8 Social Media Trends Legal Marketers Should Look for in 2022

It’s hard to believe that social media could become any more popular, but each year it does. The number of social media users is projected to be over 4 billion by 2025. Along with knowing that social media can help you to reach a larger audience than ever before, what else do legal marketers need to know? Here are 8 social media trends for law firms that are expected to be popular in 2022:

1. TikTok will become the global leader in social media.

TikTok has only been around a few years, but they’ve shown unprecedented growth in that time. It’s the first non-Facebook owned app to reach 3 million global downloads. This isn’t just a passing fad, because the platform offers unique functionality that can help businesses and individuals to make more creative content. In 2022 we expect that more organizations will investigate the ways that TikTok can help their brand. Plus, you can expect TikTok to have a ripple effect on other social media channels, as they develop new features to keep up. 

2. Connecting with new audiences will become the primary goal of social media users.

Up until now, most organizations have said their primary goals for social media include advertising products or services and increasing brand awareness. Research shows that in 2022, more organizations will use social to increase brand awareness and reach new audiences. Your firm should plan to remain active and consistent, and also consider new ways to reach larger audiences and strengthen relationships with current contacts. 

3. More law firms will invest in social media hires.

Social media has become truly powerful when it comes to expanding brand awareness, generating leads, and cultivating loyalty. However, tasking an already busy marketing team with even more social tactics isn’t going to cut it. You’ll see more organizations hiring dedicated social media staff in the coming years. A person committed to social can solve problems and help organizations to actually grow platforms and achieve goals. Outsourcing social media management is expected to be one of many social media trends for law firms this year.

4. People are highly intrigued by augmented reality.

AR is still somewhat of a novelty, but it’s gaining in popularity. Companies of all sizes are using AR in innovative ways, and users are becoming more interested. AR has been shown to improve click-through rates and provide new ways of engaging. This trend is here to stay, though most law firms haven’t taken advantage of it. Be sure to follow the trajectory of this channel to see how it might benefit your firm in the future. 

5. B2B companies are likely to invest more in Twitter and Instagram.

These platforms are far from new to the social media scene, but business leaders are seeing more ROI from them than ever before. Instagram and Twitter both experienced increases in users as well as an uptick in the time that people spent on the platform. Research shows that these platforms displayed more of an increase in engagement than other social platforms. Whereas in years past, many marketers thought of Instagram as only a photo-sharing tool, more professionals are finding value in using the platform for their organization. Marketing professionals should plan to invest more heavily in these channels in 2022.

6. Social advertising will not rely on third-party data.

Google plans to phase out cookie tracking by 2023, and other privacy concerns mean marketers will need to pivot their existing strategies. Fortunately, there are a lot of highly effective advertising strategies that don’t rely on third-party data. A focus on user-generated content, personalized ads across social media, and search engine retargeting campaigns are a start. Rather than relying on third-party information, it’s important to develop a data-driven strategy that uses real metrics and an understanding of user interests and preferences on a deeper level. 

7. Organizations will invest in more “snackable” content types.

Video is increasingly common and has become a social media trend for law firms recently. Brief but engaging content like short-form videos has become more likely to reach users. At the same time, long-form content will continue to play an important role, and live audio chat rooms will garner more attention. Essentially people want easily digestible information that is simple for them to find and take in. The bottom line is that you’ll need to consider alternative forms of content in 2022. Test out different types of visual, audio, and written content to create a robust plan for next year. 

8. Social media attention spans will shrink.

Even as social media audiences expand, the amount of time they are willing to spend on platforms gets smaller. The increase in short-form content like Instagram Reels and TikTok videos shows us that users are looking for quicker ways to consume content. Look for more ways to educate your target audience with short-form content that can gain attention quickly while people scroll. 

Takeaway: 

At the same time, there are a few social media trends for law firms that are losing steam. Disappearing content (such as Instagram Stories) is likely to see less use, while interviews and expert discussions may happen less because they’re quite time-consuming. 

Generally speaking, you can stay in front of upcoming trends by leveraging video whenever possible and creating relatable, valuable content. Focus on quality over quantity when it comes to content production. No matter how busy you are, take the time to research trends and social media data to optimize your strategy. If you want to learn how social media is being used by the largest law firm in the United States download the Good2bSocial 2021 Social Law Firm Index.