With active users estimated at 2 billion in 2024, TikTok is about so much more than just dancing and music. Many creators of all stripes are now using the platform to reach the huge audience there. Lawyers have joined the crowd, too.
Depending on your practice area and comfort in creating brief videos designed with your target client in mind, TikTok may be a good out of the box marketing technique that’s right up your alley.
Is TikTok a Good Marketing Channel for Attorneys?
If you don’t use TikTok regularly, you might wonder whether this platform would get traction for lawyers. The answer is yes, but only when a TikTok lawyer understands the kinds of content that create interest there. If social media is a big part of your content marketing strategy, don’t forget about TikTok as an option.
You need something intentional to succeed with a TikTok marketing strategy for your law firm. It’s about more than creating images with statistics that you might share on your personal injury firm’s page on Facebook or sharing pithy insights on Twitter.
While other social media platforms allow you to repurpose content more easily, you might need to start with TikTok and then repurpose it from there if you want to get a following. Ultimately, if you’re consistent with TikTok, it can be a great way to grow your law firm.
There are three big reasons why TikTok is a great platform for some lawyers:
- TikTok has a huge user base of younger people, including millennials and Gen Z-ers, who might need the help of a lawyer (38% of TikTok users are between the ages of 18-44)
- TikTok currently gets outstanding organic reach, increasing the chances that you’ll grow followers
- TikTok is free brand-building for your content and your law firm
There are a few ways that lawyers can make an impact on this popular social media channel:
- Create a branded channel with specific video content for your practice area
- Partnering with an existing TikTok influencer who can help bring awareness to your law firm
- Pay to advertise on TikTok
Although the last two ideas have the potential for some short-term gains when you’re new to the platform, the first concept is by far the one that gives you the most potential and control.
Creating your own content allows you to connect directly with your target audience and to build a relationship on trust and education as you add more content, so that’s where we’ll focus.
Lawyers Who are Getting it Right on TikTok
The good news is that you won’t be the first to figure out how TikTok works. Follow the path of what has worked for these successful lawyers on TikTok as a roadmap to create your own unique and compelling content.
1. Calina Plotky, Family Lawyer
TikTok handle: @galawyer
Calina records videos relevant to family law and divorce topics. She comes across as approachable and knowledgeable at the same time but also looks professional in each of her videos. That strategy has helped her reach over 476,000 followers on TikTok.
Calina mixes up educational videos with a family law attorney perspective and those stitched with music to address topics around family law. Here’s just one example of a lighter video on annulment.
2. Julio Oyhanarte, Immigration Lawyer
TikTok handle: @immigrationtv
Julio’s getting it right because he uses his channel to create short videos directly aligned with common issues around immigration. His approach is upfront and honest, and his text over videos makes these difficult topics more accessible to his audience in California.
He also uses another account in only Spanish for his potential clients, leading with inclusivity in mind and broadening his reach. That account has over 2 million followers.
In this video about why now is a great time for immigrants to seek out jobs in the U.S. due to cultural shifts like the Great Resignation and quiet quitting, Julio provides valuable insight to his audience.
3. Tom Kherker, Personal Injury Lawyer
TikTok handle: @attorneytom
With over 715,000 followers on TikTok, Tom Kherker leverages his reach to talk about big issues and lawsuits in the world of personal injury. This approach highlights how active he is in ongoing victim representation and breaks down complex legal issues in PI law for his audience.
In this video, he pokes fun at himself as a lawyer and boss, giving insight into his personality.
4. Kelly Chang, Family Lawyer
TikTok handle: @lawyerkelly
This TikTok channel is engaging, sometimes funny, and covers difficult questions around divorce and family law with ease. It’s simple to see how this lawyer has grown to nearly 400,000 followers with videos like this one on when legal separation makes more sense than divorce.
5. Mike Rafi, Injury Attorney
TikTok handle: @mikerafi
Mike Rafi's TikTok account is one of the best examples you can find of an attorney who balances interesting content with a storytelling approach. He has plenty of videos where he breaks down frequently asked questions for his audience.
But where he shines is when he's talking about cases he's worked on.
The way Mike tells each story makes the client and the case the star of the show. It's entertaining for his audience and implies his critical role in each case without being in-your-face about it.
6. Mike Mandell, Personal Injury/Criminal Defense/Entertainment Lawyer
TikTok handle: @lawbymike
Mike Mandell claims to be the most successful lawyer on social media, and TikTok is yet another platform he’s proven he can dominate. He uses consistent branding and humor throughout his videos, even with multiple practice areas. He goes through common mistakes with a parking ticket in this video.
7. Ali Awad, Injury Lawyer
TikTok handle: @ceolawyer
Ali mixes educational videos to help people drive more safely, along with pertinent questions in personal injury law. His branding as the CEO lawyer and tagging with #Awadofmoney make him and his content memorable. In this video, he pulls footage from YouTube to explain liability in an accident.
8. Ethen Ostroff, Injury Lawyer
TikTok handle: @ethenostrofflaw
Ethen has generated over 220,000 followers on TikTok by incorporating colorful graphics on hot button topics mixed in with information helpful to his audience. This video on Roundup and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma showcases Ethen as a serious and knowledgeable advocate for his clients.
9. Anthony Barbuto, Family Lawyer
TikTok handle: @thelawyer
As one of the first attorneys to lean into the TikTok generation, Anthony Barbuto has a big following on the platform. He’s upfront in his bio that his content is funny, and he uses other people frequently in his videos to get attention and bring awareness and humor to difficult aspects of family law.
He does an incredible job of presenting content that’s relevant to his audience, even outside the immediate frame of family law, with this video about traditional vs. modern dating.
