The Mysterious World of #Hashtags

Definition of hashtag: word or phrase preceded by the symbol # that classifies or categorizes the accompanying text, such as a tweet. (Merriam Webster Dictionary)

For most of us, the # icon is a symbol of measurement. It stands for a pound as in 1#. But, for many, it is type of label used in social media to make it easier for users to find messages with specific content. The hash (#) character is placed in front of a word or phrase (tag) used for description and placed either in the main text or at the end of the message.

Historically, the pound sign was first used in information technology to identify a special meaning. Over time, some suggested using it on microblogging sites such as Twitter and it took off in 2007 after it was used in tweets relating to the San Diego forest fires. Internationally, it became a writing style for Tweets during the 2009-10 Iranian election posts. Now #hashtag is also used on Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest and many more.

Hashtags are not registered or controlled by any one user or groups of users. They live in perpetuity and don’t contain any set definitions, which means that any hashtag can be used for any purpose and by anyone. It is also important to think about which hashtags to include with your post since they can have a huge influence on who finds or fails to find what you are writing about. Going to the wrong audience can cause great content to be lost in Internet land.

#hashtags your friend

Keep your hashtags short. Limiting them to one or two words is best. #thisisaverylonghashtag is too hard to read.

Hashtags on Twitter

Because of their expanded use, hashtags have become valuable. Adding a hashtag in your Twitter post will make your content noticeable by anyone with an interest in your topic or word. For example, #unbundling. If it is mentioned and hashtagged in your Tweet, anyone searching for that word in Google or in Twitter could find you regardless of whether they are a follower or not.

Hashtags can appear anywhere in your Tweet—beginning, middle or end. Tweets with hashtags get more retweets and favorites than those without. Keep it simple, however, don’t use more than two hashtags per post. In other words, don't #spam #with #hashtags and only use hashtags that are relevant to the topic. 

Clicking on the hash-tagged word in your Tweet shows you all the other Tweets marked with that keyword. Twitter reports that hash-tagged words that become popular are often included in trending topics.

Hashtags on Instagram and Pinterest

For those who like to post and tag photos, Instagram and Pinterest are the places to be. Unlike Twitter, use as many hashtags to categorize your photos as you want since using them will increase your followers.

Hashtags on Facebook

Hashtags are not as popular on Facebook. When you add a hashtag to your post, the people you’ve shared your post with can also see it in that hashtag's feed. For example, if you share a post with a hashtag with Friends, they can see your post in that hashtag’s feed. Remember, if you use a hashtag in a post you share to Public, and allow people to follow you, your post will appear on your public profile and in that hashtag's feed.

Hashtags on Google+

Google+ is not Twitter so it’s important to remember that a Twitter approach will not net the same results. Google recommends that you pair your hashtags with images since photo sharing is the most popular activity on Google and limit yourself to 2-3 hashtags per post. 

Hashtags are an organizing tool. Using them well on your social media sites can identify your content, bring more readers to your posts and expand your network of possible clients.

How to Find the Legal Needs in Your Community

You’ve decided to add a new legal service to your practice but aren’t sure what that service will be. Your first step should be to analyze the people and businesses in your community. Second, determine their legal needs. Finally, decide which of those legal needs you wish to satisfy.

A good place to start is with the information available from local, state and federal government. The US Census through the American Community Survey provides data on household income, age distribution, education levels and languages spoken as well as information on area businesses and geography. These facts can help you decide what areas of law are needed. For example, if the population is aging, elder law may be the right choice while a rise in birth rates could foreshadow more family and juvenile law needs.

Your Community Needs

If your area has a large number of immigrants such as Spanish speakers and you want to attract that business, you might add a bi-lingual lawyer and translate a portion of your website to Spanish.

To find your community’s’ business needs, check your local Chamber of Commerce directory for local listings. Businesses wishing to use an assumed name must file with the County Clerk who periodically posts those new business listings on-line. If your community has a number of new businesses, it may be you want to focus more of your legal practice on their issues, such as taxation, business plans or other business transactions. If there are a number of writers or publishers, adding intellectual property could bring in new business.

If new industries are coming into the community that will be hiring more employees, there could be a need for an employment or worker’s compensation lawyer. Crime statistics are important to those wishing to practice criminal law.

When there are a number of local, county, village and city communities in an area, there is a need for a municipal lawyer who can help with a wide range of issues, including everything from police power, zoning, education policies, and property taxes. A look at the map of your area and a check on the websites of the municipalities will give you the information you need.

Volunteering at local events, sitting on Boards of corporations and non-profits or doing Pro Bono work through your local Legal Service organizations is a way to give back as well as learn more about your community. Listening to the citizens will enable you to learn of their concerns.

