Social Media Marketing for Law Firms
A practical guide to using LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and other platforms to build your firm's brand, generate referrals, and support your SEO strategy — all while staying SRA-compliant.
Social Media's Role in Legal Marketing
Social media alone won't fill your firm's client pipeline, but used strategically alongside SEO and other marketing channels, it plays a valuable supporting role. Social platforms help build brand awareness, establish individual solicitors as thought leaders, drive traffic to your website content, and maintain relationships with referral sources and former clients who may recommend your firm.
The key to effective legal social media marketing is understanding which platforms your target audience actually uses and what type of content resonates with them. A corporate law firm targeting business owners will find LinkedIn far more effective than Instagram, while a family law practice may find Facebook and local community groups more valuable. Don't try to be everywhere — focus your efforts on the one or two platforms where you can create the most impact.
Every social media post published by your firm or its solicitors must comply with SRA advertising rules. The informal nature of social media makes compliance breaches more likely, so it's essential to have clear guidelines and approval processes in place. See our SRA Compliance Guide for detailed advertising rules.
Platform-by-Platform Strategy
LinkedIn — Your Primary Platform
LinkedIn is the most important social platform for most UK law firms. It's where business professionals, in-house counsel, referral partners, and potential corporate clients spend their time. Focus on: sharing your firm's blog content and legal updates, publishing thought leadership articles by individual solicitors, engaging with industry discussions and commenting on relevant posts, connecting with other professionals in your referral network, and showcasing firm news, awards, and team achievements. Post 3-5 times per week and encourage individual solicitors to share and engage with firm content.
Facebook — Local & Consumer Law Firms
Facebook is most effective for law firms serving individual clients — family law, personal injury, criminal defence, wills and probate, and conveyancing. Use your Facebook page to share helpful legal information in accessible language, highlight community involvement, post client testimonials (with consent), and promote your latest guides and resources. Facebook's local targeting tools are also valuable for reaching potential clients in your geographic area.
X (Twitter) — News & Commentary
X is best suited for firms and solicitors who want to comment on legal news, policy developments, and current affairs. It's particularly effective for employment law, immigration, and commercial law firms where regulatory changes create timely commentary opportunities. The platform is also useful for engaging with journalists who may be looking for legal expert comments on breaking stories.
YouTube — Long-Form Education
Video content is increasingly valuable for legal marketing. Short explainer videos answering common legal questions can rank in both YouTube and Google search results, driving additional traffic and building trust through face-to-face communication. Even simple videos filmed on a phone by a qualified solicitor can perform well if the content is genuinely helpful and authoritative.
Content Ideas for Legal Social Media
Social Media & SEO Synergy
While social media links don't directly influence Google rankings (social links are typically nofollow), social media supports SEO in several indirect but important ways. Sharing your content on social platforms increases its visibility, which can lead to natural backlinks from people who discover and reference your content. Social profiles also rank in Google for branded searches, giving you more control over your firm's search results page.
Social media engagement signals may also influence how Google perceives the authority and relevance of your content, although Google has never confirmed this directly. Regardless, the traffic, brand awareness, and link acquisition benefits make social media a valuable complement to your SEO strategy. Read our blog strategy guide for content creation tips that work across both channels.