Below is the keystrokes that I captured when listening to Carolyn Elefant and Nicole Black during their session at ABA Techshow 2010 entitled Creating Your Online Presence:

1. Social media is useless without goals.

2. Don’t let fear stop you from having an open mind re: social media.

3. Different social media sites serve different purposes.

4. Can be used as an information gathering tool. To network with other attorneys and get referrals. Use it to connect with your clients.

5. LinkedIn has groups – you can post topics for discussion; announce things your firm is doing.

6. Groups provide an inexpensive way to network with lots of different people.

7. LinkedIn tends to be professionally oriented – businesses, small companies; not your general consumer.

8. Sometimes the mobile application is easier to navigate than the full site.

9. Avvo is an on line lawyer directory that is growing, getting funding.

10. Avvo will have profile on you whether or not you claim it.

11. Lists bare bones info – name, address and disciplinary actions against you.

12. Need to claim your profile and you start to input the more detailed information.

13. Have area where you can add speeches, awards you received, etc.

14. Avvo gets a lot of traffic – and when you add information you get higher ranking and show higher in their site.

15. Avvo – put in bar association information; any committee; articles; Martindale Hubble ratings.

16. If you have four practice areas – make your specialty the one on top.

17. You will get inquiries from Avvo.

18. People who find you on line tend to contact you via email or on line.  Some will call.

19. South Carolina Bar has issues with Avvo. Check with your Bar Association before filing in your Avvo profile.

20. Justia is lawyer listing site. Gives karma points. Provide free content and showcases your legal skills. Higher search results.

21. Blogs help you produce, publish and redistribute information. Blogs help you with SEO, attract media.

22. If you don’t like to write – blogs may not be the social media tool for you. Blogging gets lots of exposure. You need to add content to make it valuable.

23. If you have passion for a topic; and a passion for writing – create a blog. If you don’t have passion or don’t like to write there are other ways to create content (or connect).

24. Nothing more sad than a blog that has three posts and then left at that.

25. Use on line sites to archive your documents and point your profiles to those documents (which are keyword rich).

26. If you like writing – blogging is a great way to showcase your practice.

27. Start with free site like blogger or WordPress. WordPress has two types of blogs – one you download and add to your site; the other just uses theirs.

28. You can transfer the information if you find you enjoy blogging and you want to upgrade to non-free service.

29. Don’t invest thousands in a blog only to find you don’t like it. Start with free.

30. Social media is a great way to showcase your area of practice. Social media levels the playing field. The more you interact, the higher your search engine results.

31. Starting out should have 3 or 4 posts per week. Draft posts in advance and then schedule them. (I recommend 2 posts per week.)

32. Intersperse current events and answers to questions you get frequently.

33. Once you have momentum, put up a thorough post once per week. If you can do more, do it.

34. To start, 3 or 4 times per week for the first 4 months – regularity is best. (Me: 2 per week)

35. Paid blog sites look nicer; for fee services may link you to other sites; perception

36. Free sites don’t back up your posts; whereas paid sites will.

37. Find someone to create the design but use WordPress from your own server.

38. Blog should focus on one or two areas; use words organically – the words that your clients are searching for you with.

39. If there’s no passion, your blog may appear flat.

40. Search engine optimization for blogs means focusing on one or two specific topics.

41. Clients search by their needs – so use those words.

42. Link to your website from your blog – so narrow focus but still let consumers know a bit more about you and link to your site.

43. Second life is not mainstream; but there are lawyers on it specializing in the virtual transactions that go on.

44. Go where other lawyers have not gone – you have an advantage.

45. Still lots of room on all the suggested directories and social media.

46. Social networking and professional networking are not mutually exclusive.

47. When you connect on line it allows you to form off line relationships.

48. Social media allows you create connections.

49. Social media allows you to be remarkable and stand out.

50. How much is too much? Blogs are passive so not push. Facebook Fan pages can overwhelm. Just like in real life – don’t be rude. Also if you’re on all the time, your clients and contacts will notice.

51. Don’t SPAM