Law firms not making the most of social media, research finds

Recent research suggests that nearly half of the top 200 UK law firms have won business directly through social media engagement, though fewer than a quarter of these have so far integrated social media into their marketing strategies.

As reported by The Times, some firms have moved to engage with social media at an early stage, with technology and media specialist Olswang unsurprisingly among them. The firm has focused on LinkedIn and Twitter to empower its lawyers to communicate on behalf of the firm as individuals. However, other firms - including Freshfields Bruckaus Deringer and Linklaters - are also coming to appreciate the potential benefits of social media engagement, though so far they have been less willing to encourage their lawyers to use Twitter as individuals, perhaps mindful of the potential consequences of embarrassing mistakes on the platform. Still, the researchers, Byfield Consultancy, found that some 60% of firms spent less than five per cent of their marketing budgets on social media.

Allen & Overy has the most Twitter followers of the magic circle firms, with around 13,600. Fellow magic circle firm Clifford Chance has around 6,500 followers, while Freshfields has around 4,000. Linklaters has about 2,700 Twitter followers, while Slaughter and May, ever going its own way, currently has two Twitter followers.

Meanwhile, outside the magic circle, DLA Piper boasts an impressive 13,500 followers and Norton Rose Fulbright similar numbers of around 13,000 across its multiple Twitter accounts.

Byfield Consultancy managing director Gus Sellitto said: "Law firms recognise the value of social media and are beginning to embrace it, but there is still a lot of work to do before it becomes a sophisticated communications tool for them."