Page 75 - The Handbook - Law Firm Networks
P. 75
Law Firm Networks – The Future of the Legal Profession
Social Media
Today no discussion of network marketing is complete without a thorough discussion of social media. Social
media is the convergence of internal and external marketing to become the ultimate cross-media platform.
Social media offer tremendous opportunities for all networks because networks do not have to develop the
software. Importantly, social media tools such as Hootsuite331 allow networks to easily manage their social
media campaigns from a central location. The search engines give priority to social media sites in searches
for the organization. This can expand on the network’s Internet presence by being found in multiple ways.
The principal social media outlets for publishing by professional services networks are: LinkedIn, Twitter,
YouTube, Facebook, Google+, and blogs.
LinkedIn is a professional business-related networking site that permits networks to create profiles for
themselves.332 They can create a group for the organization in which members can subscribe and receive
information from the network and members. Multiple sub-groups can be created for practice areas that
members can also join and exchange information among themselves.333
Twitter allows networks network to promote developments in the network that followers may find interesting
and useful. This could include meetings, referrals, business among members, and more. Only 140 characters
are permitted in the messages. However, links in the messages can go to most media on the Internet that
followers are more likely to read. This would include the network’s website, Facebook profile, photos,
YouTube videos, etc. Retweeting (forwarding a tweet to others) can generate more awareness of the network.
Networks with Twitter accounts include World Services Group, Lex Mundi, and Meritas.
YouTube is a promotional tool that that makes video available to networks. Since Google owns YouTube,
the videos appear at the top of search results. It can expand the depth of the networks content on the Internet
by creating promotional videos.
Facebook profiles are more detailed than Twitter or LinkedIn accounts. They allow a network to provide
videos, photos, and longer descriptions. These also can include testimonials, as other followers can comment
on the pages for others to see. Facebook can link back to the product’s Twitter page as well as send out event
reminders. Facebook can promote a network in real time to members and non-members.
Google+, in addition to providing the profiles and features of Facebook, is also able to integrate with the
Google search engine. Other Google tools are also integrated, such as Google Adwords and Google Maps.
With the development of Google Personalized Search and other location-based search services, Google+
allows for targeted advertising methods of networks, navigation services, and other forms of marketing and
promotion.
331 HOOTSUITE, hootsuite.com/ (last visited Feb. 5, 2016).
332 The larger legal networks, which include World Services Group, Lex Mundi, TerraLex, Meritas, World Law Group, Interlaw, TAGLaw, and more,
have a presence in LinkedIn, as do the largest accounting networks and associations.
333 For example, TerraLex has 10 subgroups. TerraLex, LINKEDIN,
www.linkedin.com/vsearch/g?type=groups&keywords=terralex&orig=GLHD&rsid=&pageKey=groups%2Fmost_popu
lar#g?type=groups&keywords=terralex&orig=GLHD&rsid=&pageKey=groups%2Fmost_popular (last visited Feb. 5, 2016);
see also Lex Mundi, LINKEDIN,
www.linkedin.com/vsearch/g?type=groups&keywords=lex+mundi&orig=GLHD&rsid=5156571382905333295&page
Key=voltron_group_search_internal_jsp#g?type=groups&keywords=lex+mundi&orig=GLHD&rsid=51565713829053
33295&pageKey=voltron_group_search_internal_jsp (last visited Feb. 5, 2016).
64
Social Media
Today no discussion of network marketing is complete without a thorough discussion of social media. Social
media is the convergence of internal and external marketing to become the ultimate cross-media platform.
Social media offer tremendous opportunities for all networks because networks do not have to develop the
software. Importantly, social media tools such as Hootsuite331 allow networks to easily manage their social
media campaigns from a central location. The search engines give priority to social media sites in searches
for the organization. This can expand on the network’s Internet presence by being found in multiple ways.
The principal social media outlets for publishing by professional services networks are: LinkedIn, Twitter,
YouTube, Facebook, Google+, and blogs.
LinkedIn is a professional business-related networking site that permits networks to create profiles for
themselves.332 They can create a group for the organization in which members can subscribe and receive
information from the network and members. Multiple sub-groups can be created for practice areas that
members can also join and exchange information among themselves.333
Twitter allows networks network to promote developments in the network that followers may find interesting
and useful. This could include meetings, referrals, business among members, and more. Only 140 characters
are permitted in the messages. However, links in the messages can go to most media on the Internet that
followers are more likely to read. This would include the network’s website, Facebook profile, photos,
YouTube videos, etc. Retweeting (forwarding a tweet to others) can generate more awareness of the network.
Networks with Twitter accounts include World Services Group, Lex Mundi, and Meritas.
YouTube is a promotional tool that that makes video available to networks. Since Google owns YouTube,
the videos appear at the top of search results. It can expand the depth of the networks content on the Internet
by creating promotional videos.
Facebook profiles are more detailed than Twitter or LinkedIn accounts. They allow a network to provide
videos, photos, and longer descriptions. These also can include testimonials, as other followers can comment
on the pages for others to see. Facebook can link back to the product’s Twitter page as well as send out event
reminders. Facebook can promote a network in real time to members and non-members.
Google+, in addition to providing the profiles and features of Facebook, is also able to integrate with the
Google search engine. Other Google tools are also integrated, such as Google Adwords and Google Maps.
With the development of Google Personalized Search and other location-based search services, Google+
allows for targeted advertising methods of networks, navigation services, and other forms of marketing and
promotion.
331 HOOTSUITE, hootsuite.com/ (last visited Feb. 5, 2016).
332 The larger legal networks, which include World Services Group, Lex Mundi, TerraLex, Meritas, World Law Group, Interlaw, TAGLaw, and more,
have a presence in LinkedIn, as do the largest accounting networks and associations.
333 For example, TerraLex has 10 subgroups. TerraLex, LINKEDIN,
www.linkedin.com/vsearch/g?type=groups&keywords=terralex&orig=GLHD&rsid=&pageKey=groups%2Fmost_popu
lar#g?type=groups&keywords=terralex&orig=GLHD&rsid=&pageKey=groups%2Fmost_popular (last visited Feb. 5, 2016);
see also Lex Mundi, LINKEDIN,
www.linkedin.com/vsearch/g?type=groups&keywords=lex+mundi&orig=GLHD&rsid=5156571382905333295&page
Key=voltron_group_search_internal_jsp#g?type=groups&keywords=lex+mundi&orig=GLHD&rsid=51565713829053
33295&pageKey=voltron_group_search_internal_jsp (last visited Feb. 5, 2016).
64
