Business development doesn’t always require a new strategy, a larger budget or another hire. Sometimes, it starts with a click.

For many law firms, LinkedIn has become an essential marketing and business development platform. Firms invest significant time and resources creating thought leadership articles, client alerts, webinar promotions and firm announcements, yet one of the most effective ways to increase the reach of that content often costs nothing at all.

Employee engagement.

When attorneys and professional staff consistently like, comment on and share firm content, they do more than support the marketing department. They help introduce the firm’s work to new audiences, strengthen its credibility and expand its visibility beyond the firm’s own followers.

For firms looking to maximize the value of their existing marketing efforts, encouraging internal engagement may be one of the simplest and most cost-effective business development strategies available.

People Trust People More Than Pages

Firm pages serve an important purpose, but people are far more likely to engage with content shared by someone they know.

Whether it’s a partner commenting on a client alert, an associate sharing a webinar invitation or a member of the marketing team celebrating a firm accomplishment, those interactions feel personal. They carry an endorsement that a company page simply can’t replicate.

That matters because every attorney has their own professional network of clients, referral sources, former colleagues, classmates and industry contacts. Those networks represent audiences the firm’s LinkedIn page may never reach on its own.

When employees engage with firm content, they’re effectively opening another door into those professional relationships.

How The LinkedIn Algorithm Works

LinkedIn rewards engagement by showing activity to other users.

When someone likes, comments on or shares a post, LinkedIn often surfaces that activity within the person’s network. As a result, the firm’s content appears before people who may not follow the firm’s page but are connected to the employee who engaged with it.

Imagine two attorneys commenting on a new client alert discussing changes in employment law. Their activity may expose that article to hundreds or even thousands of additional professionals, many of whom never would have seen it otherwise.

Every interaction creates another opportunity for a prospective client, referral source or future recruit to discover the firm’s work.

The Notifications Effect

Engagement also influences how LinkedIn decides which content deserves broader distribution.

When multiple people interact with the same post, LinkedIn recognizes that activity as a signal that the content is relevant. The platform may then recommend the post to additional users or surface it more prominently in their feeds, even if they don’t follow the firm’s page.

Unlike paid advertising, those recommendations appear organically through the platform, making them feel more authentic and increasing the likelihood that users will click through to learn more.

Simply put, the more employees who engage with a post, the more opportunities LinkedIn has to introduce that content to new audiences.

Why This Matters for Law Firms

Law firms compete for attention every day.

Prospective clients are researching legal issues. Referral sources are evaluating firms to recommend. Law students and lateral candidates are deciding where they want to build their careers.

Many of those first impressions happen online.

When attorneys actively engage with firm content, they help reinforce the firm’s experience and culture in a way that feels authentic. A client alert with thoughtful comments from attorneys demonstrates that the firm isn’t simply publishing content – its lawyers are actively discussing the issues that matter to clients.

That visibility also supports recruiting efforts. Prospective employees often review a firm’s LinkedIn presence before applying. A page with active engagement from attorneys and staff signals a collaborative culture and demonstrates that employees take pride in the firm’s accomplishments.

Building a Culture of Engagement

Creating that visibility doesn’t require a formal social media campaign.

Instead, firms should encourage attorneys and professional staff to make engagement part of their routine. Taking a few seconds to react to a post, leave a thoughtful comment or share content with a brief personal perspective can collectively have a significant impact on how far that content travels.

Marketing teams can make participation easier by regularly sharing links to new posts internally, highlighting key messages employees may want to emphasize or drafting language to use with a reminder to colleagues that even small interactions help amplify the firm’s voice.

The Takeaway

Every firm wants its thought leadership, client alerts and announcements to reach the right audience. The good news is that firms already have one of the most effective tools for doing exactly that: their people.

Encouraging attorneys and professional staff to actively engage with firm content isn’t simply a social media best practice. It’s a practical business development strategy that expands visibility, strengthens credibility and helps firms maximize the value of the content they’re already creating.

Brianna Loewke is a senior associate at Poston Communications, based in Washington, D.C.

Gillian Flannery is a third-year law student at Mitchell Hamline School of Law working toward her Juris Doctor.