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 13 of our blog series on social media for attorneys.  This week we will focus on the big picture.

Social media is exploding.  It is connecting people that would have never been connected in the past.  It is opening up dialogue on important issues that never made it to the mainstream.  It is giving everyone a voice, and at the same time, teaching people how to use that voice.

Evidence that social media is bigger than we all thought:

1. Politicians are on Twitter.  Some members of Congress have started to use Twitter as a tool to spread messages about policies, opinions, and even day to day activities in Washington.  Even Barack Obama’s campaign team used Twitter to help spread his message before the election.  Check to see who is doing it here, http://tweetcongress.org/.

2. Businesses are using Twitter.  Some large companies have seen the benefit of using Twitter to communicate directly with customers.  Comcast uses it to handle online complaints and customer service issues.  Dell uses it to announce special deals.  Zappos uses it to discuss business strategy, upcoming promotion, and answer all questions from their customers.  JetBlue uses it to discuss flight times and schedule changes.

3. CEO’s are Blogging.  Many large companies have instituted corporate blogs to communicate both internally, and externally.  CEO’s are writing blogs to keep the public informed about what the company is doing, offering a more open atmosphere allowing customers to give feedback and hold companies accountable for their actions.

4. Companies on Facebook.  Over 10,000 companies are now using Facebook in some way.  Some, like JetBlue, have created fan pages to interact with customers.  Some, like Burger King, have started advertising through web applications.  Some, like Lawline.com, have started using it as an excellent recruiting tool.

5. LinkedIn is a huge success.  With 2008 revenue at close to $100 Million and rumors about an IPO, LinkedIn has exploded among both individuals and companies.  People use it to network and find jobs, and companies pay to have profiles for recruiting and brand recognition purposes.  It is one of the first truly profitable social media services.

These are just a few examples of the way social media is changing the world.  It is easy to see here that the future is shifting to online platforms, and those that do not get involved, run the risk of getting left behind.  As lawyers, you have the opportunity to gain an edge in your profession, one that is notoriously slow to change.

Next week we will return the focus to you.  We will go over specific examples of interactions on blogs, how you can take advantage of them, and avoid some mistakes that many new bloggers make.

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
Part Seven – Networks as a Communication Tool
Part Eight – Submit Yourself to Blog Catalogs
Part Nine – Put Your PR Department to Work
Part Ten – Lend us your Comments
Part Eleven – Intro to Viral Marketing
Part Twelve – Answer Questions 2.0