Hello friends! It's the 5th Day of Social Media here at the LMA Social Media SIG!
I'm excited that I am going to be staying on in 2016 with my new Co-leader, Jessica Aries, and a handful of new committee members to lead the SIG next year, and love all of the wisdom being shared to help all of us have a more focused, successful year doing what we do, which is to help our lawyers do what they do better. Today's wisdom and insight was shared with me by Kristina Eastham, Mintz Levin's Digital Communications Manager.
1. What’s the next big thing in social media marketing for law firms in 2016?
Honestly, I think the “next big thing” for law firms doing more with the “last big thing.” In social media, it’s easy to get emerging technology FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), but it’s important to ask some key questions when deciding whether to adopt a new platform. Is your core audience using it? Are they using it for B2B versus B2C content? Will it solve a marketing challenge that other platforms don’t? How will you make use of the platform’s key differentiating features?
For example, there has been a lot of buzz about new livestreaming apps like Periscope and Meerkat. Periscope is a revolutionary social platform and has a lot of potential as a marketing tool for certain brands, especially those with an existing, engaged social audience. But are users really looking for legal advice on Periscope? Does it solve a challenge that can’t already be addressed by UStream, YouTube or Twitter? Is it worth the investment to build a new audience there?
I think that in the coming year, firms should spend more time innovating on platforms they’re already using where they already have an active audience, like LinkedIn, YouTube, Medium and Slideshare. On the whole, firms are starting to grasp the value of content marketing and I expect that in 2016 they’ll start to understand how valuable certain social channels can be for distributing high-quality content in an innovative format.
2. Who do you see doing social media marketing right, and what can others learn from them?
I joined Mintz Levin from outside the legal industry, so I tend to look externally for inspiration. I think law firms can learn the most by looking to industry leaders with similar business goals, other organizations that use social media to build relationships and distribute thought leadership, like commercial real estate and management consulting firms. Brands like these are leading the charge for effective, digitally integrated thought leadership and social media.
JLL’s Cities Research project is one of my favorite examples of how digital technology can bring unique life to thought leadership content. JLL has found a way to use digital and data visualization to tell an engaging, interactive story. They aren’t just republishing a print report as a PDF online. This microsite and research plays a big role in JLL’s social media presence.
3. What’s the biggest challenge for law firms trying to be active in the social media space, and how can they overcome it?
It seems the biggest challenge—and where law firms can truly benefit—is harnessing the potential value of the voice of each individual attorney on social media.
Most large, general practice firms have an extremely diverse client base, so the firm’s social media presence can only do so much on its own. Consider, instead, the targeted audience each attorney already has on social media. It’s really an internal management challenge: training and integrating social media at the practice or individual level, then using the firm’s social media presence to elevate those individuals and their voices.
As legal marketers, it’s our job to make it as easy as possible for a group of people who are already extremely busy to find time to learn how to most efficiently and effectively use social media, and that’s where I focus most of my time. Since clients don’t hire law firms, they hire attorneys, how can the firm systematically be supporting the attorneys to use social media to support the goals of the firm?
One last point - The 12 days of Social Media are just part of what you get when you're a SIG member. To get full benefits, join the Social Media SIG, join the LinkedIn LMA Social Media SIG private group, join the LMA Social Media Private Group on Facebook, and if you're not already a member of LMA, please join here. As a member of the Social Media SIG, these posts will be sent to you automatically via the LMA Groups ediscussion Forum, as will all invitations to our monthly webinars and other events.
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About Kristina Eastham:
Kristina Eastham is the Digital Communications Manager at Mintz Levin and is based in the firm's San Diego office. She manages the firm's content marketing, social media, websites, blogs and other digital channels to increase engagement both online and offline. She also handles social media and content marketing training for the firm's 500+ attorneys, teaching others to use digital tools to tell stories and strengthen relationships. Before joining Mintz Levin in 2014, Kristina was a digital strategist at Digitaria, a WPP Company. In her spare time, Kristina runs Ignite San Diego, a bi-annual storytelling event where community members have 5 minutes to share their passions.
Kristina Eastham
Digital Communications Manager
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
3580 Carmel Mountain Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92130
Direct: +1.858.314.2154
E-mail: KREastham@mintz.com
Web: www.mintz.com
Twitter: kreastham
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinaeastham
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