Janet Falk

Social Media platforms are considered to have three roles for engagement: educate, entertain and inspire. Many solo attorneys focus on the educate aspect. They post on the big three—LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter—to connect with prospective clients, current clients and referral sources.

Attorneys often promote published articles, share informative background materials and comment on aspects of the law affecting businesses and individuals. Some may announce that they will speak at an event or give a webinar, and a few even share highlights of events they have led or attended. The use of video as a way to engage with prospects and share timely insights is becoming more popular as well.

Not surprisingly, solo attorneys focus most of their social media activities on LinkedIn. Indeed, many have increased their presence and activity on the platform during the coronavirus pandemic. According to Zara Watkins, with a practice of appeals, motions and oral arguments at On Point Expertise (www.onpointexpertise.com), the change in the court schedule has had an unanticipated affect on her social media activity. "I am posting once every few days or so, because I have more free time with the courts closed."

Diana Mohyi, with a family law practice at Diana Mohyi Attorney at Law, (www.dianamohyiattorneyatlaw.com), says, "I post at least three times a week:

• my blog posts, which I do weekly;
• my video blogs, which I do weekly;
• articles relevant to a service I provide;
• some events put on by others."

Similarly, David Cohen, with a practice in intellectual property management, litigation and licensing services at David L. Cohen and Kidon IP Corp. (www.kidonip.com) adds, "I post daily, if not a few times a day, about:

• articles I have published on LinkedIn and elsewhere;
• my blog posts;
• events I will speak at or attend (and after having attended summaries);
• articles of interest by others."

Immigration attorney Yifei He notes, "I am posting more often. I expect more people to be checking LinkedIn," while working from home during the pandemic. "I discuss the latest in immigration law. I am experimenting with the use of videos and short clips of my video posts and uploading them on TikTok. I also hope to build an archive of YouTube videos related to my practice" at the Law Office of Yifei He (www.yifeihelaw.com).

Kyle-Beth Hilfer, an attorney with a focus on intellectual property and advertising at Hilfer Law (www.hilferlaw.com), has shifted the focus of her activity on LinkedIn. "I am posting fewer general articles of interest. Instead, I am posting more often about COVID-19 related developments in my areas of practice. I am also posting occasional emotionally driven posts, something I had rarely done before."

The COVID-19 environment has also affected the perspective of Eric Sarver, with a practice in employment and business law at Law Offices of Eric M. Sarver (www.sarver-law.com). He says "I try to vary the content and theme of my posts, from the educational to the inspirational, which I believe would benefit others during this pandemic."

Solo attorneys who are active on LinkedIn recognize that because only 9% of your contacts see a post, it is vital to post often and to stagger posts with a gap, of at least four hours, between each one, to work with the algorithms of LinkedIn.

Not surprisingly, more frequent posting on LinkedIn leads to more activity in networking, Sarah Gold has discovered. Although she has not changed her own level of posting on the platform, "I've been getting far more invites to connect" on LinkedIn. Gold has a practice serving companies and nonprofits with business contracts, leases and other transactions in Albany at Gold Law Firm (www.goldlawny.com)

Keeping the target market in sight leads most attorneys to favor LinkedIn. Cohen decidedly prefers to use LinkedIn as his primary social media platform. "LinkedIn allows for longer discussions and because most of its users tend to take a more reasoned and deliberate approach to discussions and police against too much personal or non-relevant matter."

Watkins also keeps active on LinkedIn. "My main referral source is from other lawyers and I am able to connect and cultivate relationships with other lawyers best on LinkedIn."

Those solo attorneys focused on small businesses and consumer-facing practices of the law may choose Facebook over LinkedIn. Indeed, Gold states she prefers Facebook, "because my clients and potential clients tend to contact me there. I get tagged a lot by other people in legal discussions." Recently, she has been "posting a bit more, because I've been doing more speaking in webinars and there have been some executive orders that are specific to the business community in New York."

Leona Krasner, with a matrimonial law practice in New York City and Jersey City, N.J. at Krasner Law (www.lkrasner.com), maintains an active presence on Facebook, with a focus on education. She is posting at the same frequency as before the pandemic, "though with focus on helping people with issues that have sprung up or been exacerbated by the virus." In addition, she advertises her practice on Facebook. "My ads feature 1-2 minute videos on topics relating to marriage, divorce and relationships. The aim of each video is to provide helpful, actionable content for each viewer."

Hilfer takes a different approach. "Predominantly, my use of Facebook professionally is to serve the community's needs in any way I can. My presence on Facebook is less about promoting my own B2B business. I do respond in a personal capacity to posts by others in various Facebook groups. My response posts sometimes drive traffic to my website, but more often they send users to colleagues for referrals or my local bar association's resources. I have also used Facebook to facilitate one-on-one networking when other users and I share interests."

Most of the solo attorneys consulted here manually post their social media activity; a few use a scheduling app that automatically posts to one or more of the major platforms. None of those surveyed currently works with a social media consultant. They have learned through experience and Watkins notes that she has "taken many mini-courses on how to use social media effectively."

As for Twitter, these solo attorneys do not actively engage there to promote their practices, with the exception of Krasner, who cross-posts her matrimonial facts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and Hilfer. In fact, according to Hilfer, "Several years ago Twitter was more relevant. Now, I find more connectivity on LinkedIn. I find the interactions there more meaningful. The platform provides me more connectivity to my current network and more practical ways to expand to new people. I use Twitter more to share news and receive news in real-time with a broader group of people."

When it comes to selecting your preferred social media platform, Mohyi believes that "There is no one size fits all. Consider where your audience is more likely to reside." Sarver agrees with that approach, and actively posts on Alignable, a network for North American owners of small businesses, which is one of his target markets.

In addition, Mohyi notes "See what works best for you and your practice. If you are a fashion lawyer, instagram makes sense for you. Social media is more a way to keep up with people you have met in person than to meet people you don't know yet."

By regularly sharing your perspectives and timely information on social media platforms, whether client alerts, speaking engagements and videos, you will continue to cultivate connections with clients, prospects and referral sources. It's time for solo attorneys to be more active, almost daily, on the platform of your choice.

Janet Falk is the head of Falk Communications and Research www.JanetLFalk.com in New York. She provides media relations and marketing communications services to law firms and consultants.