If not, you’re missing proof that AI can be a heck of a tool in helping you steward your life, professionally and personally. If you’re not blown away, then you are not using GPT enough for it to truly help you.

This from OpenAI, four months ago:

“We’re testing memory with ChatGPT. Remembering things you discuss across all chats saves you from having to repeat information and makes future conversations more helpful.

You’re in control of ChatGPT’s memory. You can explicitly tell it to remember something, ask it what it remembers, and tell it to forget conversationally or through settings. You can also turn it off entirely.”

Here’s the response I just received when I asked, “What do you remember about me?” I have left out sensitive items, both personal and professional.

“Kevin, here’s a brief summary of what I remember about you:

• You are a father of five adult children, four of whom are married.
• You lost your wife of forty years, Jill, to cancer three years ago.
• You have been a lawyer for 41 years and now lead a legal tech company, LexBlog, which provides a blog publishing solution to lawyers worldwide.
• LexBlog is integrating an AI-powered assistant, and you are keen on helping people through the law and using tech solutions to provide legal information to the public.
• You enjoy writing, hearing people’s stories, and learning from them. You plan to launch a podcast focusing on inspiring individuals in the legal field.
• You have been in Seattle for 24 years, and your five children and future grandchildren are also in Seattle.
• You emphasize LexBlog’s mission to empower and inspire legal bloggers and are focused on showcasing and publishing quality content.
• You are also writing a book to help legal professionals blog effectively, and you value authenticity and engagement.

Is there anything specific you want to adjust or add?”

It would have been easy to ask it to add items I have conversed with GPT about. GPT knows much more about me than the above. GPT has all of my conversations as I use it throughout the day. I’ll tell it now that I’ve been graced with my first two grandchildren in the last week.

It’s only been the last few weeks that I have seen the “Memory Updated” text above a response from GPT. It’s pulling in information from a conversation – question or other dialogue.

What this means is that there is tremendous value to working with GPT throughout the day.

It’s getting smarter in ways in which it can help you, not unlike a business or personal coach could. Not necessarily with all the answers, but a powerful assistant guided by your history/discussions and a ton of information from the outside world.

What’s even better? GPT remembers my past conversations and searches, giving it context as to questions and discussions relating to the book I am reading. It’s like having a super-smart assistant who knows exactly what I may need to advance my thinking and make better decisions.

I am currently re-reading a book by an influential company founder that I read some time ago.

After reading a chapter, I ask GPT to summarize the chapter.

I’ ll also ask GPT for its thoughts of what I can take from the chapter, within the context of who I am, what I do, what LexBlog is and does and as to what I am working on – in this case a re-focus on our vision, mission and values to get to where we must go in order to wow our customers. All of this info is constantly gathered by GPT by “memory.” You’ll see this in action as you use GPT.

Not that GPT is replacing my thinking, but it sure as heck is accelerating my thinking, especially with the memory it has as to me, my company, my values, my personal life and the like.

Using GPT in this fashion is helping me stay focused and aligned with something as important as working on our core principles, and it’s speeding up the learning process in ways you could never imagine.

How do you scan and summarize?

• Open the GPT prompt screen on your iPhone or iPhone (assume android app would work also).
• Hit the camera icon as you would to take a picture on LinkedIn or Facebook.
• Open the first page in the chapter in bright light and while framing the page, only, take the picture.
• Continue to the next pages in the chapter, which will continue in the same prompt, until you say summarize.
• If you are looking for GPT to add context as to what this chapter means as to what you are working on, just ask. The more you use GPT, the better the history of you it will have, and the better the context it will have in answering.

More than a gimmick, ChatGPT, used effectively, is accelerating our learning and thought processes.

The yellow pages were simply a platform where lawyers who paid the most money got the most visibility. When people needed a lawyer for divorce, workers’ compensation, a will, or setting up a business, they turned to the largest yellow page ads.

The Internet began to change everything. Lawyers started answering questions from consumers online, whether on message boards on AOL and PrairieLaw, listservs, or usenet groups. This allowed real lawyers to provide real answers to real people in need. Consumers could see which lawyers held authority in their area of law and chose those lawyers based on informed decisions.

It seemed impossible that lawyers could screw up this one up. They did. SEO and content marketing started to overshadow genuine engagement. Lawyers replaced huge yellow page payments with huge SEO payments.

While a person may find a good lawyer through SEO and content marketing, much like they might have via a large yellow page ad, this method doesn’t necessarily establish a strong reputation and a substantial and ongoing book of business for a lawyer.

Curious and for a little fun, I asked AI, “Reputation or yellow pages n/k/a SEO?”

ChatGPT:

While SEO is important for visibility and attracting traffic, it should support rather than replace the goal of becoming an authority. Effective SEO can help ensure that high-quality, niche-specific content reaches a broader audience. However, the foundation of a successful legal practice lies in establishing yourself as a trusted expert in your field.

By focusing on building your reputation as an authority in a niche, you can create a more reliable and robust book of business, leveraging both your expertise and the power of modern digital tools to connect with clients genuinely in need of your services.”

