Instagram can frustrate law firms. You may have tried to get an account going, enjoyed early success, then saw the growth stall, and you want to start growing again. Perhaps you have yet to open an account, and you want some Instagram tips for law firms to start off on the right foot.

The trick to creating a successful Instagram for your law firm is to decode the algorithm to ensure that it is pushing your content to potential clients and gaining you followers and interactions.

Here are ten Instagram tips for law firms to build a real following on the platform…

#1: Prioritize engagement 

The main objective of any business account on Instagram is to reach the maximum number of users and to draw them to your page. In order to do this, law firms, like any other business, should focus on prioritizing engagement. Most of the steps within this list will build on this one golden Instagram rule: engage, engage, engage.

Prioritizing engagement and enacting methods to increase it boosts your profile and gives it the potential to be seen by a wider audience. 

The algorithm will find your content more desirable if more people interact with it; more people interacting means more accounts that your content will reach. 

What are some ways to increase engagement? The next nine Instagram tips for law firms are built on this main idea! Keep reading for how to create content people want to like, share, and comment.

#2: Find your community and then focus on your audience

Social media is one of the most effective tools to connect with your community, and Instagram is no exception. 

Being able to identify and understand your community/audience is key to knowing the content they will want to interact with. Instagram gives you the ability to create your own community; you can attract or deter different groups of people with your content. Be sure to be intentional in what you post, especially if you are trying to attract a specific or niche audience. 

Though the world of social media is largely fabricated, users still appreciate authenticity. So be genuine in your intentions of what your page is about, and people will follow.

#3: Create a cohesive, clean look

Humans are naturally drawn to things that are visually appealing; in fact, there are specific areas of the brain dedicated to appreciating aesthetics.  In the age of social media, aesthetics matter even more than they did as our species was evolving.

When your Instagram page has a look or scheme that flows, it encourages users to spend more time on your page and read or watch what you have to say. If the page appears disorganized, users may find it unappealing and immediately click off.

The key to an aesthetically pleasing page is to use good quality images, a general color scheme (which doesn’t need to be strict), and diversified content (this can be a mixture of quotes, images, and infographics). 

Use creative thinking to build the identity of your law firm and how you want to be perceived.

 

#4: Keep captions short and sweet

Despite Instagram’s constantly evolving purpose, it is still a photo app at heart. Potential clients don’t come to a law firm’s Instagram to read; that’s what websites are for. 

When curating captions, be sure to keep them short, sweet, and most importantly, concise. Get across what you need to without turning the caption into a novel.

Captions can also help to increase engagement between you and your followers. A call to action can encourage your followers to share something about themselves or their experiences or it can be a relevant, genuine question. 

Comments can increase traffic on your page and help your audience to feel like a part of the community you are creating. It does have the potential to sound gimmicky, so make sure the question you ask naturally flows with the caption and is relatable to the audience.

#5: You can use memes, but only when relevant

Among the 10 Instagram tips for law firms, this one will be the most divisive. You will either love using memes or absolutely hate the idea.

In recent years, brands have begun to use memes in order to keep consumers interested and show that they are hip with the times. Memes can be a great tool to increase engagement and show the fun side of your firm, but only when used in the correct context and in a relevant nature. 

However if you are unsure of the meaning or context of a meme, don’t use it. While content that seems forced may increase likes, shares, and attention around bigger brands, for small businesses it mostly just seems out of touch. 

Your specialty in law can be a great inspiration in determining which memes are appropriate for the situation.

#6: Don’t overload on hashtags

You’ll often see Instagram pages using a ton of hashtags on each thing they post. While this definitely gives your posts a better chance of being seen, it can make your Instagram posts look cluttered. 

One way to avoid this messy look is to comment on the post with the hashtags you wish to use rather than having them be a part of  the caption. This way, the hashtags are hidden and the caption can be the main focus.

If you find that using 10+ captions achieves your desired engagement, then by all means continue to do so. Just ensure that all of the hashtags you choose to use are actually relevant to your firm and the post. 

We want to keep the page looking organized and build trust with your audience and followers. It is often the case that the less hashtags you use, the more genuine the perception viewers have of your firm.

#7: Time matters

One way to ensure that your post receives interactions is to publish it when the majority of your followers will be online. Your content has the highest likelihood of being seen when your target audience is the most active on Instagram. 

This ideal time varies based on factors such as time zone, day of the week, and personal experience. According to Later, a social media marketing platform, here are the general best times to post:

#8: Know what to post where: when to use Reels, Stories, and Posts

Different types of information are best conveyed through different mediums that Instagram provides. Having a good understanding of when to use Reels, Stories, and just a simple feed post is essential to Instagram best practices.

Stories are a great tool for interacting with your audience, and are often more personal. Instagram Stories gives you the ability to engage with your audience through the Questions, Poll, and Quiz features. You can even use the countdown feature to remind your clients of important upcoming events and dates.

Story highlights are great for keeping information that you want followers to know in one spot.  Located just underneath the follow button, you can save Stories that you posted in the past so that your followers will always have access to them. Small businesses often use Instagram Story highlights to remind followers of pricing, policies, and products that are available.

 

Reels are a good tool for occasions when there may be a lot of information you want to convey to your audience, and you would like to do so in a more fluid and entertaining way. Though they can be informational, still make sure that the reel has an appealing element that encourages users to watch and share.

Reels can also allow you to take advantage of certain trends that aren’t really useful or relevant in Stories or posts. These trends can make your account seem more relatable and approachable.

Be sure to use all of these to your advantage! Diversifying your Instagram content through using Reels and Story Highlights keeps the content you’re producing fresh and fun and encourages more clicks on your page.

#9: Consistency is key

When you are posting a good amount of content and posting it often, your audience has a better chance of seeing your content. The Instagram algorithm favors accounts that have a consistent posting schedule.

If you plan on building a good community on Instagram, you can’t let your audience feel neglected or forgotten. Being consistent shows you’re reliable and active, and builds trust with your followers. Posting often strengthens your online presence. People spend much of their time on social media, and having an abundance of content on your Instagram raises the likelihood that they will come across it at some point.

Having a good schedule also allows you to learn more about your audience and what they respond to; for example, you can compare views with a Story posted at 10 a.m. compared to that of one posted at 4 p.m., and see when your audience interacts the most. 

#10: Plan your content

Planning content prior to publishing can increase the efficiency of social media marketing strategies. Later recommends planning posts 2-3 weeks in advance.

By organizing posts in advance, your law firm can better curate its “brand” identity and maintain that visual cohesion mentioned in tip #3. Planning also helps you to organize what content or information is most important to convey to your audience. 

This tip also ties in to tip #7 and #9; planning posts can help you see what times your audience is most active and also make staying consistent on the app easier.