With the social media boom that’s been flooding the internet over the past few years, it’s easy to find someone who is not only heavily involved with a social media network, but who also uses their account for professional means. Our attorney headhunters at Kinney Recruiting have some tips on how lawyers can use social media to their advantages.

The first thing to keep in mind regarding the use of social media tools is to manage expectations. According to Lawyernomics.com, while many legal professionals expect their social media efforts to magically drive client development, these networks, particularly Twitter, are not great client procurement tools.

Instead, what they are good for is networking, creating name recognition and establishing credibility within the industry. Twitter and Facebook, with their widespread users and seamless networks, are great for building connections. Networking is an essential part of the legal profession, playing a crucial role in securing clients, finding out about available positions and sharing industry tips with fellow professionals. Use Twitter and Facebook conscientiously to drive traffic to your network.

Another key consideration to being a successful social media user is to be yourself. As Lawyerist.com put it, socializing well is an essential part of succeeding at social media and just as you wouldn’t put on false pretenses in friendly or public situations, you should not embellish information when crafting your profile and network.

Using social media tools can require a lot of time and effort. However, if lawyers were to keep their expectations in check while displaying their personality and honing their networks, these tools could come in handy during their careers.