Whether you plan to add a new service or are just starting out, spending time researching the composition your community and assessing the resultant legal needs will enable you to make well-reasoned plans for the future.

Remembering Your Existing Clients

We spend a lot of time writing about marketing to attract new clients, however, please don’t forget your current and past clients. For many reasons, the most effective way to bring in new business is to create programs designed to better your relationships with existing clients.

Consider:

keeping current clients

              80% of future revenue will come from just 20% of your existing clients–Gartner Group

            It’s 50% easier to sell to existing clients than to new clients–Marketing Metrics

You don’t have to be a marketing guru to know that the best way to get repeat business is to take exceptional care of the clients coming into your office today. Most client retention items can be placed in two categories—legal value and service value. Legal value is created by being an expert in your field, anticipating legal issues and providing timely and useful advice. Service value starts with good communication in a reasonably prompt manner, a helpful office staff and alternative billing methods.

Providing both excellent legal work and great service will keep your clients satisfied during the pending matter; maintaining contact will bring them back for more service and lead to referrals.

How do you keep in touch?

With Personal Networking and Relationship Building:

Communication

Face-to-face communication is best but does require a bit of time and effort. Meeting in person is an opportunity to build stronger and mutually beneficial relationships. Taking your client to lunch, sporting events, the theater or visiting them at their place of business are all effective marketing techniques.

Active participation in trade associations to which your clients belong is also a good way to see them on a regular basis. If you can’t always communicate in person, a phone call or an e-mail with information on a new law affecting their business is effective also. The firm can send out a quarterly newsletter and other direct mail to keep their name uppermost in clients’ minds. An annual “thanks for your business letter” to your top clients is a good communications tool.

Client Surveys

In-person surveys are the most effective. You can learn about client relationships and clients like the opportunity to tell the firm how it is doing and what it can do to improve its service. If you want candid feedback, someone other than the lawyer that worked on the matter should do the interview. Written surveys are also helpful. Sent electronically or by mail, they give the clients a chance to write their opinions and to indicate other legal services they may need.

Speeches and Client Seminars

Offering a free seminar is a valuable business development tool. It can be used in a variety of ways. To improve relationships with existing clients, you can:

·               Plan a take-out seminar for clients at their place of business. Offer them to management or employees or both. Let the clients decide the topics, which should be of the general information variety.

·              Search for conferences, forums, or seminars held by independent event organizations, associations, industry trade and professional groups, academic institutions and think tanks that relate to your clients’ interests. Often the organizers are looking for speakers to contribute to the group.

Marketing to keep existing clients or develop new ones isn’t rocket science. Using just a few of the above marketing steps can help improve your business.

Voice Search—What it Means for Law Firms

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Many of you use some form of an intelligent personal assistant, such as Siri, Alexa, Google Now or Cortana, available on your mobile devices, to quickly find information. Voice search is the fastest growing type of search. It’s faster, hands-free and allows you to multi-task. According to Google’s latest survey, 41% of adults use voice search on a daily basis, while 55% of teenagers--your future clients—use it on their mobile devices.

Thanks to technology voice search has improved. The current speech recognition word error rate is as low as 8%. And, voice understanding, a search that responds by interpreting the meaning and context behind the words, is also improving.

What does voice search mean for law firms?

First, realize that those using voice search tend to ask for the information in the form of “who, what, where, when, why or how” questions. Second, the asker uses a conversational tone such as “What lawyer in my area writes wills?”

For you, that means the content on your website should focus on answering the questions your potential clients are asking. The better you’re able to answer those questions, the better chance you have to be returned in the search engines. Think about the questions you’re asked when meeting with clients, or at a Rotary luncheon or a Bar Association Event and write content that answers those questions.

voice search 

Your content should be written in a conversational tone, using active verbs, ordinary not legal vocabulary and presented in an easy to read format. Informative, easy to read and understand content will attract both voice and writing seekers. Using the Frequently Asked Questions format is effective for both types. For example, if you’re a family law attorney practicing in, you can choose topics such as “Can a single person adopt a child in Michigan? Or “How do courts decide custody?” Or, “6 things to know about divorcing in Michigan.”

How does voice search affect SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

SEO is the process of using strategies and techniques to obtain a high-ranking placement in the search results. Those strategies include great content, easy to navigate sites and use of keywords to identify your topic. Experts recommend using long-tail keywords such as Traverse City Family Law Lawyer or Michigan DUI Lawyer. In other words, phrases that will answer the questions: “What family law lawyers practice in Traverse City?” Or, “What lawyers in Michigan defend DUI?”

The face of searching is changing and evolving. Use all the available information about how your clients find you and the questions they ask to keep current. Doing so will bring your website and this age-old legal profession into the future.