Getting Involved with Social Media
I entered the legal industry when Firefly Legal hired me at the end of last July. Let’s just say it’s a different kind of industry, and it very quickly became overtly apparent that this industry is still pretty hesitant to get involved with social media. And while some trailblazers have gotten involved, many are still pretty green with what accounts to use, how to use them properly, and why they should use them. Though there is always something to learn, the basics should be evident. This week, I’m going to focus on three social media outlets and provide reasons why civil process servers, lawyers, and the like should be involved with them. Today we’re going to focus on Twitter, but stay tuned this week to find out what other social media networks are worth being a part of.
What is Twitter?
Twitter is an online social networking site that allows users to send “tweets” or messages of 140 characters or less. Since a lot of you are business-minded folk, here’s “The Real History of Twitter,” as presented in The Business Insider.
Why should civil process servers be on Twitter, anyway?
There are a myriad of reasons why Twitter is a beneficial social media outlet, but here are three that are worth paying attention to:
1. NEWS!
There is a tremendous source of news! Staying informed and on top of regulation changes, new laws, and trends in the industries civil process servers serve is important. It’s impossible to keep your civil process service company up to date if you don’t read the news. Follow sources who will provide you with great information on the topics you’re interested in. For example, we follow @DSNewsDaily and @jhkarotkin. DS News provides great news on the housing/foreclosure industry through their Twitter account, and similarly, Jeff Karotkin is always tweeting relevant information and news on the civil process service industry.
2. NETWORKING!
By being involved with Twitter, you gain access to other individuals in the industry. This can help you to gain new business prospects, learn more about the industry, and make business connections. We’ve gotten new clients from Twitter, and we’ve gained some great colleagues. We share news, updates, and other changes in the industry. Twitter is a social environment. It’s important that you be social an interact with people. Bottom line: you can meet new people in the industry, gain advice, and learn a lot. You can also share news- which is great for your company. The world is changing, it’s important to embrace it.
3. SCHEDULED TWEETS!
While Twitter is a fast-paced network, civil process servers need not fret. We know you’re out there serving papers and don’t always have time to Tweet. You can create your tweets in advance- research the recent news, and take care of a day’s worth of tweets in a short amount of time. This is great for law firms who are undoubtedly buried in paperwork. By using social media dashboard applications, like TweetDeck, you can schedule tweets to fill up the entire day without having to be physically at Twitter all day. Keep in mind that you don’t want to be a robot, though; make sure you do take time to catch up and respond to those on Twitter who have responded to you. Additionally, make sure you leave room for people to comment and RT (retweet) your tweet.
As I mentioned before, social media is all about being social. Whether you’re a civil process server or an attorney, it’s important to stay up to speed with these changes. Are you on Twitter? If so, please let us know what you think of this article and about our tweets.
Linked In
Linked in is a social networking site for business professionals. It has a ton of features, and allows you to use some of the same features of Facebook but in a way that’s far more beneficial to those in business.
If that isn’t reason enough to choose this social networking site, here are some other reasons why we think Linked In is great for process servers.
Get Connected
Many of our clients aren’t on Facebook (or if they are, they keep it personal). Linked In provides a professional environment for people to connect where you can have an individual profile. There, you can upload details on your work history, skills, and your purpose for being on Linked In (as an example- maybe you’re looking for people to connect with). The attorney you met at a conference, may be more likely to connect with you on Linked In than on Facebook because it’s not as personal as Facebook. It’s professional and provides the right atmosphere for people to keep it that way. It’s all business all the time. Plus, with profile pictures, you can more easily recall how you know the individual, as opposed to just having their contact info. It also provides another method for you to reach out to prospective clients.
Groups
This provides a great opportunity and place to have professional, meaningful, and intelligent discussions on your subject/industry of choice. It also also allows you to meet (via the internet) people in your industry with whom you might not otherwise interact. You can share new ideas, get up to date on changes in the industry, and learn more about your industry if you’re a newcomer. It’s a great place for folks to pitch new ideas and compare results. Here’s a great process server group on Linked In: Process Servers.
Company Pages
Just like on Facebook, you can have a page for your company. This allows you to provide information about your company, services, and locations. The company page also has a status feature where you can post company updates, news articles, and more; these updates can include links and images. Visually, you have the opportunity to post a cover image, as well as pictures next to your services. Like many other social media networks, you are able to analyze the statistics of your company page.
There are many other reasons that Linked In is a great network for civil process servers to join, but we wanted to touch on the features we feel are most beneficial to servers. And so, this concludes our 3 part series on social networks that process servers should use. We covered Twitter, Google+ and Linked In; while these three are great, this list was certainly not meant to be exclusive. Are there others that you find beneficial? If so, let us know!
FAQS
Can social media be used against you in court?
Yes, social media posts and interactions can be used as evidence in court if they are relevant to the case. Courts may admit social media content if it’s properly authenticated and follows evidentiary rules.
Are social media messages admissible in court?
Social media messages, such as direct messages or public posts, can be admissible in court if they are relevant and properly authenticated. This includes messages from platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
How do courts authenticate social media evidence?
Courts require proof that the social media account belongs to the person in question and that the content was created or posted by them. This can be done through metadata, IP addresses, or witness testimony.
Can private social media messages be subpoenaed?
Yes, private messages on social media platforms can be subpoenaed and used as evidence in legal proceedings, depending on the nature of the case.
