According to a new survey from Findlaw, 54 percent of consumers say they would likely hire an attorney who is active on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This is particularly true for younger Americans – 69 percent between the ages of 18 and 44 would hire attorneys who are active on social media.
This is hardly surprising given the amount of time people spend online, with most of their time on social media sharing personal items, news, information, and commentary.
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).
Given these exchanges on social media, consumers are increasingly relying on social media when making purchasing decisions. The FindLaw survey found that 34 percent of consumers have already used social media to help them select a service provider, such a lawyer, plumber, or doctor. Nearly half — 48 percent of consumers 18-to-34 — have used social media this way.
People hire service providers, especially lawyers, based on trust and word of mouth. Social media enables lawyers to establish trust and a strong word of mouth reputation, whether a lawyer is discussing a legally related matter or something else.