Do lawyers need to manage their online reputation?  According to an ABA article, a reputation expert opined at the recent ABA Annual Meeting that good work is not enough if a lawyer's positive achievements don't show up among the top results in a Google search of the lawyer's name.  The article reports on a panel discussion that noted how a negative result in a Google search for a particular lawyer will reduce the probability that a client will contact that lawyer.  The problem, however, is that many lawyers may not be aware that they are losing business opportunities due to negative online search results.  The panel concluded that carefully managing one's reputation online as a lawyer has become essential.

Lawyers should be using Google alerts (whether by e-mail or by RSS) to monitor what is being said about them on the Internet, and to respond to things that may be negative or inaccurate.  Likewise, lawyers should be monitoring and responding to what is being said about them on Twitter.  Simply ignoring the "online conversation" has become dangerous for lawyers.  Effective legal marketing now requires active monitoring and managing of the online and social media conversation about you and your legal practice.

Are you monitoring your online reputation?  I welcome your comments below on how lawyers can manage their reputation on the Internet and in social media.

In my last post, I discussed the importance of podcasting for lawyers.  But starting a podcast is easier said than done.  Having launched two podcasts that are currently active, I am well aware of the steep learning curve in learning how to podcast.

My secret weapon in learning to podcast was a course called Podcast Secrets, which is taught by Paul Colligan.  Only through the morning of June 14, 2010, Paul has opened up the current version of that course: Podcast Secrets 3.0.  I recommend that you listen to Paul's free audio on the "Seven Deadly Sins" that podcasters make and then decide whether his course is for you: Podcast Secrets 3.0.  Yes, that is my affiliate link for the course, but whether you sign up for the course through that link or on your own, my experience is that it is well worth it.

I have written in the past about marketing for law firms through podcasting, but not many law firms are doing it, and the subject deserves a second look.  While some law firms utilize seminars, articles, newsletters, e-mail newsletters or blog posts to promote themselves, podcasting is arguably a more effective method.

The problem with seminars and articles is that they are usually a one-time event, or they may occur once or several times a year.  One-time marketing events are often less fruitful than regular and consistent marketing to the same audience.  By contrast to seminars and articles, podcasting allows lawyers to connect with their audience on a regular basis.  For example, an attorney could publish a podcast every week or every two weeks and be constantly "in contact" with the audience.  While newsletters, e-mail newsletters and blog posts can allow for the same type of frequency, they arguably do not allow clients and potential clients to feel the same level of connection that would be possible with an audio or video podcast.

When a client or potential client receives your podcast, you will often be leveraging the power of iTunes.  The client or potential client will then be carrying around your audio or video podcast on their iPod, iPhone, or other mobile listening device.  Downtime in the car can become audio podcast listening time and an opportunity for learning and getting to know you better.  If a client or potential client is watching your video podcast, the result can be powerful as the client or potential client comes to know, like and trust you.

Podcasting is not limited to audio and video files, but can also include PDFs.  Thus, an attorney can use iTunes to broadcast audios, videos, and PDFs to clients and potential clients.  In addition, the videos that an attorney may broadcast need not be limited to videos of the attorney speaking in front of a camera, but can also include videos of PowerPoint presentations narrated by the attorney.

Although there is a learning curve, and although it can be time-consuming, lawyers should consider whether starting a podcast makes sense.  In terms of effective and consistent marketing and content creation, the rewards can be great.

I welcome your comments below on lawyers and podcasting.

Can a law firm with almost 70 lawyers receive no U.S. Mail on a business day?  The answer is "yes."  A friend of mine with a mid-sized law firm in a major metropolitan area in the U.S. recently told me that to his astonishment, his law firm had received no U.S. Mail on Wednesday, April 21, 2010!  While I believe that my similar-sized Utah law firm has not yet had a "no-U.S. Mail" day on a business day, I would not be surprised if it were to happen.

For almost 70 attorneys and their staff to receive no U.S. Mail on a business day is a "sign of the times."  With electronic filing and service in the courts, electronic subscriptions to periodicals, RSS and e-mail, lawyers have much less use for U.S. Mail than they used to.  While attorneys sometimes lag behind in their adoption of Web 2.0 and new technology, it is clear that lawyers are moving toward "paper-less" offices.  Not only is using less paper considerably more "green" for lawyers, but it is more efficient.

Has your law firm or law office ever had a no-U.S. Mail day?  I welcome your comments.

Whether lawyers should be using the iPad is a question raised by Apple's recent release of its newest gadget.  I must confess that I am an iPhone user, and that I am intrigued by the possibilities of the iPad.  The iPad fits into the category of devices generally occupied by "netbook" computers: smaller, lighter and more portable laptop computers.  The iPad is arguably meant to supplant or dominate the netbook marketplace.

From my experience with recent travels to Alabama for a legal case in which I was involved, the idea of a carrying around a smaller laptop is appealing.  Lugging a standard laptop computer through airport security and onto an airplane is not a fun process.  Having a smaller laptop device would make travel easier.  The extended battery life of the iPad (about 10 hours) also makes the iPad attractive for long flights or for sitting in an airport.

However, one of the major advantages of the iPad appears to be the cost.  While the cost of the hardware is relatively reasonable, the cost of the 3G data plan is about half of what it might cost on a regular netbook.  Most significantly, an iPad user can simply use the 3G network on a monthly basis, without being locked into a long-term contract.  Thus, if an attorney had a case or a transaction in a distant city and simply needed 3G access for a period of a month or two, the iPad could be a great option.

