Facebook is all the rage these days.  Every "social media expert", blog article, news outlet, etc. praises all the benefits of Facebook to small businesses.  Now don't get me wrong, I think Facebook has it's place in a law firm's marketing plan.  However, I want to present a couple of things you should think about before you start laying out large monthly spends to get all those new clients by advertising on Facebook.

Let's start out first with what Facebook does well before every "social media expert" out there bites my head off.

What Facebook Does Well

Facebook is a networking tool, perhaps the greatest "connecting" technology we have seen.  As the number of Facebook users continue to grow, it only provides more opportunity to forge new relationships.  Sharing your blog content, being active in groups, connecting to other professionals, setting up a firm business page, and providing relevant status updates can all lead to increased visibility, referrals, etc.  Facebook provides a platform where you can form new relationships and share your expertise.  It allows you to connect with people.

Why I Believe Their Ad Network Isn't Going To Be A Goldmine For You

The benefits of Facebook as a social connection tool do not necessarily translate into success with their ad network.

The success your firm will have with any ad network has everything to do with audience, intent, mind set, and how a user is interacting with a medium.  My problem with Facebook is that users lack the intent or receptiveness that have made other mediums so successful.

Take for instance, advertising on a search engine.  It works so well because people are actively looking for a product or service when using the search engine.  The intent exists.  Advertsing on television can be effective because people are in a passive mode.  They are consuming the medium but are not actively engaging with it.  Because of this, the interruption advertising can work because it fits in with their passive viewing.

Facebook lies somewhere in between.  The intent doesn't exist as it does with a search engine.  Most people are on Facebook to socialize with their friends and to network, not look for legal services.  They aren't in "business mode" as they might be on a search engine or a network like LinkedIn.  In addition, Facebook users are not passively consuming the content as a television viewer does.  Facebook users are actively engaged, clicking around, adding status updates, sharing content, etc.  They are not as likely to accept interruption style advertising, impeding on the activities they came to Facebook to accomplish.

Facebook advertising provides the ability to get your ad seen many times by a specific demographic.  This is great for big brand advertising (think Coke or McDonalds).  However, for a local firm looking to generate clients, you should be less concerned with advertising that builds "brand awareness" and spend more time looking for avenues that generate clients.  I just don't see how Facebook advertising, in it's current form, can accomplish this on a consistent basis.

I'd love to read some comments of instances where Facebook ads provided a profitable, consistent return for your law firm.