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While some experts debate the marketing effectiveness of Twitter, small firm lawyers continue to use the micro-blogging site to network with other lawyers, get their name out and create a community.

Here are some suggestions for making the most of Twitter without wasting time:

Do:

• Have a plan

Ask yourself why you are using Twitter, said Nancy Byerly Jones, a law firm consultant in Banner Elk, N.C., who said she set clear goals before opening her own account.

“It’s no different than buying a piece of software for your law office – is it because the firm across the street has it or because I think it’s really worth my investment of time and effort?” said Jones.

• Know who’s following you

Periodically check who is following you and delete those who aren’t providing useful information, who over-tweet or who no longer share your interests.

“It’s about quality, not the numbers,” said Jones.

• Pace yourself

Twitter can be a huge procrastination tool, so pace yourself and exercise restraint, advised Jones.

One Twitter faux-pas is where a single tweeter sends a flurry of tweets all in a row.

“That’s a huge no-no,” said Melissa Fuller Brown, a family law attorney in Charleston, S.C., who lectures to attorneys about Twitter use.

Don’t:

• Play the numbers game

Treating Twitter as merely a popularity contest probably won’t serve you well.

“I don’t mind a lot of followers, but I want the people I’m following and those following me to be able to … provide one another a mutual benefit,” said Jones.

• Just self-promote

Twitter is not only about self-promotion, says Brown.

Make sure your tweets provide something of substance to your followers, such as information on a legal topic, a relevant conference or a recent article of common interest.

“Not everyone will find everything I send out interesting, but I do consciously try to send out information that I know will interest a significant number of people,” said Brown.

• Be too literal

While the stated objective of Twitter is to answer (in 140 characters or less) the question “What are you doing?” – don’t take that too literally, said Brown.

Jones agreed.

“My youngest son recently got married and I was going to be offline for the whole weekend, so I tweeted that to let people know the reason I was away. But aside from that, I don’t put personal stuff,” she said.

- Sylvia Hsieh

For more on Twitter for lawyers, see:

Tips for the Twittering attorney

Attorneys flocking to Twitter for marketing

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