With over two billion active users, Instagram is a great place for attorneys to find potential clients. Savvy Instagram lawyers use it as part of their attorney marketing plan to share helpful bite-sized information with potential legal clients. It can also show behind the scenes of a lawyer's daily life, adding a layer of humanity to help build a connection and trust with viewers.
While Instagram might be the right place to connect with potential clients, too many articles on the internet simplify the tactics for this platform far too much. Every Aspect of your profile is important. From your Instagram bio to the photos you use.
The truth is that copying and pasting quotes is not enough to effectively market a law firm on Instagram. Instead, you need a clear and personalized posting plan consisting of Instagram post ideas to help you stand out from the sea of sameness. Great Instagram captions may take more time, but that effort leads to better engagement with new clients.
If you're still convinced that copying/pasting captions and inspirational quotes will work for you on Instagram, scroll to the bottom of the article for some examples.
Why Lawyers Shouldn't Use Stock Captions on Instagram
Before you get tempted to take the easy way out and create a series of recycled quotes for your Instagram, ask yourself an important question: What is this doing for my marketing?
There are three big reasons there is no point in using template captions:
- They don't differentiate you in the marketplace
- They're overused and low-value
- Many of them target the wrong persona entirely.
You're Not Differentiating from Competitors
One of the most important things to remember with law firm branding is that your clients have a choice. They need help seeing how one lawyer is different from another. If you're using the same quotes and statements as your competitors, you're doing nothing to stand out.
You're Cluttering Users' Feeds
Social media feeds are a busy place. Most people are scrolling and don't want to see images or captions with little value to their lives. With overused quotes, you don't just run the risk of people ignoring you. You increase the chances that they'll unfollow you because you annoyed them.
You're Targeting the Wrong Audience
Finally, too many lawyer posts on Instagram are lawyer-focused or target the wrong target client persona. Remember, your clients care more about their legal problems than they do about you.
They want to find helpful materials on Instagram that go beyond the superficial and repetitive that are the hallmark of so many attorney Insta accounts.
Lawyers who want to step up their social media marketing need to put real thought and effort into their captions. Think about frequently asked questions, myths, and points of confusion for potential clients and how you can share your legal knowledge with the right audience.
Here's an example of a less-than-desirable Instagram post. While it might be funny from one lawyer to another, it offers no value for a new client.
It doesn't tell the audience anything about why wearing different clothes than other lawyers would have any bearing on a defense lawyer's ability to represent you or achieve success. In short, it's a throwaway post that might confuse people. Focus instead on what makes you a better lawyer than your competition or why you're the right fit for your client.
Funny lawyer captions might seem like a great way to highlight some personality, but in truth, many of the ones used are not amusing to your potential clients. The meme above might even make someone think your approach to the legal profession is sub-par. Similarly, legal puns should be used sparingly.
Here's another one with a nice picture but little to no value for the reader.
What kind of law does this lawyer practice? The only clue to that is in the hashtags, and it's unclear whether the lawyer is promoting their personal injury or criminal defense practice. There's no takeaway for a social media user seeing this.
This next one is a perfect example of an obvious statement that doesn't really help a viewer at all.
Most people getting married know that getting a prenuptial agreement is an option, but they don't know why. This generic post about getting a prenup provides no additional help in making that decision.
A more thoughtful approach would tailor the content around topics like:
- Which couples should consider a prenup? Only those with significant assets? Only those with separate business interests?
- What can a prenup really do for the average couple? Prevent litigation? Protect assets? Save money or time during a divorce?
- How to broach the subject of a prenup with a future spouse who may have strong opinions about these agreements
Posts that follow this alternate model add value because they answer questions or make the topic more accessible to a lay audience.
People don't want to be told what to do without a clear reason, so avoid obvious statements like "you should make an estate plan" or "if you've been arrested, it's a good idea to hire a criminal defense attorney."
How to Write Engaging Lawyer Captions
Writing great captions is an art form. While you have up to 2200 characters to make a statement, you can often get your point across before that.
Every caption should include a few specific elements in the ABC formula:
- Attention: get a reader's attention with an interesting sentence, statement, or phrase.
