The way in which the legal industry promotes their services has changed drastically in the last decade. Lawyers are beginning to move away from traditional print and TV advertising to focus on new platforms to attract wider audiences in 2023.
Social media marketing practices that prioritise short, snappy content on TikTok, Youtube and Instagram are proving to be the most effective at growing a cult following for your brand, which is why law firms should utilise them to showcase their expertise and services. TikTok is particularly a valuable tool for lawyers to promote their brand values, connect with potential clients and increase visibility. By leveraging the platform’s advanced features and formats, you can ensure you are one step ahead of competing firms and reaching more contacts than ever before.
Not only this, but it can help lawyers stay on top of the trending issues that are important to their target audience. So, if you’re a solicitor or law firm looking to take the next step in growing your online presence, here is how to make a powerful start with TikTok.
Answer your audiences FAQ’s
If you haven’t already, you should make it part of your marketing routine to answer frequently asked questions about your service or area of legal expertise – whether that be through your audiences’ FAQs on TikTok or by just addressing questions you frequently get from clients.
@thelegalqueen Do you agree with the law? #uk #divorce #marriage #familylaw #solicitor ♬ original sound – The Legal Queen
Use TikTok’s features to your advantage and exploit the ‘Q&A’ section for your own educational purposes – not just your followers. It will help you gain valuable insights into the legal issues that are important to your viewers.
TikTok allows you to respond to commonly asked questions in ways that are engaging, like ‘Reply to comment with a video’. This breaks down complicated legal issues into bitesize pieces that everyday users can digest. Knowing how to use the apps more intricate features will give you a leg up and help maintain a competitive edge in the industry.
By now you should be noticing that TikTok is an effective tool for expanding your connections. It gives viewers an opportunity to see your expertise in action and learn more about what it’s like to work with your firm or you personally as a solicitor.
Share everyday legal tips
Lawyers have the power to inspire confidence in ordinary people who are seeking legal advice. So why not use TikTok to display this? Show the apps users how your firm will help them make the best decisions.
By providing your followers with quality advice and demonstrations on TikTok, you are creating an ongoing channel for communication and increasing your chances of building relationships in your targeted audience and potential clients.
@dianebasslaw WHAT TO WEAR TO COURT #court #courtroom #courthouse #courtattire #lawyer #attorney #criminallawyer #criminalattorney #criminallaw #criminaldefenseattorney #criminaldefenselawyer #californialawyer #criminalcase #courtappearance ♬ original sound – Diane Bass
The content you post doesn’t have to always be on particularly complicated areas of the law. You can also address the more day-to-day legal questions people have, such as ‘What should I wear to court?’ Or ‘Do I really need a solicitor to buy a house?’. Your audience are more likely to appreciate the authenticity of your content this way, because what is obvious to you as an expert may not be so clear to them.
Show your firms personality and culture
Personality and culture are what sets you apart any other firm. It is your USP, so it’s important to use this in your favour and show it off as best you can.
With TikTok’s unique video format, you can capture your team’s spirit and flaunt the work environment in a way that words alone cannot do justice. All you need is a short clip showing your brand values and mission, and that alone will invite more emotional connections with potential clients.
Video sharing apps like TikTok permits its users to promote the social issues that are important to them. As a lawyer, you can highlight the positive impact that your firm is having on the community through short clips of you attending or running local events and fundraisers.
@thisisashville Done the annual 10km London Legal Walk this year with Urban Lawyers. ⚖️ Raising money for charities ?that give free legal advice! Hopefully we wont need any of it!! #legalwalk #londonlegalsupporttrust #freelegaladvice #charitywork #urbanlawyers #drtundeokewaleMBE ♬ original sound – Ashville
Utilise Ad formats
Ad formats on TikTok are an effective way for lawyers to increase their visibility and gain more clients. Following the platform’s advanced targeting capabilities, you can ensure that your ads are reaching the right people at the right time.
With TikTok being a relatively new platform, it’s normal to have some confusion surrounding the different types of ads and how to use them – especially because they vary from traditional advertising methods. A good place to start is with the standard ad format, In-Feed. This is available for purchase directly through TikTok’s Ad Manager to help lawyers build their reputations and client base faster.
Another tip – don’t refrain from using the interactive tools! Polls, quizzes, stitches etc are all great ways to engage with viewers and keep them interested in what you have to offer.
Repurpose your content
If you want to save time thinking of new subject ideas, start by repurposing your content. This is one of the quickest ways to multiply your reach with minimal effort.
Once you decide on one legal concept, you can repurpose this on multiple platforms to ensure your message is seen by more people. For example, answering an FAQ on TikTok could also stand as a reel on Instagram and be bulked out into a blog for your firms’ website as a way to drive traffic to your site.
It’s best to use the editing tools included with each platform to adjust your content. This ensures that it fits the parameters of the media you’re posting on.
Pose your followers with legal questions
Just because you’re the law expert does not mean you’re closed off to asking legal questions. Consider turning it on its head and pose your followers with the questions instead.
By doing this you can connect with viewers and gain valuable insights into the types of issues they class as important. Treat it almost like a research task. Then you can create fresh content based on what your followers respond. Example questions could include:
- ‘What are your top assumptions about lawyers?’
- ‘What has put you off seeking legal advice before?’
- ‘Lawyers dressing casually over wearing a suit to work – thoughts?’
- ‘Meeting lawyers at their office versus over video call – what are your preferences?’
Finding informative and entertaining ways to interact with their answers will demonstrate your expertise and establish yourself as a reliable source of legal advice. From here you can begin to build mutually exclusive relationships with your audience – you provide the legal advice or questions, and their responses shape your future content.
Key Takeaway…
TikTok is still a new platform that is widely associated with the Generation Z audience, so for this reason many law firms are still hesitant as to whether posting on TikTok is worth it for their goals.
However, we believe that posting on TikTok offers law firms the opportunity to distinguish their brand amongst from a sea of competing law firms (there are currently an estimated 10K+ law firms in the UK), connect with a new and untapped audience and establish themselves as knowledge leaders in their field.
