Another week has passed, and another group of people have started using new internet technology to connect with others and build business.  Hopefully, that group of people includes some lawyers.  Welcome to part 7 of our blog series on social media for attorneys.  This week we will continue to introduce the various tools and networks that people are using to connect to other people on the web.   Whereas Twitter and LinkedIn are more directed social services, it is important to sign up for a number of pure social networks as well.

Facebook is a big win simply because it is the most popular.  Facebook just reach 150 million users worldwide, and that number continues to grow.  Though it may be hard to imagine where lawyers can use Facebook in a professional sense, there are many opportunities there.  I recommend signing up, adding your personal information and starting to search for and accumulate friends.  I would also recommend adding links to your blog, other networking sites in use, and your firm’s website.  If nothing else, this will add some extra online exposure for now.

Lawlink, JDSupra, and LegalOnRamp are some networking sites that are designed specifically for attorneys.  Each has a variety of services that you can take advantage of if you are a part of the network.  It can get a bit confusing to sign up for all of these networks, but I would recommend doing a little research and signing up for one or the other.  It will help you connect with other lawyers in your field and of similar interests.

There are a lot of things to consider when thinking of the future of legal networking.  These community sites that we discuss here will continue to add features that make it easier to practice law more efficiently and effectively.  The fact that these sites are designed for, and in a lot of ways by the users, means that they will continue to evolve into more complete services.  You can start to share and spread information among others in the legal community that you could never do in an offline environment.

For now, some of the basic things that you can use them for are simple discussions and promotion.  Use Facebook to promote your blog and other websites.  Use JDSupra to share articles or other works you authored.  Use Lawlink to discuss topics of interest with lawyers across the country.  Take advantage of whatever down time you have to get involved in these communities and you will uncover the many opportunities before you.

Where are we headed from here?  Next week we will discuss another great way to promote your blog and get involved with other bloggers, blog catalogs.  From there we will dive a little deeper into some of the networks, and learn more specifically how you can use them to grow your practice.

Past Installments of this Series:
Part One – Intro to Social Media for Attorneys
Part Two – Signing up for the Networks
Part Three – Using Blogs as an Information Source
Part Four – Start Blogging Today
Part Five – Introduction to Twitter
Part Six – Introduction to LinkedIn