyers have carried out its research into the social media habits of law firms. The research interviewed marketers at 100 law firms in England and Wales handling personal injury, clinical negligence, conveyancing and/or wills and probate work. Budgets varied from £84,000 to £159,000, on average, annually depending on the size and make-up of the firm.
The results, which has been described as demonstrating ‘muddled thinking,’ show reviews and recommendations are consistently found to be the most important factors for consumers choosing legal services. But social media channels were considered highly unlikely to generate new business despite 40% of firms believing that a strong social media presence was among the factors most likely to influence decision-making.
But, with 90% of the UK adult population on social media, it is a ‘phenomenon’ firms cannot afford to ignore say First4Lawyers
Qamar Anwar, managing director of First4Lawyers, said
“A firm’s social media presence is an extension of its reputation, but it requires significant investment of time and resources to be successful. You have to really understand your audience, their preferences, what platforms they engage with, and the type of content they want to see. Only when you have that authentic relationship will they engage and, in turn, promote you to other potential clients. Whilst our research indicates that there is no one standout channel, social media – both paid for and organic – is an important part of the marketing mix and firms who fail to embrace it risk losing business.”
In terms of presence, TikTok was the least popular platform with 11 of the 100 firms indicating they had an account and; and even fewer posted regular content. By comparison 75 firms had Facebook accounts, 96 were on Twitter/X and all 100 were on LinkedIn. LinkedIn was also identified as the most favourable platform with 21% of marketers ranking it in their top three most effective channels. The professional network was the fourth most popular channel overall, beaten only by search engine optimisation (SEO) (31%), email marketing (27%) and event sponsorship (23%).
The research also highlighted firms were not fully embracing citing problems including a lack of clear business objectives and difficulties in getting fee-earners to contribute content as preventing them from achieving their aims. And social media, by its very nature, needs to be social; another point on which many firms are falling down with engagement across platforms low. A fifth of the firms posting on Facebook every week were talking to an audience of fewer than 500 followers. Likewise, the number of likes, shares and comments for most law firm posts on X did not exceed single figures.
“Consumers want content that is engaging, relevant to them and adds value; they don’t want a sales pitch and will be quick to see through corporate speak. It also doesn’t matter how often you post if you’re not reaching the right people. It’s about defining and then building your tribe – people interested in particular legal news, advice and commentary. Most law firms have not yet got to grips with this, which is why they are seeing minimal return on investment.
“Checking socials is now part of the buying journey for a growing number of consumers, particularly the younger generation, and if yours aren’t up to scratch then that could mean the end of their journey with you.”
Concluded Anwar.
