Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners

Should Solos And Smalls Advertise On Facebook?

The power of Facebook.

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Seven years ago, I ran a quick experiment to evaluate whether Facebook advertising might work for solo and small law firms. I advertised a seminar — Part Time Shingle which drew modest results — and I concluded that the benefits of using Facebook for ads were at best “meh.”

Of course, back then, Facebook had a scant 350 million monthly users — mostly in the sub-35-year-old demographic — who primarily used the site to post photos and comment and like friends’ sites. Fast forward to 2017 and all that has changed. Facebook has quintupled in size, with a whopping 2 billion monthly users. What’s more, usage has also also evolved: 1.74 billion users engage Facebook through mobile devices, and share news articles and other content in addition to photos and personal commentary. The average amount of time spent per Facebook visit is around 20 minutes.

The demographics of Facebook users have changed. Although the 18-35 demographic is still the most dominant on Facebook, increasingly older folks are coming on board. According to  Pew Internet Reports, as of 2017, 61 percent of the population aged 50-64 now uses Facebook regularly.

On a personal note, I know that my own usage of Facebook has evolved significantly since that experiment back in 2010. These days, Facebook — as much as Twitter — is a source of news stories and blog posts from my community. I’ve grown accustomed to the ads and while, granted, they sometimes can annoy me, I’ve also learned about and registered for several useful seminars and programs through ads that have come through my feed.

All of these changes have led me to realize that Facebook advertising might benefit solo and small firm lawyers in marketing to clients.

When it comes to solo and small firm marketing, Facebook has a number of built-in advantages. First, Facebook has a powerful advertising platform that enables users to target specific audiences with laser-like precision — by age, gender, and other interests. Second, Facebook allows users to set a daily cost for ads — a benefit to solo and small firms who don’t have unlimited marketing budgets. Third, advertising on Facebook allows solo and small firm lawyers to take advantage of the network effect. In other words, even if your ad reaches someone who may not have a direct need for your services, it is likely that the recipient may forward the ad to a friend.

I’ve taken a short course on Facebook advertising (and in fact, I found it so useful that I’m sponsoring a similar program through my site). But here are a couple of very basic tips to get the most out of your campaign:

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  1. Use engaging images with your ads. Facebook ads aren’t very large, so you have to make the most of the ones you choose. There’s even a science to the photo-to-text ratio. Here’s a great resource from Hubspot on how to choose the right visual for your Facebook ad.
  2. Match the voice to your audience. Using Urban Dictionary language isn’t likely to appeal to an older crowd, while formal language and 6-syllable words may drive younger folks away. Facebook offers some tips on the kind of copy that will attract your target audience.
  3. Make your ads relevant: Facebook ads are easy to change, so there’s no reason for them not to be timely. If a holiday is coming up, try a holiday-themed ad or special offer (i.e., Ring in the New Year With a Small Business Audit). Here are some examples of relevant Facebook ads that worked.
  4. Make them an offer they can’t refuse. Take the Godfather’s advice when it comes to Facebook ads. Don’t just circulate an ad, but offer something to your audience — a free webinar, a checklist or a short guide or ebook. Your prospects may not have an immediate need for your services, but if you give them something to use now, they’ll be more likely to contact you down the road.

The Internet world changes so quickly that five years from now, Facebook ads may either be obsolete or so expensive that they’re outside solo and small firm budgets. So even as you dip your toes into Facebook advertising, you still need to keep your eye on the horizon for whatever comes next.

Carolyn ElefantCarolyn Elefant has been blogging about solo and small firm practice at MyShingle.comsince 2002 and operated her firm, the Law Offices of Carolyn Elefant PLLC, even longer than that. She’s also authored a bunch of books on topics like starting a law practice, social media, and 21st century lawyer representation agreements (affiliate links). If you’re really that interested in learning more about Carolyn, just Google her. The Internet never lies, right? You can contact Carolyn by email at [email protected]or follow her on Twitter at @carolynelefant.

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