- Benefit: provide value to the reader with entertainment, inspiration, or education
- Call to action: provide some next steps for the reader to take after consuming your post
Every post you create should offer some benefit to your end viewer. This benefit can rotate, but you should never post just to push content out there.
Here's an example of a few different kinds of posts for a bankruptcy lawyer might help a reader in different ways:
- A post talking about a common misconception around Chapter 7 bankruptcy to dispel a myth
- A post covering four main stages of a bankruptcy case to make a fresh financial start feel more accessible
- A post explaining the questions and system the bankruptcy lawyer works through with a new client to build trust and showcase the lawyer's commitment to a proven process
- A post highlighting a recent review on Google or a gift given by a client to show social proof (use these sparingly, as it can be too promotional if you're posting these every week)
In addition to making each post with some client benefit in mind, a few other tips will guide you when crafting the right Instagram strategy.
1. Write Multiple Drafts of Each Caption
An idea is just the inspiration for a caption, but even a simple sentence under an Instagram photo should be representative of your brand. For that reason, it's worth editing a few times to make sure the tone and voice are right.
Since Instagram is such a visual platform, it might be tempting to overlook the importance of a properly worded caption. While grabbing someone's attention with an image is key, the caption is your chance to delve deeper into what you're trying to say.
Create a few versions of your post and read them out loud before adding the best one directly to Instagram. Each post should have one clear takeaway for a social media viewer, so keep editing until you've narrowed it down to one fact, statistic, idea, or provocative question.
Here's a great example of an image with a corresponding caption on Instagram for a lawyer. The firm uses an eye-catching image with limited text in the brand colors.
The caption is all about the importance of details, but the attorneys use only a few sentences to get that message across and tie the whole concept into something that matters for their clients: a comprehensive investigation.
2. Tell Relatable Stories
It's true that your clients want educated, experienced, and competent legal counsel. But your prospective clients have a huge pool of lawyers to choose from, and they want to feel confident that they made the right choice.
Make yourself relatable as a human and tell the stories of why you do what you do.
Estate planning lawyer Iffy Ibekwe does an excellent job of sharing who she is. In her clip from a podcast interview followed up with a well-written caption, a social media follower gets an instant sense of who Iffy is in and out of the office. She comes across as a professional, community-minded leader and just the kind of attorney you want to help you plan your own future.
3. Share Helpful Tips and Resources
Don't just talk about lawyer awards received or blogs posted on your website. Offer bite-sized tips that make your area of practice more relatable for readers. Go beyond the basics.
Don't say things like "If you're getting divorced, you need a family lawyer" without going deeper into some aspect of divorce that reinforces this point. Useless comments or well-known sayings have no place in the fast-scrolling world of social media.
4. Encourage People to Ask Questions
Engagement is key on Instagram, and one great way to boost your own is by telling people they can ask questions. There are some stigmas around asking a lawyer for advice. After all, most lawyers are quick to explain that they can't offer legal advice without a client relationship in place.
Plenty of followers are afraid of being charged for answers to questions or worry that their question is too specific to warrant a general answer from a lawyer.
Answering people's questions is not giving away the farm. It shows that you care. Even if part of your answer is "it depends," you can talk about complicated legal issues at a high level or give your viewers some food for thought. Your decision to answer other people's questions on Instagram could be the trust-builder that inspires a new potential client to reach out.
5. Ask Questions of Your Audience
Instagram is a two-way street! Learn more about what is most important to your target clients by asking them questions, too. Questions help you connect on a more personal level and can even inspire you to create future content aligned with exactly what your viewers need the most.
For example, a business lawyer might ask their audience of startup founders and entrepreneurs questions like:
- What's the biggest headache you face in running your company?
- What legal questions or hesitations do you have about forming a partnership?
- What's been your greatest accomplishment so far in starting a business?
- What's a time you've been exposed to a legal risk as a business owner, and how did you navigate it?
30 Instagram Caption Templates for Lawyers
Using templated captions as a starting point is one thing to inspire your own posting tactics, but they're not strong enough to make an impact on their own.
