If you’ve built social media profiles to market your practice, you’re probably wondering how to handle legal questions posted to these platforms. There’s a fine line between providing general advice and venturing into attorney-client relationship territory. In order to walk that line, you must be cautious about how you answer queries on social media. To reach a larger audience and establish a positive presence, keep these tips in mind when answering legal questions online.
Only Use General Information
When answering online questions, using general advice will keep you from creating an attorney-client relationship. As every attorney knows, offering legal advice to potential clients is prohibited and a general approach helps you avoid this pitfall. Using general advice also serves another purpose: informing other potential clients. If you make your advice applicable to a large audience, other readers may also benefit from your answers. This could potentially result in future clients as you build trust and rapport with your audience.
Avoid Legal Jargon
The vast majority of your readers will not understand legal jargon when it is included in your response. In order to make your response easy to read and absorb, avoid using terms that only attorneys will understand. Even if your advice is complex, try to simplify the information to reach a larger audience.
Keep it Professional
Using a professional tone will impart a sense of respect and expertise with readers. Not only that, it will build trust and rapport with your audience. Potential clients want to hire someone they can trust, so avoid condescending or unprofessional language as this reflects negatively on your practice.
Don’t Neglect to Answer
Social sites designed for attorneys typically offer question and answer style platforms. Any attorney can answer these questions, so keeping the aforementioned tips in mind will help establish a positive online presence. If, however, a potential client posts a question to your page or sends you a private message, they may be seriously considering establishing an attorney-client relationship. Always be sure to answer questions directed specifically at you or you run the risk of appearing unapproachable. You want to build trust with your audience and being attentive and responsive will help build that relationship.
Such social media communication tips are essential but this is only the tip of the iceberg. Allow the legal marketing experts at Market My Market to help you fully optimize your law firm’s digital presence. Contact us today.