I had to let this one out on Twitter this morning, so I might as well blog about it. Most of my day yesterday was spent crafting a new website - legalvoices.com - with the concept of creating a public view of those in the legal industry posting to twitter. I’ve been sitting on the legalvoices.com domain for a while now, so it was primed for an appropriate experiment!

I created legalvoices.com for a couple reasons. For the non-users out there, it gives a brief insight into how the service works - a preview. It also has a what’s hot in the legal industry feel to it. Could be a novelty, could be insightful… who knows? but definitely worth 5 hours of my time.

And for the Twitter converts, it offers a filtered view of the most current commentary from those of us with a legal slant. The other aspect I considered, is that almost no one creates a follow list dictated by industry vertical. So it’s likely a perspective most twitter users would seldom replicate.

Finally, a big warning that the site is in “pre-alpha”. :) It may take a couple browser refreshes to see the conversation stream change. Unfortunately, with new follower email notices flying out via twitter, there really wasn’t a way to create this under wraps. So heed the warning, or blame twitter. ;)

Enjoy!

Have you heard of Twitter yet? Perhaps not. And hopefully not, as this post is intended to explain one of the latest web-tools on our collective horizon.

What you should know is this: Politicians in the current US election are levering it, news outlets like CNN & Canada’s CBC are offering headlines that can be mixed into your reading stream, and companies like Southwest airlines are using it to interact with customers & take feedback.

It’s widely considered the fastest growing tool of web influence, and will at some point have a trickle down effect for the legal industry.

Giving you a finite definition of Twitter is tricky. It’s use varies greatly, and depends a lot on the individual user. Technically, Twitter is considered a micro-blogging tool. It’s just like regular blogging, but with one significant rule change. After logging in, you are faced with the question “What are you doing?”, and just like a blog you can share exactly what you’re doing, feeling, thinking, reading - but all in less than 140 characters of entry space.

In terms of the options available for legal web marketing, Twitter - or micro-blogging tools generally - is the shortest method of discourse we’ve seen to date. If e-books & web-distribution of publications are at the longer discourse level, and regular blogs are sitting somewhere in the middle, then Twitter obviously at the far end (short-end?) of our continuum.

So what can you do in such a short space? Actually, quite a bit. Think: chat & discussion, link exchanges, debate, endorsement, or public critique. It’s a big dinner table conversation with peers that you get to choose. The format is also mobile friendly, which in my view, has had a substantial impact on the site’s growth.

With Twitter, like most forms of web marketing, the value is found in the big picture & the cumulative effect of using it as but one piece of the web-lawyer’s marketing toolbox. The selling point I regularly harp on - exposing one’s practice & expertise online - continues to have a big part to play, even though I don’t see Twitter as a replacement for the personal blog. Rather, when used together, the personal blog & twitter become a very powerful tandem.

The other point to get is this: Micro-blogging is as much akin to the discussion at the bar after the conference, as it is to seeing the presentation earlier in the day. Blogging success is predicated on having a strong social network (and please, when you hear SN, don’t think Facebook - think relationships!), and in turn, Twitter drives both interest in the ideas you write about, and extends exposure with an after-post discussion.

Putting my web marketer’s hat on for a moment, the value can also be seen in those exchanges leading to further blog-to-blog discussions, ensuing links, and ultimately, better rankings in the search engines because of authentic exchanges, information seeking behaviour, and discussion.

If you’ve looked at Twitter and just don’t get it? You’re not alone. Looking at any one author’s contributions, it’s tough not to call it drivel. The turning point for many is to recognize Twitter for what it truly is - pure personal reaction. That reaction can run the gamut, from academic & insightful, to casual & silly, and at times drivel.

However, I don’t think I’m alone in seeing marketing value in this type of personal reaction. At the very least for understanding & gauging reaction, and at the most, partaking in the process. Reaction is one of the most human elements possible within the online experience. That it exists, and is being documented, continues to have a huge impact for all types of marketing. Twitter is simply the latest example.

Some Quick Tips for Testing Twitter:

• First thing to do after signing up is to build a follow list.
• Check out the follow lists of of others. Chances are they already have done the work for you.
• Click on the follow button next to their profile picture, or at the top of their profile page.
• Can’t think of anyone? Feel free to follow me. I’m happy to reciprocate.
• Other legal-types on the twitter (b)leading edge: Kevin O’Keefe, David Lat, Carolyn Elefant, Dennis Kennedy, Brett Trout, Tom Mighell, Rick Klau, Connie Crosby, Simon Fodden, Denise Howell, Matt Homann, Rob Robinson, Grant Griffiths, Rob Hyndman, Doug Cornelius, Susan Cartier Liebel, and Rush Nigut, to name only a few.
• Use the @ symbol followed by the user name (as in @stevematthews) to respond to individual messages, or tweets.
• Smile and act like you’re having fun.

Where do I find the time? A common question for many lawyers… for just about ever subject, actually. Not billable? Sorry, no time.

Keeping perspective on personal productivity is an important issue. True, but what about down time? While the typical lawyer has less ’social surplus’ (see video below) than the average person out there, most still have *some* time dictated by personal choice. If you’re not working, doing a family activity, sport, club/assoc. meeting, grocery shopping or laundry - what are you doing then? where do you escape?

