Law is a competitive business, and not many attorneys know to market themselves to the best advantage. This point can be painful to solo lawyers or small firms just starting up, as neither has the resources to challenge large law firms that have big money to spend. If the competition cannot be beat from a marketing standpoint, it can be outsmarted through savvy use of social media tools. These are used to determine the competition's footprint on different social networks and how best to utilize that data to gain an edge.
Facebook is an excellent marketing tool because of its extensive reach. Becoming a fan of a competitor's page will give insight into how leads are being generated and what other fans are saying about that attorney or firm. The number and quality of conversations the competitor is having with clients or the general public will demonstrate the level of professionalism in the marketing campaign.
Twitter
While Twitter works differently than Facebook, it is still an excellent way of getting brand recognition and building a reputation. Reading through a competitor's tweets will reveal how the platform is being used to market the firm or attorney. The number of followers gives an idea of success rate and reading their bios provides valuable information about the targeted demographic. Another angle to Twitter intelligence gathering is doing a search on handles to view conversations between users and the competitor. Seeing what website content gets retweeted most often will provide workable ideas that can be easily implemented.
LinkedIn
Often referred to as a Facebook for the corporate world, LinkedIn is a networking site that brings professionals and clients together. Both solo attorneys and big firms will most likely have a presence there, which includes a list of followers. Reading the profiles of all competitor's employees will show the level of engagement and the marketing angle for the firm or office. It is also helpful to note the groups and associations the competitor belongs to along with the number of connections and recommendations.
The biggest benefit of using social media to gather intelligence and data on a competitor is seeing the blind spots or areas where improvement is needed. This presents an opportunity to fill a niche and get a few steps ahead in marketing strategy.