A New Statistical Feature is Unveiled for LinkedIn Groups

Your professional network is calling you on LinkedIn - and if you haven't joined the discussions yet, now is the perfect time.

LinkedIn has made its Groups feature even more worth your while by unveiling a new statistics dashboard that offers a serious look at each LinkedIn group's demographics, growth and activity.

This is an excellent resource for lawyers or any active online business networker who uses or might consider participating in specific groups to meet other people in their industry.

"The new group statistics "provide visibility into the types of professionals in a particular group and the level and shape of the conversation," says LinkedIn principal product manager Ian McCarthy.

In the demographics view, you can see information about the seniority level, function/role, location, and industry of the professionals in a particular group. This is valuable for a networking professional because it provides "easy visibility into the types of expertise and functions of people in any given group, who is in your region or a region where your service is looking to expand, and whether the group is composed of the desired mix of senior, middle and entry-level professionals," McCarthy says.

When you click on the growth tab you can see how a group's membership has grown over time, and the activity tab shows how regularly members start and contribute to discussions. It also displays recent job and promotion counts for the group. LinkedIn says a large number of promotions can indicate that the group is being actively moderated by managers and members.

Never before has there been this much value in LinkedIn. It's the perfect place to exchange ideas and perspectives, extend relationships, and develop new ones.

I'll see you over there!

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Useful Posting Techniques for Your Facebook Business Page

Last week I discussed the lifeline of a Facebook post, and today I will address the technique of Facebook posting.

Posting on Facebook is a serious topic for online marketers. To get your message seen and your voice heard, you have to know know where, when, and how to post properly.

In a report called Engagement and Interaction: A Scientific Approach to Facebook Marketing, Momentus Media provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about Facebook posting techniques.

1. When's the best time to post?

While weekends and off-peak hours from 2pm to 5am are the times when page admins are least likely to add a new post, those are the posts that receive the highest interaction rates. Thursdays, on the other hand, shoulder the highest number of postings during the week and the lowest interaction rate.

2. How many times should I post per day?

You’d think too many posts would offend your followers but the report suggests frequent posting increases interaction. As you might suspect, fewer posts reduce the chances users will see them. And while unsubscribe rates go up after three posts per day, they level off at higher frequencies.

If you're a frequent poster, make sure the content you publish is valuable to your fans.

3. What type of content elicits the most interaction?

Photos generate the highest interaction rate for the six varieties of content, with status updates ranking No. 2. Others -- in descending order -- include video, music and links. Photos rank at the top because they’re visual, easy to digest and they elicit emotion.

4. Should I ask my fans questions?

You’d think that by asking questions you’d get a better interaction rate, but such is not the case. However, Facebook page admins looking to achieve the highest comment rate should pose questions and then directly ask for fans to reply with comments.

5. How long should my status messages be? 

While there’s a higher posting rate for shorter posts (especially those that stay within the 140-character limit for cross-posting purposes on both Twitter and Facebook), interaction increases as the length of the status message increases.

6. How long do my messages remain in the Newsfeed?

For this answer, please read my earlier article called Social Media Marketing: Understanding the Lifeline of a Facebook Post.

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How Long will a Facebook Post Attract Comments and Likes?

It's a question that has crossed many of our minds, "How long will people see my status update? A few hours? A day? A week?"

While questioning the lifeline of a Facebook status update may seem pretty insignificant, it's really not - especially with regard to social media marketing.

Lawyers and other professionals who continually update their Facebook business pages want to know how long their posts are going to attract precious comments and likes.

According to Jeff Widman, co-founder of PageLever, a Mountain View, Calif.-based startup that makes analytics and metrics tools for Facebook pages, you have very limited time to make a mark on Facebook. Whether you're promoting a blog post or introducing a new service, it's important to know that status updates don't remain in the Facebook newsfeed for long. In fact, Widman says that devising a timing strategy for how often to post new items to your Facebook business page should be a priority.

So, how does a person craft such a timetable for Facebook?

Widman offers this guide:

• The average lifetime of a post in the Facebook Newsfeed is 22 hours and 51 minutes for comments and Likes, and 28 hours and 57 minutes for per-post impressions. 
• The standard deviation of hours of posting ranged from a minimum of 10 hours and 42 minutes for comments and Likes and 11 hours and 29 minutes for per-post impressions. 

Timing matters on Facebook because one status update that's visible to your fans on the Newsfeed is really all you want at one time. Any more and you may annoy your Facebook fans. Any less and you may be forgotten.

Facebook is a great medium for social media marketing, so please use it wisely.

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Smart Ways to Standout on Twitter

If you use Twitter, chances are you've seen a hashtag. Twitter hashtags are a way for users to organize their tweets in specific topics. The most popular hashtags are conferences, events, natural disasters - and jokes.