Clay Shirky’s video from the Web 2.0 Expo (below) is thought provoking. Every hour can’t be accounted for under the category of “work productivity”. There’s a lot more optional time than any of us believe.

So for every law blogger, twitter user (yup that’s me), or social network participant out there who has to answer: ‘where do you find the time?’ … Tell them you’re being very productive, with your social surplus. And that many parts of the social web are both productive for business, and enjoyable.

Do lawyers watch TV? I suspect a few do.

[hat tip: Connie Crosby]

The February edition of my Web Law Connected column is now posted over on Slaw. In this month’s article, Closed Networks & The Problem with Facebook, I address some of my biggest concerns with social networks (or any web product for that matter) that attempt to exist in a vacuum.

This is a bit of a turn-around for me. I’ve always liked the potential of Facebook, and what it could potentially deliver for professional networking. And for the most part, I still see that potential. But, as it exists, with a distinct lack of content ownership for authors, and its data stores shut down to the rest of the Internet (including Google indexing), my opinion is definitely headed south.

Now, I’m not advocating that lawyers go and shut down their accounts. At least not yet. :) But I do think it’s time for everyone to ask the question: Is this the best use of my marketing time & effort?

Writing this article also pushed me to reconsider how I approach Facebook. I want to be investing my marketing time into public-facing web technologies, like blogging or micro-blogging, and specifically in tools where I maintain control over the original content. I will continue to import my content into the Facebook sytem - eg. automating the imports of blog posts or twitter exchanges. And I still see value in having a Facebook profile. The small amount of time it takes to manage FB relationships frankly isn’t prohibitive. But when it comes to drafting original commentary, or documenting anything important via their in-system messages, I’m afraid I’m out. That type of content must always be free for me to use, and at my whim.

I’d like to pass along a white paper that was sent to me (Thanks Connie!) titled Tracking the Influence (PDF download). It was written by Jeremiah Owyang of PodTech and Matt Toll of Factiva, and discusses various aspects of social media measurement. It offers a great overview, and properly identifies the importance of both the reach and influence of web conversations.

If your time is limited, I suggest starting on page 6 at the section titled ‘The Attributes‘.  It’s these aspects, in my view, that really need to be accounted for. Raw metrics like ‘link counts’ and  ’Technorati rankings’ are important, but the ability to look deeper and identify the audience is when we really get into something powerful.

Like other businesses, law firms are now entering market discussions. It makes little sense to engage tactics like blogs and social networking without a strategy to measure the end result of those efforts.  And no different than any other part of law firm management - it’s always worth measuring.

If I can pay a compliment to the writers, I would say this is the type of written product I can see in Stem’s future; with my own legal market spin of course. :-)  I’m also adding Jeremiah’s feed into my reader. Thanks guys!

Came across a good article today in the latest issue of Law Practice Today, by  John Remsen, Jr. of the Remsen Group, titled What is the Best Way to Catch New Clients? Find Their Associations and Get Actively Involved.

In addition to the great tips John offers, I’d like to add a digital networking twist and offer a few ideas on how to network within those same Associations over the web:

1. LinkedIn Your Close Contacts - As you get involved in an Association’s operations, use the exposure to map your contacts with a professional networking tool like LinkedIn.  LinkedIn displays a digital CV for each of its users, shows your business contacts, and then displays each of their business contacts — but unlike the Kevin Bacon game, only includes 3 degrees of separation. LinkedIn’s membership includes executives from all Fortune 500 companies, and is used by more than 12 million business people around the world. It’s a great tool to expand one’s digital horizon.
    
2. Identify Bloggers- More business and industry bloggers are coming online everyday. If you’re also a blogger, one of the strongest digital connections you can make is to use your blog as a networking tool.  Do some Google sleuthing on your Association’s name, and see who is linking into the Association website, or blogging within the membership.  Read, comment, write about, and link to their blog. Then make contact and consider adding them to your blogroll. Want to get close to someone online? There’s no closer relationship than getting into one’s inner circle of blog-to-blog networking. 
    
3. Write for the Association - This works offline as well, but adding your expertise to an Association’s online newsletter, or an article on the website will create long term marketing collateral. And unlike the paper equivalent, articles on an Association website are rarely taken down unless the author requests it (so watch those time sensitive topics…).  Association websites also offer a stamp of approval for your content, and quality links back to your firm website - which can pass that site trust element that Google values within the search rankings.   
    
4. Community Portals- Now here’s one for the future. You can expect many Association websites to go Web 2.0 very shortly, offering blogs to the entire membership, wikis, in-site mail systems, and link exchange opportunities to show what you’re reading. These community portals are going to offer a great opportunity to build online profile in a very focused way.  If you write a new article, you’ll be able to alert the Association’s membership by posting a link. If you discover a new legal issue that effects the industry, you can survey the community and get feedback before launching a new service offering. Community portal style websites will offer greater access to a targeted niche audience, and an opportunity to get involved and contribute on a wider scale. Watch for it! And don’t be afraid to be an early adopter on this one.