Do you have a social media marketing strategy? Do you have a social media editorial calendar? Do you strategically plan your posts in advance?

Most importantly, do you know why you’re posting something to social media?

I feel like so many of us go through the motions of posting a piece of content to social media, setting up accounts on all of the channels we think we should be using, incorporating hashtags and images. Maybe some are sprinkling in some interactive content such as videos or podcasts. In some ways, it’s become formulaic and tactical. And if you’re not seeing your engagement levels rise or business leads come from your social media efforts, you might be in a social media marketing rut.

Before you share your next post, try answering a few questions first:

1. Who – who specifically does this information help?
2. What – what problem does the post solve?
3. When – is the right time to post on social for maximum reach?
4. Where – am I posting on the right channels where our clients, prospects and other key audiences are?
5. Why – why should my audience care about this?
6. How – ...will it improve their life or business?

Then post it.

I promise that if you take these steps – even if you are pressed for time or you’re being pressured to post an item to social – your posts will get more engagement, be more succinct and achieve your goals. Many people post content to social just for the sake of posting content and that’s never a good idea.

...focus on your firm’s practice and industry strengths

Make sure you are focusing on your firm’s practice and industry strengths in your posts, and most importantly the issues and topics your clients care about the most right now. Especially during COVID-19. What is tantamount in all of your content is to put your clients first.

You can sprinkle in victories about the firm and its lawyers, but the law firms that will truly succeed at social media will be the ones that take a client-centric first approach to their social media efforts.

Use a Calendar

I can’t stress enough the importance of having a social media editorial calendar to map out your posts. I create these for my clients on an individual and firmwide basis. It helps track the mix of the posts on a weekly and monthly basis and enables us to also effectively reuse and repurpose content.

Since you are selling knowledge and expertise, take the time to build compelling online content that provides valuable information on how to solve their most pressing problems possibly caused by the crisis, and then make that content available across online channels and throughout the digital ecosystem. This is your chance to build your brand, strengthen relationships, create trust and grow demand for your services.

Happy (strategic) posting. Reach out to me with any questions or thoughts.

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Stefanie Marrone advises law firms of all sizes, professional service firms, B2B companies, professional associations and individuals on the full range of marketing and business development consulting services designed to enhance revenue, retain current clients and achieve greater brand recognition. She also serves as outsourced chief marketing officer/marketing department for smaller firms. Over her nearly 20-year legal marketing career, she has worked at and with a broad range of big law, mid-size and small firms, which has given her a valuable perspective of the legal industry. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her latest writing on JD Supra as well as her blog The Social Media Butterfly