LEGAL PROFESSIONALS SHOULD EMBRACE SOCIAL MEDIA IN ORDER TO GROW THEIR PRACTICES
Durban, 18 January 2010 - A recent global survey commissioned by LexisNexis® revealed that more than 70 percent of lawyers are members of an online social network. This represents an increase of nearly 25 percent over the past year, with 30 percent growth reported among lawyers aged 46 and over. More than 50 percent of respondents believe online networks have the potential to change the business and practise of law, while 65 percent expressed interest in joining an online professional network designed specifically for their profession. Approximately 1500 lawyers across 33 countries participated in the survey this year.
Social media, or consumer-generated media as it is referred to, is a platform that will enable legal practitioners to engage, communicate and network with people through the use of blogs and forums. Blogs have often been described as an extension of a website, a website itself, and sometimes even as an online journal or personal diary.
“Blogs are under-estimated and under-utilised in the legal field in South Africa compared to other professions. Every lawyer should blog. It is a great way to build a presence on the Internet, to establish oneself as an expert; to have oneself seen as a trustworthy source of legal information by Internet users and to be seen as someone who is knowledgeable.”
“Traditional methods of positioning oneself as an expert in the field may no longer be the best platform in light of the fact that technology is evolving at such a rapid pace,” says Sheik.
“Blogging in the US legal sector is seen by key role players in the legal market as a strong marketing tool. In the United States, lawyers are transforming the way they network by incorporating social media tools into their work in record numbers and in increasingly sophisticated ways,” says Sheik.
Someone who is no stranger to the legal sphere in South Africa is attorney Saber Ahmed Jazbhay, who was up until a few months ago completely oblivious to the world of Web2.0 technologies. Saber says: “I am amazed at the amount of discussion and debate my blogs have generated. I have barely been blogging four months, and already over 300 000 people have read my posts. Clientele are up with many users posing questions to me in forums around legal problems they are experiencing and thereafter seeking comprehensive legal advice. It really is amazing! The culture and style of blog writing is colloquial, conversational and often personal. All this leads to a development of ‘virtual relationships’ and then clientele.”
Another important factor is that the number one starting point of all research is the Internet. Having your own blog helps you rank high on search engine results because all blogs posts are indexed.
“A blog is the perfect platform to engage with potential clients. You will have to position yourself as an expert in a certain practise area. Converse openly and honestly about everyday legal issues facing the community and offer ways to curb them, offer practical solutions and advice that will enable someone to make informed decisions,” points out Sheik.
“Blogging is all about magnetism and stickiness – you want to be engaging enough to attract the readership of your blog and you want to keep your audience interested enough to come back to read your posts. Although many success stories emerge from younger age groups who employ these technologies in their daily business practices, all you need is the right ingredients to transform your business and develop your clientele – a bit of curiosity mixed with a willingness to learn and a splash of creative talent with words is the best recipe for client development.”
For more information on how to blog in the legal sphere, visit www.law24.com.
About LexisNexis
LexisNexis® (www.lexisnexis.com) is a leading global provider of content-enabled workflow solutions designed specifically for professionals in the legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, accounting, and academic markets. LexisNexis originally pioneered online information with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis serves customers in more than 100 countries with 18,000 employees worldwide. LexisNexis is a member of Reed Elsevier [NYSE: ENL; NYSE: RUK] (www.reedelsevier.com). In South Africa, LexisNexis is 50% owned by Reed Elsevier and 50% owned by Kagiso Media, a leading empowerment group.