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LinkedIn for Lawyers: 8 Common Myths Debunked

by Gabrielle Meyers • July 9th, 2020 • Social Media | Blog

LinkedIn for LawyersAny lawyer who hopes to attract new clients and be seen as a thought leader in their practice area can benefit from having a strong presence on Linkedin, especially right now while social media usage is up. Success for a lawyer depends on conveying to prospects and clients that you’re at the top of your practice area and LinkedIn can help you do just that. While most lawyers intuitively understand LinkedIn’s potential value, there are still many misconceptions as to how it works. Read on to learn the truth about these 8 most pervasive LinkedIn myths.

LinkedIn Marketing for Lawyers: 8 Myths Debunked

Myth #1: LinkedIn is only helpful if you are looking for a job.

Truth: This is a common misconception. However, with over 690 million users worldwide, LinkedIn’s social network reigns supreme for professional networking.  It is a great place to build a rich and professional portfolio, build your brand, advertise, and stay up-to-date with your network of clients and referral sources. Lastly, having a presence and building connections is 100% free!

Tip: The most important piece of real estate for lawyers on LinkedIn is your profile. You need to spend the necessary time to build and maintain it in order to stand out from all other lawyers on LinkedIn and cultivate those important referral relationships. Additionally, it is important to follow the right channels, influencers, groups, and company pages to get personalized news and insights. By following the right content and engaging in conversations with your network, you can find potential business opportunities that you hadn’t thought of before.

Myth #2: If I update my profile, everyone in my network will be notified.

Truth: You can choose to notify your network about important changes made to certain sections of your LinkedIn profile. Enabling notifications about your profile changes may generate a post in your network’s feed, an in-app notification, or an email notification.

Tip: When you go into “edit” mode on your profile, there is an option at the bottom of the page that asks if you want your network notified of profile edits. Just turn this on/off as you see fit.

Myth #3: I should only connect with someone I know well.

Truth: The goal of using LinkedIn is to explore how to increase your engagement and incorporate it fully into your business strategy to reach the most desirable results, so you shouldn’t feel reluctant to invite someone to connect with you, even if you have little to no personal or professional relationship with them.The best connections are those that are mutually beneficial in building a relationship.

Tip: LinkedIn offers a huge opportunity to connect with a massive professional population. Don’t limit yourself. The best way to make a connection is to send a personalized invitation or ask someone in your network to make an introduction. When sending an invitation be sure it is polite, professional, personalized, and praiseful. Think of your LinkedIn connection as a virtual handshake!

Myth #4: There are secret features that get unlocked when you hit 500 connections.

Truth: LinkedIn keeps the minimum of connections a person can show to 500+ to emphasize the importance of quality. LinkedIn will not reward you for your connections and you don’t enter a special club once you’ve hit 500 connections.

Tip: To make the most out of your LinkedIn presence for your law firm, it is essential to focus on quality connections. Developing better relationships with meaningful connections can open new doors and lead to opportunities with like-minded professionals that can translate to new business opportunities.

Myth #5: I can only message people I am connected to.

Truth: One of the many benefits of LinkedIn is that you are able to connect with individuals beyond your network. 

Tip: Join groups that are most relevant to your field of work and/or areas of interest and expertise. 

Myth #6: I should only post content about my firm or written by myself or other attorneys in the firm.

Truth: LinkedIn is a platform where you can and should share both your own firm content and curated content from relevant and trusted sources. Just be sure what you share is relevant to your law practice. For curation of information, you can rely on your connections’ posts and also can “follow” leaders in your niche.

Tip: Share quality insights and fresh perspectives based on your knowledge, experience or viewpoints. Post on timely and trending topics that get people talking and use your analytics to see what’s resonating. Don’t hesitate to post a video, as they tend to garner increased engagement on the platform, or even livestream on LinkedIn Live.

Myth #7: A lawyer’s LinkedIn presence is only helpful for driving awareness.

Truth: LinkedIn is much more than just a way to grow your law firm’s brand and connect with current clients. The platform is actually very useful for attracting leads.

Tip: To generate leads on LinkedIn, you must be an active user (and listener!) Posting daily is a great way to stay top-of-mind with your connections. As is joining industry groups where you can start to establish your expertise and converse with new connections by answering questions or offering resources that are relevant to the conversation. Another way to garner leads on the platform is through LinkedIn advertising. All in all, to drum up those leads you need to be thoughtful and intentional about how you use all of the features LinkedIn offers. For more lead generation tips, check out 12-step plan for more quality leads on LinkedIn

Myth #8: Your LinkedIn headline should be your job title, i.e. “Managing Partner” or “Attorney at Law”.

Truth: When you like or share content, or when you send out a connection request, your headline is front and center. Make sure it is working for you and sets you apart from other lawyers. Consider making this more than “Managing Partner” or “Attorney at Law” and share your value proposition.

Tip: Add keywords to your headline so your profile appears in search results. Keywords are the words you type into a search box. Without them your chances of being found when someone searches for those terms is low. Keywords can include your title, practice area, geographic area, or anything related to the services you provide and the problems you’re trying to solve.

Takeaway

As a lawyer, falling for these common LinkedIn myths will impede your success on the platform. LinkedIn is one of the most powerful online business development and networking tools available for lawyers – when approached with the right mindset.

If you need assistance with your LinkedIn presence and strategy, reach out to us today. We have vast experience helping lawyers and law firms achieve measurable success on LinkedIn.

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