Laptops and smartphones used to be seen as unnecessary for lawyers; today they're practically a necessity.  Will iPads and netbooks also become viewed as a necessity for lawyer and law firm productivity?

I welcome your comments.

Due to popular demand, here are my social media/new media predictions for 2010 on marketing for lawyers and law firms:

• Smartphones and the mobile web will become more important for law firms and lawyers
• Law firms will increasingly optimize their websites to be more functional with iPhones and other smartphones
• In increasing numbers, law firms and lawyers will switch to the iPhone
• Some progressive law firms will create their own iPhone apps and other apps
• In increasing numbers, law firms will create their own Facebook pages
• Twitter usage among lawyers will increase
• An increasing number of progressive law firms will launch their own podcasts
• An increasing number of progressive law firms will create their own YouTube channels
• Law firm marketing directors and marketing committees will seeks ways to educate their lawyers on implementation of social media

Please share your feedback below on my social media predictions, along with your own predictions.

Would legal marketing be easier if you were contractually obligated - to yourself - to do so?  How effective would your client development efforts be if you would be required to pay cash if you failed to meet your marketing goals?  One of the biggest obstacles to legal marketing is is the time commitment it requires.  Attorneys are generally busy, due to billable hours, case demands, transactional demands, and other obligations.  The result is that many lawyers fail to engage in any meaningful business development.  Yet neglecting this aspect of practicing law usually creates problems down the road.  As one marketer has emphasized, engaging in marketing activity every day is crucial - especially when one is busy.  So what is the solution for busy lawyers?

One relatively new company allows you to enter into a contract with yourself.  At StickK.com (founded in February of 2008), you can enter into a "Commitment Contract" - e.g., to obtain a law marketing goal - and create an incentive for yourself to reach that goal by agreeing that a certain entity or individual you choose will receive a certain sum of money if you fail to achieve that goal.  StickK takes credit card information from registrants and will transmit your money to your designated recipient (minus fees and costs) if you fail to keep your commitment to yourself.  According to TechCrunch, (1) users of StickK are on the rise, with approximately 42,000 registrants; and (2) the system of committing, reporting, and putting money at risk appears to be effective, with an 80% success rate.

If you're not currently achieving your law marketing goals, you may want to consider gaining leverage on yourself by putting your money where your mouth is and using StickK.

Disclosure: I haven't personally used StickK, but the concept is intriguing.  Has anyone used StickK or a similar system?

Lawyers should consider using Google Trends as a legal marketing tool.  Google's Hot Trends lists the most popular Internet searches during an hour-long period.  However, up until recently, you had to navigate to Google Trends to obtain a display of the most popular 100 searches.  As of a couple of days ago, those searching on Google will now see a graph at the bottom of the page whenever they happen to type in a search for one of the top 100 searches.  The feature (only available for now in the U.S. and Japan) also provides additional information concerning the query's popularity, rate of rise, etc.  Although Google now restricts to 40 the number of entries given on the homepage of Hot Trends (down from 100 items), the graph and trend information currently appear at the bottom of the search engine results page (SERP) for a particular Google search that matches a top 100 search.

Here's an example from a search I conducted this evening regarding "Google Wave:"

So, what does this mean for lawyers?  Providing a steady stream of quality content for consumption by clients and prospective clients — in the form of written content, audio content, and video content — is becoming more and more important for attorneys.  Fresh content on a legal blog or website brings more traffic and visitors to the site, and it also provides a reason for readers to continue subscribing to the blog or visiting the site.  When appropriate, lawyers should incorporate trending, "top 100" search terms in their blog posts or website content; the traffic from doing so can be well worth the effort of paying attention to, and incorporating, popular search terms when appropriate.  Of course, the key is for lawyers to incorporate popular search terms only when it makes sense.  Being aware of such terms, however, is of benefit to lawyers as they craft content for their websites, blogs, podcasts, etc.

By the way, speaking of Google Wave (referenced above), I'm hoping for an invitation.

I welcome your comments below.

Which Twitter tools for lawyers should you be using?  The inaugural episode of my new audio show, Legal Marketing Live, has the answers.

I welcome your comments below, or on Legal Marketing Live, regarding which Twitter tools you believe are essential or helpful for lawyers.

Which Twitter dashboards should lawyers be using?  As Twitter grows in popularity among the business community and among lawyers, the need for managing a Twitter account or multiple Twitter accounts becomes more pressing.  Some attorneys post to Twitter directly from the Web.  But if you are using Twitter strategically or spending a significant amount of time on Twitter, using a Twitter dashboard can be helpful.

A Twitter dashboard is a third-party application that allows users to keep track of various subsets of Twitter postings.  For example, a Twitter dashboard may have separate columns showing all of your Twitter stream, all responses to your tweets or references to your name, all direct messages, and all of your sent tweets.  In addition, you can set up columns to follow favorite users or to track certain keywords.

Some Twitter dashboards are desktop applications, while others are Web-based.  While some of the desktop applications are very good, my preference is to have a Web-based dashboard, so as to be able to access it from any computer.

My current favorite among Twitter dashboards is HootSuite because it is Web-based, it has a user-friendly interface, and most importantly, it allows me to post (through ping.fm) to multiple sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.  I also like TweetDeck as a desktop Twitter dashboard.

What is your Twitter dashboard of choice?