Social networking has seen a sharp increase in new users who were born before 1964. It is no longer unusual to find a status-updating Baby Boomer. In fact, the Pew Internet Project estimates that 72% of adults who surf the Web maintain social network profiles.

Search engines are paying increasing attention to signals from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networks– considering them to be strong indicators of social proof.

Google+ is the first social network run by a search engine and the first social platform to directly impact rankings. To reach this growing demographic of adult Social Media users, and to enjoy the benefits social networks can have on your search presence, your law firm should consider investing in social networking.

For example, one major law firm’s Facebook page, Belluck & Fox’s Mesothelioma Help, enjoys a wide reach of more than 6,000 likes consisting primarily of people ages 45 to 54 (16%), 55 to 64 (26%) and 65+ (18%).

Over a year ago, law firm inquiries were almost unheard of on Social Media. As an increasing number of attorneys could attest, it is now common for inquiries to come from their Facebook profile due to the fact that users who have become comfortable on Social Media have begun to actively seek out businesses on social networks.

Twitter, on the other hand, is not as popular with Baby Boomers. It is estimated that only 5% of people over age 65 use Twitter. Twitter is not the social network for all businesses. Success requires frequent updates and the deft ability to fight through clamor in a nanosecond. However, Twitter is useful in generating some Web traffic and helping to maintain a comprehensive Web presence.

Broad social visibility is best accomplished when accompanied by a strong budget and experienced management. Social visibility takes time and money.

Facebook, in particular, is structured so that paid ads are one of the few reliable ways a business can reach new users on a regular basis.

In other words, a business page cannot reach out to an individual user and make first contact. While a financial investment is required, bear in mind that your firm might spend the equivalent investment of paid advertising in consistently monitoring your company’s Twitter feed.

The starting point for success on Social Media includes assessing your target demographics and, if the Baby Boomer generation makes up your prospective client base, thinking of creative ways to engage them where they spend time online.

Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

Post inspirational quotes. While Millennials may poke fun at them, Baby Boomers do not. A Baby Boomer is most likely to share your inspirational quote with their friends, giving your law firm increased attention. Adding quotes to a shareable image also helps to promote engagement.

Strategize your social media posts around times of the day when this demographic is most active online. Facebook’s Insights tool will give you this information. You can also ask your Web vendor that is handling your social presence.

Chose an exceptionally fantastic post and promote it. Facebook will allow you to invest $5-10 dollars to promote your best posts. Promoting posts is effective for engaging Baby Boomers and all users, expanding your reach exponentially. Think about postings that will especially appeal to people age 50 and older and strengthen your brand.

Does your law firm market to the Baby Boomer generation? Have you experienced success in reaching this demographic on Social Media? We would love to hear your story!