LinkedIn is the leading social media platform for professionals and has become a valuable asset to lawyers as a place to network and attract potential clients. The platform has several ways to optimize your profile for a cohesive, branded appearance that complements your firm’s website.
In this blog post, we’ll explain small changes you can make to your LinkedIn profile that help drive more traffic to your website.
Why your LinkedIn profile likely ranks on Google
If you haven’t done so recently, Google yourself and take note of what comes up on the first page of results. Your LinkedIn profile will likely appear in the top results. LinkedIn shows up as a top result for most users due to the platform’s popularity. This prominent page ranking makes LinkedIn a huge opportunity for you to grab the attention of potential clients, improve your visibility on Google, and drive traffic to your website.
If a potential client is trying to do more research before they decide to hire you, they may read your attorney bio on your website. But it’s also likely they will review your LinkedIn profile. To put your best foot forward on LinkedIn and grab the attention of potential clients, there are a few key things that will help to drive traffic back to your website.
Optimizing your profile
To optimize your LinkedIn profile, look at your profile’s security settings. These should be set to “Public” to allow Google and potential clients to properly access your profile.
Next, nail your first impression by completing the Intro section of your profile. Add a clear and recent headshot and a descriptive headline to let your potential clients know exactly who you serve. For example, use practice area keywords that will get your profile in front of the right people. Make it easy for potential clients to reach you by providing contact information such as phone and email on your profile as well as your firm’s website address. Apply branding in your LinkedIn profile banner by using your logo.
When considering what career history to add to your profile, quality trumps quantity. Understand your ideal client persona and align your work history with your current practice to highlight your expertise. Include descriptions under current and past work experience that provide extra validation to potential clients and showcase your accomplishments.
Your profile summary should be similar to your attorney bio on your website. It can highlight your achievements, history, and what sets you apart. The summary preview is limited to around 200 characters so it’s important to develop a summary that grabs the attention of a potential client quickly.
LinkedIn displays the pages you’ve “liked” at the footer of your profile, so use this as an opportunity for additional branding. Find and “like” pages that match your education history, bar associations, and relevant causes you are aligned with. “Unlike” any pages that aren’t relevant to your profile or that may send the wrong message to your potential clients.
Building your network
LinkedIn is the perfect place to engage with professional contacts and make new connections. Upon meeting a new contact, send them a connection request on LinkedIn as a way to follow up. There are also many groups that you can join – start by joining bar association groups and other local attorney groups. These spaces are great for thought leadership and act as a connection to other members who could provide referrals. If you’re able, spend about five minutes a day responding to messages and connection requests and engaging with others’ content.
Give and request recommendations to other attorneys. To do this: select “More” underneath a connection’s header where you’ll find the option to “Recommend” or “Request a Recommendation.” Recommendations are important points of social proof for potential clients. Collecting positive reviews from peers and former clients can bolster a potential client’s confidence in your firm.
Posting on LinkedIn
The best way to stay top of mind to your LinkedIn network is to regularly post on the platform. Types of content you may want to share include blog posts, client testimonials, professional achievements, and community involvement. If you’re already active on other social media platforms, it’s easy to repurpose a majority of your content for LinkedIn.
How LawLytics makes it easy to get the most out of LinkedIn
Get the most out of each new blog post on your website by sharing them to your social media profiles. You can do this directly from the LawLytics platform for seamless sharing. LawLytics allows you to link to your personal LinkedIn profile and your LinkedIn Business profile, meaning you can share new content to both feeds with just a few clicks
If you’re already a LawLytics member and would like guidance on connecting your social media profiles, our support team will be glad to help. If you’re not a LawLytics member, learn more by scheduling an interactive demo today.
