You may recall our post about Pinterest. Instagram, the photo- and micro-video–sharing site, is also evolving to become a formidable social network, boasting a global community of 150 million. If you’re wondering how to use Instagram marketing for your law firm, you’re not alone. While this social network is still largely a community of young people, like many social networks, the business world is continually experimenting to find ways to transform it into an effective marketing tool.

In fact, since businesses have begun flocking to Instagram, the social media platform has started the Instagram for Business Blog, which offers tips, brand spotlights, API examples and news from Instagram HQ. If your law firm is interested in experimenting with Instagram marketing, check out the blog to help you brainstorm some creative ideas.

Law firm Instagram ideas

While the verdict is still out on how law firms might be able to capitalize on this relatively new social platform, the following are some suggestions on how your law firm can begin practicing Instagram marketing.

  • Give followers a sense of your firm’s culture. You can create a firm photo essay, showcasing a day in the life of one of your attorneys or staff members. Not only will the story you tell be visually engaging, but it could also help your recruitment efforts.
  • Post print advertisements that your firm has created to get more out of your campaign. 
  • Present something new. Post photos of a new office, or new associates and partners.
  • Post interesting pictures that represent client successes. For example, if you work with Ford and have permission to use its name, develop a creative campaign to promote your work that includes pictures of classic Mustangs. 
  • Post pictures that showcase the firm’s activities outside of the office, such as charitable activities and firm outings.

Finally, last month, Instagram released a new embed feature for its desktop web browser version. Since you never know who will see your shares on a social networking platform, embed your Instagram video in your blog or website to extend the reach of your content.

Add your tags

TrackMaven, a competitive analysis firm, has released a study that shows how Fortune 500s are using Instagram and gives tips on leveraging the site. The study suggests that businesses using Instagram marketing can reap the benefits of content consumption not just during business hours, but in the evenings and on weekends, too.

Another interesting point in that study is that the number of hashtags correlate to the success of the content. Like Twitter, which also makes use of the symbol, hashtags on Instagram allow users to self-categorize content, which makes it easier to find information across the network.

“Looking at the interactions (the sum of likes and comments) per 1,000 followers compared to the number of hashtags used, there is a strong correlation to the number of hashtags used and effectiveness,” TrackMaven said in its report. Up to 5 hashtags had the highest average, at 21.21 interactions per 1,000 followers.

Adding tags to your photos and videos is a great way to attract new followers and share your posts with more people. But hashtags can be tricky. To get the most out of them, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind.

  1. Choose specific tags – Specific tags will help you connect with other like-minded people on Instagram.
  2. Describe your posts – Make it easy for other like-minded Instagrammers to find your brand by making sure your tags describe your post as specifically as possible.
  3. Be observant – Pay attention to the other hashtags used on posts that use the same tag as yours. You may discover a popular hashtag you hadn’t thought of on your own.

One last thing: If and when your law firm does decide to use Instagram, know that it’s not necessary to post every day. Post too often and you might overwhelm your followers’ feeds. It’s best to create a schedule to help you remember what to post when and to track what is working once you get started.

For more tips on how to manage your reputation in public, in the media and online, contact me at carcos@jaffepr.com.