Law Practice SEO with Multiple Lawyers

[Czubmeister]

I am working with a friend of mine who is a lawyer. He has one partner and a couple of other lawyers at the firm. The attorneys each have their own Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin ,Youtube and other social media accounts. I am trying to create one brand, which is the name of the law firm.

Question 1:

It would make sense to me to create all social media accounts under the law firm name. Would you agree on this?   I'm worried that users wouldn't use the company facebook page if they are used to communicating to the attorney through their personal accounts.

Maybe I should put the social media links for the firm on the home page only and then put the individual social media links next to the attorney profile page?

Question 2:

The firm has been posting Youtube videos but under one of the attorney's names. I have 16 new videos they want posted and they asked me if they should be posted to a new company name channel (yet to be created) or post them under one of the attorneys accounts?

I think that most attorneys might look out for themselves ahead of the Firm. If they ever change jobs, they don't have a built up social profile if everything is listed under the firm name.

Maybe the way to go would be to help optimize both the attorneys personal profiles and then the firm?

Thoughts?

[RobertFisher]

It is better than the profession not getting old... The profession, for me, is one in which you are continually learning, by virtue of that you never get old...

Best to you, LMK if I can help.

[Czubmeister]

Thanks for the info Robert. Just finished a night of uploading videos for my client to their new YouTube channel I just setup. Spent a bunch of hours scouring a ton of websites making sure I optimized the videos... doing my due diligence.

I really appreciate your  help. This is my first big client and what is good about it is that they need absolutely everything. Having to learn about setting up all the social media, web content and.. well you know... There is a ton of stuff to learn and I love it! I think that this is one profession that will never get  old!

-Bob

[RobertFisher]

Robert

We deal with a few law firms and I can understand all your concerns. Understand that some of these need to be answered by the partners though. (If I am paying an associate, I do not want them advertising themselves as per se I want them working for the firm. Now on to your questions:

Social Media - For most, I would say be careful with them mixing their personal facebook, etc with their professional. I recommend what you have there with links from the home page. I would not recommend having associates with links to their personal from the firm site.

YouTube: Post it to the firm and give attribution to the individual attorney. Again, you need to get the partners in on this discussion. The associates are working for the firm and unless the partners want the other, you are in the middle of an issue at some point.

Here is where you can make everyone win though: Google Places, Bing Business Portal, Yahoo Local: Do an owner verified for the firm and for each attorney in the firm. Then do as much as you can with the citation sites as well. This will be good for all.

Hope it helps you out.