With so many different social media platforms to choose from, how do you know which ones are right for you. One type of social media site is the microblogging site. Microblogging sites are different from blog sites in that the focus is on shortform content...think one or two sentences rather than several paragraphs. X (formerly Twitter) is by far the most commonly used microblogging site, but there are three other popular or up-and-coming microblog sites that are also worth knowing - Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky Social. Here we discuss what each platform is, what it offers, and how it can benefit your law practice.
X (Formerly Twitter)
X is a microblogging platform that allows users to share short 280 character messages or posts. This said, there are serval "paid-for" tiers including X Premium and Verified Organization that dramatically increase the 280-character limit of individual posts. X is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world (550 million monthly active users). X is owned and operated by X Corp / Elan Musk.
When marketing, X's 280-character limit might be restrictive for conveying complex legal information. There is also concern regarding the company direction and the impact on content moderation, brand safety, and data handling and data privacy, given the recent change in ownership. This said, X is a great way to stay up-to-date on legal news and trends. X users can reach a large audience and engage in real-time conversations with clients, prospects, and legal professionals around relevant topics. X allows users to enhance their thought leadership and establish their expertise.
Threads
Threads is a new app by Instagram (parent company Meta) where you can post “threads” (users call them stitches), reply to others and follow profiles you are interested in in real-time. Threads and replies can include short pieces of text (500 characters long), links, photos, videos (5 minutes in length) or any combination of them. The platform also allows users to share posts from Threads directly to Instagram Stories and integrates with Instagram's existing UI and functionality. Additionally, accounts may be labelled as private or public. While trailing X in terms of active users, Threads does have over 100 million users.
Regarding branding and marketing, Threads is still a relatively new platform, so it is not yet clear how it will be used by law practices in the long-term. Threads currently does not offer advertising which limits your marketing opportunities. Instagram is planning to bring its branded content tools to Threads, allowing marketers to engage in paid promotion on the app. Threads does not currently offer chronological feeds, which may affect real-time announcements and the relevance of posts. Users can enhance their reach as posts in Threads will be seen by their Instagram followers, as well as by any of their Threads followers who do not follow them on Instagram. Threads posts allow for more appealing and visual content (photos, videos). Threads users can benefit from the brand-safe environment while exploring creative ways to engage with the audience. Threads is good for personalized client communication and relationship-building.
Mastodon
Mastodon is a free and decentralized open-source federated microblogging (FOSS) social media platform. Unlike traditional platforms like Twitter, it operates on multiple servers called "instances" which are independently run and governed. Mastodon has over 8000 servers and 1.4 million monthly active users. These servers are organized around niche communities with specific themes, topics, or interests. Users can join servers, follow each other, and engage in conversations. Users curate and create their own feeds versus an algorithm choosing for them and Mastodon gives users more control over their privacy and data. Current users call their posts “Toots.”
Regarding marketing, since Mastodon is a network of servers, law firms cannot utilize a single person or platform when marketing. In addition, Mastodon’s website states “We will never serve ads or push profiles for you to see.” This does not stop the individual servers from advertising if they choose to do so. However, if you do find the right server, you can get unfiltered access to what really matters for your target demographic or a new market segment. Also, since Mastodon is a decentralized platform, there are servers all over the world. Which means that your law practice's content could be seen by people from all over the world. Like Threads, Mastodon is still a relatively new platform, so it is not yet clear how it will be adopted by law practices, or users in general, in the long term.
Bluesky Social
Bluesky Social’s creator is former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Bluesky is under development but has the potential to be a major player in the social media landscape. Now in the testing phase, it is accessible on an invite-only basis (50,000 users with over one million inquiring users on its waitlist). Bluesky is designed to be more censorship-resistant than other social media platforms. This means that your law practice's content is less likely to be censored or removed from the platform. Bluesky also lets users choose the content they want to see.
Bluesky, works similarly to Twitter but does not have DMs or other advanced tools and, like Mastodon, is a free decentralized open-source social media platform. Bluesky is creating a protocol (AT Protocol) that allows various platforms to interconnect and communicate with each other, empowering users with greater control over their data and interactions. Posts are called “skeets” or “sky.” Like Threads and Mastodon, Bluesky is a very new platform, so its long-term adoption is still uncertain.
Which Platform is Right for You?
The best social media platform for your law practice will depend on a number of factors, including your target audience, your objectives, and your resources. You should consider your target audience and where they are, your objectives, your content strategy and any platform limitations, your time and resources to manage and maintain the platform(s), and any privacy and ethical concerns. For example, some platforms may collect more data than others, or they may use data in ways that are not in line with your law practice's ethical standards. It is important to experiment with different platforms to find the ones that help you reach your target audience and achieve your goals.
Parting Thoughts
It is important to remember that the social media landscape is constantly evolving, with new technologies and platforms. Staying on top of these changes can be crucial to remaining competitive in the digital realm. It is worth keeping an eye on these platforms as they continue to develop and evolve and adapt your strategies accordingly.
As a law practice, you should be mindful of the following when choosing a social media platform:
- Your target audience: Where are they? What platforms do they use?
- Your objectives: What do you want to achieve with social media?
- Your resources: How much time and money do you have to dedicate to social media?
- Privacy and ethical concerns: What are your concerns about privacy and ethics?
Once you have considered these factors, you can start to experiment with the different platforms to find the ones that work best for you. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, so it is important to find what works for your specific needs and goals.
