Law by the Numbers

To gain more clients, use social media

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So Facebook is frivolous? LinkedIn a laugh? Twitter a twit? A FindLaw survey warns lawyers not to dismiss social media out of hand.

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Chart by Stephen Ravenscraft


The survey, conducted by polling a demographically balanced sample of 1,000 American adults, found that 54 percent of respondents said they’d be likely to hire a lawyer who is active on social media. The number jumps to 69 percent for those consumers ages 18 to 44.

In fact, the survey found that 34 percent of consumers already have used social media to help select a local service provider, such as a lawyer, plumber or doctor. And 48 percent of those 18 to 34 have done so.

Survey results are part of a downloadable white paper in which FindLaw discusses the popular social media sites (the three mentioned above, as well as Instagram, Pinterest and SnapChat) and what lawyers can do to be active on such sites.

Source: “From Novelty to Necessity: Pragmatic Social Media for Law Firms, FindLaw, Aug. 9.

Find links to more data and practice stats at abajournal.com/lawbythenumbers.

This article originally appeared in the October 2016 issue of the ABA Journal with this headline: “Friendly Persuasion: To gain more clients, use social media.”

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