Most Lawyers Couldn’t Care Less That Facebook Has 2 Billion Users

It's time for lawyers to do themselves and the public they serve some good by actively using Facebook.

Facebook on a screenIt was reported by The Telegraphs’s James Titcomb a couple weeks ago that Facebook is on the verge of 2 billion members.

That’s 28% percent of of the earth’s population and seven times the number of people living in the United States.

Facebook is even defying expectations by continuing to grow despite its size, with growth actually accelerating in recent quarters.

Revenue for the first quarter, ending March 31, rose 49% to $8.03 billion, from $5.38 billion in the same period a year earlier, topping the $7.83 billion expected on average among analysts.

In reading a piece in Adweek that social media is replacing television by Kurt Abrahamsom, the CEO of ShareThis, I couldn’t help but think of lawyers holding onto the past (television-type use of the Net) when it comes to Facebook.

With the rise of television in the 1950s, marketers gained access to a new medium that was growing rapidly popular. With all eyes on the only screen in the house, brands benefited from its wide reach to engage consumers at an unprecedented scale.

However, the audience’s attention is increasingly turning away from television and moving toward mobile devices and social media.

This represents a huge opportunity for brands, per Abrahamson. Brands can connect with people on social media channels in a personalized way. “Brands looking to strengthen their customer relationships should start with the personalization of social…”

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Yet the vast majority lawyers, who need to have a brand — a name — ignore Facebook when it comes to building a name, establishing trust, and growing a network for business development.

Most law firms not only tacitly go along with the lawyers, but establish a marketing culture where Facebook is viewed as below their lawyers for business development purposes. “If Facebook is to be used, it’s only for personal purposes.”

Some firms won’t even allow their lawyers to log in to Facebook on company machines. Crazy and sad, but true.

I ran across a panel discussion among legal marketing “experts” discussing web marketing best practices for the American Bar Association’s Law Practice Today.

Admittedly the panel’s focus was websites, but the implication was clear. Drawing traffic and getting attention is the name of the game for business development success when it comes to the Internet. Sounds like television.

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One of the experts said, “Blog frequently on your firm’s website (not somewhere else). Postings that address frequently asked questions (FAQs) are a great way to start.”

Lost on him, as he hasn’t networked online to build a name and relationships, is that blogging is all about leaving your website and going out and engaging others — listening to the conversation off your website being the most important concept.

Facebook, with virtually every American using it, represents a town hall discussion, with the people involved and the topics discussed framed by who you engage and what you share. Facebook’s algorithms will surface relevant discussion and people for you.

Lawyers and law firms need to let go of viewing the Internet as an opportunity to broadcast. Like television, the opportunity to reach people at an unprecedented scale is addicting. But people have moved on to social networks, primarily Facebook, to communicate and engage with each other.

Lawyers have become accustomed to email and cellphones as a means of communicating for business development. Facebook is arguably just as essential for business development today.

Lawyers ignorantly boast that Facebook is fraught with peril, is used “only” by personal injury lawyers for advertising, and that ethics’ rules prevent lawyers from engaging people on personal items and news of the day.

What’s scary is that many lawyers who are afraid to get out and mingle with people, whether they be consumers, business professionals, and in-house counsel active on Facebook or offline, listen to the unknowing.

As AOL was 20 years ago, Facebook represents the entry point for the engaging use of the Internet for the vast majority of people.

It’s time for lawyers to recognize this and do themselves and the public we serve some good by actively using Facebook.


Kevin O’Keefe (@kevinokeefe) is the CEO and founder of LexBlog, which empowers lawyers to increase their visibility and accelerate business relationships online. With LexBlog’s help, legal professionals use their subject matter expertise to drive powerful business development through blogging and social media. Visit LexBlog.com.

LexBlog also hosts LXBN, the world’s largest network of professional blogs. With more than 8,000 authors, LXBN is the only media source featuring the latest lawyer-generated commentary on news and issues from around the globe. Visit lxbn.com now.