Use the captions below as examples of the kind of material you might use, but if you want to stand out from all your competition, create custom content or highly individualize the examples below so you can provide real value to your readers.
Inspirational Instagram Captions
- When you're going through hell, keep going.
- The right lawyer should sit with you, listen to your concerns, and build a strategy designed to help you achieve what is most important to you.
- The leading rule for any lawyer is diligence.
- We recently helped [insert type of client here] achieve [insert outcome here.] We truly enjoy serving [insert practice area community here] and work hard to get the best results for each client we help.
- What motivates us every single day is [insert reason you chose this area of the law.] What inspires you?
- Here's what it means to me to be an inspirational lawyer: [add your reason here]
- Law and justice can work hand in hand. Here's why I believe that: [add your reason here]
Quotes for Lawyers
- "The good lawyer is not the man who has an eye to every side and angle of contingency, and qualifies all his qualifications, but who throws himself on your part so heartily, that he can get you out of a scrape." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
- "Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it." — Henry David Thoreau
- "Justice delayed is justice denied.” — William E. Gladstone
- As lawyers, we have a duty to use our abilities and information to fight for justice and make the arena a better area." — Gloria Allred
- “A lawyer with a briefcase can steal more than a thousand men with guns.” — Mario Puzo
- Being a woman in a male-dominated field is difficult, but we have to keep pushing forward and breaking down barriers." — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- "I fought the law, and the law won." — The Clash
Funny Instagram Captions and Quotes for Lawyers
- What's your favorite lawyer joke?
- All you need is love and a good attorney. Except if you're getting divorced. Then you just need a good attorney.
- A lawyer is always honest. Now there's a joke we've all heard before.
- If there were no bad people, there'd be no good lawyers.
- Pain is temporary, passing the bar is forever. Don't let your divorce/insurance claim/lawsuit take forever and hire a good lawyer.
- He who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client.
- I broke a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.
Thought-Provoking Instagram Captions and Quotes for Lawyers
- Estate planning: When was the last time you sat down and reviewed your beneficiary designations? Retirement plans and life insurance policies typically include these, and they supersede what's in your will. Consider this your official reminder to check yours out and update accordingly.
- Business law: Protecting your business puts your company on a firm foundation for the future. With the right business structure, you can protect your intellectual property, build a team, scale, and even prepare your company for sale. Discuss business structure options for new startups today so you can make the right decision for you.
- Criminal law: Beyond the criminal justice system's punishments, many people accused of a crime face a stigma in society. Hiring a lawyer who truly believes "innocent until proven guilty" is the best way to protect your freedom and reputation.
- Consumer protection: Hard work: it's the true story behind what it takes to fight for justice every day, but it's worth it for clients who have been taken advantage of.
Short Instagram Captions for Lawyers
- I say, break the law.
- Tell the truth, said the lawyer with a wink.
- Always tell your doctor and lawyer the truth.
- Divorce lawyers are superheroes.
- Hire a lawyer, you won't regret it.
- You are remembered for the rules you break.
- Never underestimate the power of the lawyer.
- The uncertainty of the law calls for an attorney willing to go above and beyond.
- Justice served.
Law Student Captions for Instagram
- I went to law school because [add your reason here]. I'm looking forward to serving that community when I graduate.
- Law students are trained in the case method, making everything else in life look like a case.
- I chose to go to law school because my parents said I argued a lot. Did you have any childhood traits that inspired your career choice?
- Knowing what you want in your career is really important. It's guiding me in my choice of where I end up after law school graduation. I'm looking for a position with [add firm here]. What are your career must-haves?
Conclusion
If your potential clients are younger and active on Instagram, it can be a great place to connect and prospect for business. But Instagram only works when you lean into what's most likely to perform well there.
Skip over the boring and unhelpful captions and put aside time each month to write thoughtful and engaging material for your Instagram account. If you're a great lawyer, let your captions tell the story of your legal battles, who you are, and why that matters for your clients.
Instagram doesn't have to take a lot of time, but some general tactics and client-focused content go a long way toward making an impression in a crowded marketplace. Your job is to showcase why you're the best lawyer for helping them, so it's worth the effort to put some intention behind your best captions.
