If you are a solo practitioner or work for a firm that frowns on tweeting, take note: your competition is out there using Twitter and getting more publicity, brand awareness and clients.
It is okay to tweet—the ABA and state bar associations are doing it. Don’t hold back because you think it’s unprofessional; in fact, not tweeting is a bit weird, particularly if you’re looked upon as a rainmaker. We’ve put together a Twitter cheat sheet for attorneys to help you get started.
Setting Up An Account
Twitter is free. Go to twitter.com and begin using Twitter’s step-by-step account setup. Brainstorm for a handle that reflects your firm’s name or focus and is easy to remember.
- Twitter lets you personalize the bio page. Use a nice photo of yourself if you’re solo or the partners if you work for a firm. You can also include the firm’s logo.
- Try to match the color and design scheme of the firm’s website.
- Use keywords in your description.
- Search Twitter for other accounts with focuses similar to yours to follow, or that offer good social media advice.
- Look at your email box for ideas; for example, follow the newsletters you subscribe to. The ABA tweets at @ABANews.
- Check out Twitter’s lists to find topics that interest you.
- Twitter can search your email address book to pick and choose who you want to invite to follow you. Limit this to colleagues and professional contacts.
- After you sign off, visit the Apple Store or Google Play to download mobile apps for your smartphone and tablet so you can read your Twitter feed or tweet on the go. Twitter’s official mobile app is ok, but check out developer apps like Tweedle.
Your First Tweets
You can’t tweet until you have some followers. This will happen: some of the people you follow will check you out and possibly follow you back. Some of the contacts you invited to follow you will accept. If you get desperate, order other people in the office follow you and beg your friends (even lawyers have a few friends!).
- For a first tweet, include a “thank you” that include the handles of those first few followers. Remember, you have just 140 characters so do this sooner than later.
- The next few tweets should try to get people to your site. Tweet about recent blogs or law firm news. Include links.
- Get in the habit of using hashtags (#), which indicate specific topics or keywords. Twitter will offer auto-complete options as you type # and enter letters.
- Be sure to retweet interesting, relevant items you see in your Twitter feed from those you’re following. This is an important part of Twitterquette.
Publicize Your Twitter Account
- Add a hyperlink to your Twitter account on your email signature.
- Be careful not to overload your signature with too many hyperlinks as some email antispam packages will send your emails to the spam box. Limit it to two: your website or LinkedIn page and Twitter handle.
- Add a Twitter button to your website and other social media the firm uses.
- Make sure the Twitter account is included on all future business cards.
Twitter Cheat Sheet For Attorneys Best Practices (#Twitterquette)
- Reply to all new followers and anyone who retweets your content to thank them.
- Only retweet really good, relevant content your followers can use—most will be following you for your expertise.
- Don’t overdue tweeting—it can amount to spam.
- Consider scheduling your tweets with tools like HootSuite.
- Be careful about tweeting and posting identical content; take the time to create content that effectively relays the message to different audiences.
Let us know if you need some help.