Before you start using hashtags, it's best to know what the current popular hashtags are. Hashtag trends on Twitter come and go, so to use your hashtags effectively, it's important to keep up with the trends. There are several online resources that will tell you which hashtags are popular at any given moment, like:

• What the Trend
• Twubs
• Hashtags.org
• Tagalus

It makes sense for a business to hashtag their tweets about conferences and events that they are attending so that their tweets will pop up in the feed of people following these popular hashtags.  But professionals can take it even further and research niche hashtags related to their specialty.

If you start to use a niche hashtag, make sure to briefly explain your hashtag in a single tweet so that others know what the hashtag means.

It's important not to appear too spammy on Twitter, so don't put too many hashtags into one tweet. Stick to two or three at the most. Using hashtags inside your tweet instead of attaching it at the end will save space in your tweets.  And, from time to time, have some of your tweets be hashtag-free so you look like a human online rather than a tagging robot.

#FindMeOnTwitter @GainYourGoals!

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The Most Important Skill in Social Media

Use this Skill to Connect to Your Target Audience Online

Want to know a secret?

Listening is the single most important skill in social media.

Why?

Because if and when potential clients acknowledge that you're listening, you immediately strengthen your relationships with them.  By listening, you make your audience feel like they are being heard - and that makes them very happy.

Listening will also help you better understand how people might use your legal service. You can use this information to make critical changes to your offerings and to how you communicate about them. You can also uncover new opportunities you hadn't thought of!

Listening keeps your finger on the pulse of your clients.

How to Listen

There are a lot of free ways to listen to what people are saying online.

If you're new to social listening, try these free tools first:

• Google alerts.
• Technorati blog search.
• Twitter search.
• Facebook search.
• YouTube search.
• TweetBeep.

If you go to any social network and type a phrase into the search box, you will see what people are saying using that keyword in real time.

Consider social listening the ultimate focus-group tool. It's practically free and available to you 24/7!

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Get a Professional Snapshot of Your Facebook Friend Network 

There is a new Facebook application out and it looks awfully similar to LinkedIn.

It's called Talent.me.

What Does it Do?

Talent.me is a career networking service on Facebook. Just sign up using your Facebook login and you can access inside professional connections within your social network.

Once you've started using Talent.me, the app will appear in the left bar on your Facebook profile.

Yes, you need a Facebook account to register to use it.

No, the app does not import your Facebook status updates and photos. Talent.me is strictly about professional networking, not social.

Why Use it?

This is the first big application that lets Facebook users actually focus more on their professional connections.

Find out things like:

• Which companies your friends have worked for.
• If any of your friends work at a company where you would like to get a job.

Talent.me will give you a professional snapshot of your entire friend network - and allows you to leverage that network and make it work for your career.

Ready to get started?

Visit Talent.me and see what the app can do for you.

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What is does the +1 icon mean, and what relevance does it have for lawyers?

Google+ is Google’s newest social network. It has features similar to Facebook, but with a few more advantages. For instance, by dividing your contacts into Circles, you can segregate your audience. When you publish a post, you get to choose who sees it. When would this come in handy? Say you post an announcement about new billing options in your firm. You may only want to show clients and team members — not your colleagues (competitors). Circles let you choose who sees what. You can do the same thing on Facebook, but it’s more difficult and time consuming.

Another difference is the Huddle feature. Let’s say you and your friends are planning a getaway. With Huddle, all of your pals can join a live chat on their phones and text their input as you plan the trip. It happens in real time.

What Does It Look Like Inside Google?

Once you’re inside Google+, navigating the network is easy. As with other social networks, you simply complete your profile, upload photos, and invite friends. Be sure to follow friends as well so you can promote activity on your stream, which is the equivalent to your Facebook wall.

What Does Google+ Mean to Businesses?

As a business professional, you need to know more about that little +1 button. It’s where social networking and search engine marketing come together.

Google+ users have the option of +1’ing or plus-one-ing websites they like. Google takes plus-ones seriously. The more plus-ones a site has, the more weight Google gives it in search. For this reason alone, you should put the free +1 button on every website and blog you own, then plus-one your sites. Ask friends, family, employees, colleagues, and clients to +1 your sites, as well. A counter by your +1 button will show how many people have plus-one-d your site.

Ready to jump on the bandwagon?

Take the Google+ Tour today at www.google.com/+/demo/.

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How is Your Firm Represented on Twitter?

Learning how to navigate Twitter doesn't happen overnight. It takes time to understand how to promote your firm and interact with clients and colleagues.

Some tweet better than others. But, ultimately, your firm's style of tweeting could make or break your chances of noticed. Why? Because tweeting styles reveal a lot about a firm's culture, its attitude toward social media, and what it may think about its clients in general.

Dan Frommer recently offered some insightful comparisons in a post called What Your Company's Twitter Account Says about You.

Take a look at some of his examples and see where your firm fits in.

Your Twitter: An automated list of headlines and links to your site, blog, etc.

What it says: The firm doesn't care about interacting with our clients, at least not on Twitter. We just want you to visit our website, where we might also not want to interact with you.

