EAGAN, Minn. – As social media increasingly becomes part of people’s daily lives, a majority of consumers say it plays a major role in deciding which attorney to hire, according to new survey from FindLaw.

A majority of consumers say they would be likely to hire an attorney who has an active presence on social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The FindLaw survey found that 84 percent of American adults use at least one form of social media, with Facebook being the most popular (73 percent), followed by Instagram (28 percent), Twitter (27 percent), Pinterest (24 percent), LinkedIn (21 percent) and SnapChat (16 percent).

More than half of consumers – 54 percent – say they would be likely to hire an attorney who is active on social media. This is particularly true for younger consumers – seven out of ten people (69 percent) between the ages of 18 and 44 would hire attorneys who are active on social media.

This is not surprising, given that consumers are relying more and more on social media when making purchasing decisions. The FindLaw survey found that one-third of consumers (34 percent) have already used social media to help them select a local service provider, such a lawyer, plumber or doctor.  Nearly half (48 percent) of consumers 18-to-34 have used social media this way.

“Consumers are increasingly using it to inform their decisions on hiring service providers such as attorneys,” said Mark Jacobsen, senior director of Strategic Development and Thought Leadership at FindLaw. “Having a strong social media presence helps professionals to show that they are actively looking to engage prospective clients, and to demonstrate their expertise, knowledge and experience. Social media, in its many forms, has become an important part of the fabric of our daily lives, and attorneys need to make it an integral part of their marketing efforts.”

FindLaw has issued a white paper that provides additional research on why consumers find social media so valuable in hiring an attorney, as well as information on how firms should actively manage their social media. From Novelty to Necessity; Pragmatic Social Media for Law Firms can be downloaded at: https://www.lawyermarketing.com/white-papers/from-novelty-to-necessity/

The FindLaw survey was conducted using a survey of a demographically balanced sample of 1,000 American adults and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4 percent.

FindLaw
FindLaw, part of Thomson Reuters, is a leading provider of business development solutions for small law firms. Through its team of legal marketing experts, FindLaw drives the industry by delivering a comprehensive portfolio of proven online and offline marketing solutions designed to connect law firms with targeted prospective clients. FindLaw is also home to the largest online directory of lawyers and FindLaw.com (www.FindLaw.com), the most popular legal website with more than eight million people visiting each month for free information about a legal topic, to solve a legal problem or to find a lawyer.

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