Managing the keys to your law firm’s digital marketing presence is just as critical as managing the physical keys to your office building. When exploring digital marketing for law firms,...
How to secure your law firm’s digital marketing assets
Managing the keys to your law firm's digital marketing presence is just as critical as managing the physical keys to your office building. When exploring digital marketing for law firms, many practices overlook the security and ownership of their online assets until a crisis strikes. A marketing manager might leave the company unexpectedly, or an external agency could suddenly hold a social media page hostage.
Losing control of your web platforms can damage your reputation and interrupt your ability to communicate with clients. Reclaiming a hijacked Facebook page or a lost LinkedIn profile often requires weeks of frustrating correspondence with tech support.
With these risks in mind, it’s essential to implement a clear strategy to protect your online presence, whether your marketing is managed internally or by an outside agency. The following guide will help you keep your digital assets secure, accessible, and under your firm’s ownership as you move through each step.
Who should have admin rights?
Treat admin access like a formal partnership agreement. It must be tightly controlled and clearly documented at all times.
Primary Owners (Super Admins): Assign at least two senior stakeholders to this role. This could be a Managing Partner, Equity Partner, or Operations Director. Having multiple super admins prevents a single point of failure if a single super admin is unavailable.
Day-to-Day Managers (Editors/Admins): Your internal Marketing Director or Social Media Manager fits perfectly here. They need enough access to post content and manage comments. They do not necessarily need the authority to delete the page entirely.
External Agencies: Never give an external marketing agency primary ownership of your platforms. Grant them access via "Partner" status in Meta Business Manager or "Super Admin/Content Admin" on LinkedIn. You can easily revoke this status at any time.
The crucial rule to remember is that your firm must always remain the top-level owner of every account, page, and domain.
Off-boarding: what to do when someone leaves
When an employee or contractor with digital access leaves the firm, rapid action is required to protect your resources and sustain security.
First, revoke their native access. Remove their personal accounts from Meta Business Suite, LinkedIn Page Admins, Google Business Profile, and Google Analytics.
Next, update your third-party software. Delete their user seats in scheduling and email tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or Mailchimp.
If you use a shared password manager like 1Password or rely on shared logins for tools that lack multi-user support, change those passwords immediately.
Finally, reassign ownership. If the departing employee was somehow the sole owner of a specific asset, ensure they transfer ownership to a remaining Partner before their final day at the office.
How to request access to lost assets
Effective social media marketing for law firms often gets derailed when partners realise they lack access to their own pages. If you find yourself locked out, here is how to regain access to your accounts.
Requesting access on Meta (Facebook and Instagram)
- Go to your Meta Business Settings (business.facebook.com).
- Under the Accounts tab, click Pages.
- Click the blue Add dropdown button and select Request Access to a Page.
- Enter your firm’s Facebook Page name or URL. The current owner will receive a notification to approve your request.
If the current owner is unresponsive or hostile, you will need to initiate an admin dispute through Meta Support. This escalation procedure usually requires submitting a notarised letter and government-issued ID.
Requesting access on LinkedIn
- Ensure your personal LinkedIn profile lists your current law firm as your active employer.
- Go to your firm's LinkedIn Company Page. If you lack admin rights, you will not see the "Admin Tools" menu.
- If you know the current admin, message them directly and ask them to add you (Admin Tools > Manage Admins).
- If the admin is no longer with the firm, attempt to claim the page yourself. Click the More button on the page and select Claim this page. LinkedIn will then verify your email domain (e.g., @yourlawfirm.com) before granting access.
The danger of third-party tools
Law firms often use third-party scheduling tools like Buffer, Loomly, or HubSpot to save time. However, having access to a scheduling tool does not equal native admin rights to your social media channels.
If an external agency creates your Facebook or LinkedIn page and links it to their scheduler, you do not actually own that page. If you fire the agency, they can unplug the tool, leaving you without access to your followers, content, and historical data. Always ensure you have native "Super Admin" access before linking any third-party software.
Digital asset mistakes to avoid
Using fake profiles: Creating a dummy Facebook profile (e.g., "Smith Law Marketing") to run a business page violates Meta’s Terms of Service. If Meta flags the fake profile, they will delete it, taking down your firm's entire business page. Always use real personal profiles that are securely tied to your Business Manager.
A single point of failure: Relying on only one admin is highly risky. If they lose their password, get hacked, or leave on bad terms, your firm loses the asset entirely.
Letting IT run marketing assets: Your IT department should manage technical infrastructure, but marketing assets require marketing agility. IT can help establish password security procedures, but senior partners or marketing directors must hold the actual keys.
Frequently asked questions on digital best practices.
Should lawyers use their personal social media accounts for the firm?
Lawyers can certainly share firm content on their personal profiles to boost overall reach. However, the firm's central brand must always be managed via dedicated Business Pages, never through a personal profile masquerading as a business entity.
Can we just share one master login for everything?
No. Platforms like LinkedIn and Meta require users to log in with their personal credentials and be granted access to the business page. Sharing passwords often triggers security lockouts and violates platform rules.
How often should we audit our digital assets?
Aim to audit your assets biannually. Check exactly who has access to your domain registrar, website CMS (like WordPress), Google Business Profile, and all social media channels. Remove any previous employees or agencies who no longer need access.
Take control of your digital profile today.
Making proactive steps to secure your accounts ensures your marketing efforts build long-term value for your practice. Use this easy-to-follow checklist to audit your firm's digital footprint and lock down your assets:
- Domain & Hosting: Firm partners hold the master login to the domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy) and website hosting platform.
- Google Ecosystem: At least two senior staff members have "Primary Owner" access to Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and your Google Business Profile.
- Meta Business Suite: The firm has a verified Meta Business Manager account that officially owns the Facebook and Instagram pages.
- LinkedIn Page: At least two current partners or directors are listed as "Super Admins" on the LinkedIn Company Page.
- Agency Access: All external agencies are added strictly as "Partners" or limited "Editors," rather than Primary Owners.
- Third-Party Tools: The firm pays for and owns its own scheduling tools (Sprout Social, Buffer, etc.) rather than relying solely on an agency's enterprise account.
- Offboarding Protocol: A documented checklist exists in HR to revoke all digital access on an employee's final day.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): 2FA is strictly enforced for all users accessing the firm's digital assets to prevent unauthorised hacks.
Begin by checking your Meta Business Suite and LinkedIn Page admin lists today, and remove any unrecognised names immediately.
Looking for help with marketing your law firm? Having worked with hundreds of law firms across the UK, I've seen the common mistakes many make when it comes to the digital marketing legal sector.
