Page 76 - Professional Services Networks
P. 76
The Handbook: Law Firm Networks
software. Importantly, social media tools such as Hootsuite338 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.339 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.340
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.
Blogs341 are sites developed by law and accounting firms as well as networks to promote themselves by
providing interesting content. One or more persons can contribute their ideas within the blog. The content
338 HOOTSUITE, hootsuite.com/ (last visited Feb. 5, 2016).
339 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.
340 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).
341 Blog, WIKIPEDIA: “A blog (a blend of the term web log) is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual
with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-
chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to
leave comments and even message each other via widgets on the blogs and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.
Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text,
images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is
an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (art blog), photographs (photo blog), videos (video
blogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Micro blogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.”
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software. Importantly, social media tools such as Hootsuite338 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.339 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.340
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.
Blogs341 are sites developed by law and accounting firms as well as networks to promote themselves by
providing interesting content. One or more persons can contribute their ideas within the blog. The content
338 HOOTSUITE, hootsuite.com/ (last visited Feb. 5, 2016).
339 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.
340 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).
341 Blog, WIKIPEDIA: “A blog (a blend of the term web log) is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual
with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-
chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to
leave comments and even message each other via widgets on the blogs and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.
Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text,
images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is
an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (art blog), photographs (photo blog), videos (video
blogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Micro blogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.”
- 64 -