Your Twitter: Mostly retweets of nice things that other people are saying about you.

What it says: The firm doesn't have anything interesting to say, and we don't care about you, or we wouldn't be spamming you.

Your Twitter: Mostly apologies for terrible service, and cues to call/email the appropriate people at the firm.

What it says: The firm is committed to outstanding service and client communication.

Your Twitter: An engaging feed clearly written by people, including a good mix of news, tips, deals, contests, photos/video and basic customer support.

What it says: We're here in earnest and we care. And in exchange for giving us some of your attention, we're going to reward you, or try to make you feel special.

Do you get a sense of which Twitter account is best? Obviously #4 is the most engaging. Take a cue from some other leading Twitter accounts run by law firms, and see which one may be the perfect model for your own firm.

Follow Top Lawyer Coach on Twitter and Facebook!

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5 Social Networks that are Worth Your Time

From a professional standpoint, many lawyers look at social networks and say, "Why bother?" Unfortunately these lawyers may be missing the boat when it comes to business development.

There are conversations going on RIGHT NOW on social networks that, if you joined, could help you showcase your legal expertise, meet potential clients, and generate business leads.

The key, though, is to not waste your valuable time on nonsense networks. Here are the top five social networks to devote your online legal marketing efforts.

1. LinkedIn.

Around a million lawyers have profiles on LinkedIn. Are you one of them? If not, then it's time to join.

LinkedIn is valuable for connecting with clients and referral sources, and getting in touch with new people you would like to meet face-to-face.

Here are a few other business-generating tools you can use on LinkedIn.

• Seek recommendations. When your client is delighted with the outcome of a case or completion of a deal, ask him or her to visit your profile and make a recommendation. This is a testimonial that can be a very powerful marketing tool.
• Join a Group. This is where the action happens on LinkedIn. You can find a group for your practice area, an association you belong to, or an industry where you would like more clients.
• Start discussions. Every group has online discussions, giving you a chance to demonstrate your expertise. Pick a hot topic of the day and ask for opinions. By starting a discussion, you are positioning yourself as a leader.
• Make comments. LinkedIn will e-mail you a current list of discussions underway. This is your chance to get involved and offer a comment. But, don't give a legal opinion or you'll attract unintended client relationships. Also, do not express a legal opinion which may conflict with a position your firm is taking in a brief for a client. Simply stick to facts -- news, new opinions, new regulations and new accomplishments.
• Build connections. Whenever you speak to a client, referral source, prospect or news person, get their e-mail address and invite them to connect to you.

2. JDSupra.

This social network lets you market the old-fashioned way: with your work-product. You can upload briefs, court opinions, forms and articles, which will allow you to create a profile. In-house lawyers and potential clients can search JDSupra for free; when they find your document, they will click to see your profile and potentially call you. You can tag a brand new ruling or alert as a "hot doc," designed for the media to notice it.

3. LawMarketing Listserv.

This is the original e-mail discussion group devoted to law firm marketing. There is an annual fee, and as a result it attracts an elite membership of marketers and attorneys. The members discuss strategy, tactics, quick questions, and product opinions. Members get invitations from editors to write articles, offers to review books which they get to keep, and the first notice of job openings.

4. Martindale-Hubbell Connected.

All of the members on this site are lawyers (and some in-house marketers) and every member is authenticated. (On Twitter and Facebook anyone can pick a name, including yours, and open an account.) Any lawyer can join Connected, regardless of whether you have a Martindale-Hubbell listing.

5. Legal OnRamp.

This is an online social network for GCs and in-house lawyers. Lawyers in private practice can visit the site and request an invitation to join. It's a site of potential clients, where GCs can ask questions, search lawyer profiles and share best practices. There are groups, discussion boards, search function, and access to Lex Mundi and Eversheds surveys. Interestingly, corporations are inviting lawyers to seek work from them by using Legal OnRamp.

Remember, the goal of using social networks is to not meet a group of online buddies, but to build your business and market yourself. And, once your online networks are established, set up a time to meet some of your contacts face-to-face. Online networking will never replace the value of an in-person encounter.

More resources from Top Lawyer Coach:

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Courtesy: Lifehacker

LinkedIn has no doubt transformed the way we connect with colleagues, clients, and prospects. But, if you ever wondered what your network really looks like - and find out who's connected to whom - now you can!

The professional social networking site is helping us visualize our networks with what they call InMaps.

LinkedIn launched InMaps in January as an experimental project that lets users visualize the connections within their professional networks. InMaps technology filters through a users connections to see how everyone knows each other – and then groups people together into network clusters based on their associations.

InMaps can show you who the major connections and influencers are in your network. People with bigger dots and larger fonts have more connections – and typically more influence.

The InMaps application has the potential to help professionals branch out and raise their profiles within certain network clusters. For instance, with the help of InMaps, you can make targeted recommendations based on the most influential people identified.

Check it out and see what InMaps reveals about your own professional network. What you see may surprise you.

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