10. Paige Sparks, Employment Lawyer
TikTok handle: @lawyerpaige
Paige’s personality and no-nonsense approach to employment law definitely come across throughout her channel. Check out her video about why she says she’d never sign a non-compete agreement.
Tips for Success on TikTok
TikTok is still quite new compared to other social media channels, so expect a learning curve. Trying out some different ideas for content will help you find your voice and what resonates most with your followers.
Follow this formula for ongoing success with TikTok:
- Create original content that is distinct for your brand and practice area
- Stitch videos with legal commentary
- Comment on trending legal issues
- Bring a legal perspective to current events
- Respond to users
- Stay up to date on TikTok trends
Create Original Content
To get traction, you’ll need to post new content regularly. The great thing about this is that TikTok videos don’t need to be long to get traction or play into the algorithm. Short and sweet videos achieve great success on TikTok.
Instead of creating longer videos with extensive scripts like you might for a YouTube channel, break topics down into smaller pieces.
While you might get inspiration from the list of lawyers above, you should always personalize your channel for your followers. Planning a list of topics you might cover in advance makes it easier to create a content calendar. You can record your videos or advance or 1-2 per week when you know what topics and questions are likely to resonate most with your followers and prospective clients.
There are three buckets from which you can pull a lot of content ideas:
- Answering FAQs brought to you by new clients
- Tips and tricks, such as how to deal with insurance adjusters or what to expect with a parenting plan
- Advice for aspiring lawyers
Check out the channels listed above for an idea of the right ratio for different kinds of content.
Check out this example of turning tough settlement talks into a more lighthearted topic. This video gives good insight into how lawyers think about settlements.
Stitch Videos with Legal Commentary
For personal injury lawyers especially, there’s no shortage of other content you can stitch together with your own voiceovers. People put videos of dangerous, stupid, or legally actionable content on TikTok daily. This is a solid opportunity to add your own commentary to respond to trending topics and get your brand out there.
Check out @lawyerkelly‘s take on the concepts of wealth and relationships with her commentary.
Comment on Trending Legal Issues
It definitely helps to include videos on your channel with interesting questions and concerns in your practice area. You can also look at the broader legal world to give your commentary. Since it’s already trending and getting people’s attention, this is a good chance to add your voice to the mix.
@atlinjurylawgroup capitalized on She-Hulk to highlight their lawyers recently.
Bring a Legal Perspective to Current Events
If there are current events you’d like to chat about on your TikTok channel, a good rule of thumb is to keep it light.
Current events can showcase your personality and add versatility to your channel. Don’t delve too deep into politics or opinions, however. While talking about the new Ted Lasso season and your excitement over it is charming, it’s hard to create content about the war in Ukraine without pontificating or depressing others.
Remember, your channel does not have to include only legal videos or only funny/personality-based videos. A blend of both is best.
Check out @jtlegalgroup and their video about the Depp-Heard case.
Interact with Users
Your work on TikTok continues after you’ve recorded and posted your video. Being accessible to your followers and engaging with them shows that you’re a real person behind the screen. Respond to comments or stitch videos with other users to boost your own following and build relationships.
Responding to personalized or common questions is another way to form a connection with your viewers. Check out Matt Dolman’s take as he responds to a follower’s question about life post-law school and if he’d do it all again.
Stay Up-to-Date on TikTok Trends
If you’re going to put in the time to grow on TikTok, engage with the platform. Continue to watch for trends and opportunities to build on your brand. Since the TikTok algorithm may change, be open to updating your strategy there as needed.
Use hashtags, trending sounds, popular challenges, and more to get better traction on TikTok. Be aware, however, of doing something just to do it. If you can connect your personality or your law practice to a topic, it’s a no-brainer. But don’t overuse hashtags or go too far off script since your primary goal is to build a following of potential clients.
Converting Followers into Leads
Followers are not the same things as leads for your law firm. Having a bunch of TikTok followers does not guarantee that you’ll get any leads, so you also need a plan for how you’ll convert those followers.
Here are some best practices for doing so:
- Be authentic. If your personality is sarcastic, lean into that
- Have fun with TikTok and create a process you’ll enjoy
- Demonstrate your expertise, but mix it up with humor
- Avoid coming across as stiff, smug, or other lawyer stereotypes
Here are some more examples of lawyers who find the right balance on their channels.
Morgan & Morgan’s TikTok
Morgan & Morgan balances a sense of humor and authenticity to give viewers a good idea of the law firm’s approach to personal injury. As a law firm with a nationwide presence, they successfully avoid coming off as smug or stiff, even when talking about difficult topics.
Matt Dolman’s TikTok
Matt Dolman showcases his authenticity by giving an honest, upfront, and realistic take on common questions and concerns in personal injury cases. His consistency in posts and thoughtful takes give clear insights into how he works with clients.
The Lovely Law Firm
The Lovely Law Firm highlights each one of the attorneys in their practice, giving TikTok followers the opportunity to learn about relevant personal injury areas while also getting to know the individual lawyers. The attorneys come across as both approachable and knowledgeable.
Make it easy for your followers and people who land on your videos to get in touch with you. That means you should:
- Include links in your bio
- Let people know how they can contact you
- Let people know that you are open to DMs, if applicable
Attorney Tom does a great job with this. He links to a landing page with all the ways to reach out to him, and his TikToks conclude with a clear call to action.
Final Thoughts: TikTok for Lawyers
Feeling motivated to create your TikTok account and start posting content? Begin by brain-dumping your ideas into a note or document, and get creative!
If you’ll be using your TikTok to expand your brand’s existing presence, don’t forget about a digital marketing cornerstone: SEO. Rankings.io has helped numerous successful law firm brands create content that ranks on search engines and delivers value to readers. If you need help to get the most out of your SEO strategy, contact us today for more help.
