You have a Facebook presence. You want people to look you up after they are referred to you, and you want to stay in touch with your existing audience. You consistently post educational and valuable content. You’re doing everything right and you’re likely assuming a lot of people are seeing your content. However, lawyers quickly become frustrated with their limited reach, the lack of comments, and the likes that never appear.
The disconnect isn’t due to your effort or approach—it’s the platform. Facebook’s algorithm decides what content gets seen, and typically, business pages are not at the top of that list. We’re not saying that organic social media isn’t practical, but instead that it is selective. A post’s visibility largely depends on its timing, format, and level of interaction. While it is free to post, getting seen requires a strategic approach.
Organic social media should be part of your marketing strategy, so it’s essential to understand how it works.
What Is Organic Social Media?
While an ad and an organic post can look very similar to a casual user, they’re fundamentally different. Organic social media is everything you post without a budget behind it. This applies to posts that aren’t boosted or have an ad spend. These raw, unpaid posts are on your timeline and appear in people’s feeds. That includes text updates, photos, videos, stories, event announcements, and other links.
These posts show up in the feeds of people who already follow you, or have engaged with you often enough that Facebook thinks they still care. For many law firms, organic posts serve as their foundation for digital branding, and for good reason. These posts display personality, voice, and credibility.
Organic social media is not about pushing an ad but building something stronger: recognition, trust, and relevance. A post about a recent court win, a brief “did-you-know” about your practice area, and a 30-second clip explaining DUI consequences are small but consistent bricks in a wall that your audience learns to recognize.
If you post only when you have something to promote, you’ll have already lost the storyline. Organic social media requires ongoing maintenance, visibility, and a long-term commitment to consistent posting.
Who Is Seeing My Posts?
This is something that many marketing companies won’t tell you: Maybe about 2-6% of your followers are seeing your organic posts. That’s it. Unfortunately, this isn’t a glitch or something you can work around because it’s how Facebook is designed to work.
Although algorithms change, at the time of this posting, Facebook’s algorithm favors personal connection over brand voice. That means that friends, family, group content, and viral engagement have priority. And very few law firms can expect to go viral by posting educational content.
The good news is that organic social media is far from pointless. Organic content—especially posts that educate, showcase testimonials, or highlight your team—shows you’re present, engaged, and credible. It also fuels retargeting. Facebook tracks who interacts with your posts or visits your profile, enabling you to build retargeting audiences without incurring any costs. The more consistently you post, the more quietly—and effectively—you build a pool of people primed for follow-up ads.
Content + Paid Ads = Your Growth Formula
If you consistently post and feel you have maxed out your referral pipeline, it may be time to pair your organic strategy with smart, targeted advertising. Spotlight Marketing & Branding helps law firms create content that earns trust and builds ad campaigns that get seen. Whether you’re ready to expand your reach or refine your message, we can help you achieve both.