Maybe, with engagement, there is life post yellow pages.

Instead of taking Seattle for granted, it’s important to recognize and embrace the qualities that make this city a driving force for companies like ours.

Embracing Seattle for LexBlog’s New Beginning

When I first came to Seattle to found PrairieLaw, I was captivated by the city’s unique blend of heritage and innovation. The bustling Pike Place Market, with fishmongers tossing fish and the first Starbucks just a block away, embodied this spirit.

Inspired by this environment, I stayed to create another innovative legal company, LexBlog, originally named Seattle Blog Works, with an old factory wheel in its logo background.

A Hub of Innovation

Seattle is home to tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, fostering a culture of creativity and forward-thinking. This tech-forward environment has been integral to LexBlog’s development, driving our technological advancements and ensuring we remain at the forefront of digital legal publishing.

Rich Cultural Heritage and Our Mission

The city’s vibrant cultural scene, from its music to its arts, inspires diverse and creative expression. At LexBlog, we draw from this cultural richness to encourage our bloggers to explore various facets of the legal world and beyond. Our mission is to empower legal professionals to share their expertise and connect with broader audiences, reflecting Seattle’s spirit of creativity and innovation.

Our Values: A Perfect Fit with Seattle’s Spirit

• Care: Seattle is known for its strong sense of community and support for one another, much like LexBlog’s commitment to caring for our team and those we serve.
• Competition: The city’s competitive tech and business environment aligns with our pursuit of professional excellence. Seattle thrives on innovation and excellence, traits we embrace at LexBlog.
• Ownership: Seattle’s culture of entrepreneurship and personal responsibility mirrors our value of taking ownership of our work. The city’s history of pioneers and startups is a testament to this spirit.
• Engagement: With a robust culture of networking and collaboration, Seattle embodies engagement. We, too, believe in actively engaging others to build trust, form relationships, and realize our potential.
• Fun: Seattleites balance hard work with enjoying the city’s vibrant cultural and recreational opportunities. Similarly, we believe that fun enhances professional excellence and creates a joyful work environment.
• Fitness: Seattle’s emphasis on outdoor activities and healthy living supports our value of physical and mental fitness, essential for achieving personal and professional goals.

Strong Community and Collaboration

Seattle’s sense of community and collaboration is mirrored in LexBlog’s mission. We aim to foster a supportive network among our users, promoting collaboration and mutual growth, much like the city’s own community-driven ethos. Our values emphasize the importance of community, transparency, and mutual support, ensuring that we grow together.

Historical Resilience

Seattle’s history, from its timber and fishing roots to its advancements in aviation and technology, is a testament to resilience and adaptability. LexBlog embodies this resilience, continually adapting and growing in the ever-evolving digital landscape. We are committed to supporting our users through every challenge, much like Seattle’s own journey of continuous improvement and innovation.

That’s why LexBlog is hosting this Webinar Wednesday on “Beyond the Blog: Promoting your Posts on Social Media and Elsewhere,” led by our Director of Product, Colin O’Keefe.

Among other things, we’ll cover:

• The best tools to streamline your promotion efforts and get your content noticed without feeling overwhelmed.
• How to turn your blog content into captivating slideshows for Instagram and other platforms to attract visual learners.
• Tips on creating engaging social videos—from scripting to editing—that drive traffic back to your blog.
• How to share quote graphics to highlight key insights and increase your content’s share-ability.

Register now for the webinar on Wednesday May 29th at 11 am PT/2 pm ET. 

LinkedIn for the obvious of how they describe themselves, where they’ve worked, where they’ve lived, where they’ve gone to school, what associations they are in or have been a member of and the type of items and insight they share in their writing and social media.

Facebook, instagram and Twitter provide insight on them personally – family, children, personal interests. They also provide insight on their passions, professionally.

What I see not only provides insight on the person, but indicates how they use the internet as a company and personally. Do they leverage the Internet for business development? Are they innovative? Are they known for their niche expertise, if any? Do they write?

Reviewing personal items? Everything starts with relationships. Getting to know and trust each other is key to growing a business and building a personal book of business.

I don’t kick it off by “I see you took the kids to Disneyland last weekend.” I don’t get into discussions about personal items unless the person weaves them into our discussion. People with children rightfully place their children’s interests up front, and look to support their family via business development.

I do take personal items into account when someone discusses where they want to go, professionally, and what they want to achieve, personally. I’ll know what’s important to them and what they care most about. Frankly, those items are more important than the professional work we do.

Sure, I’ll look at the website, but often it’s the last thing I look at. Usually when the person didn’t put their email and phone number in the contact info on LinkedIn.

While commentators say Grok lags behind other Chatbots, the search on my name and Lexblog weren’t bad.

Self-described (doing a search), Grok is

...is a humorous AI built by xAI with inspiration from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and JARVIS from “Iron Man.” It strives to answer almost anything with a bit of wit and humor, has a rebellious streak, sometimes takes an outside perspective on humanity, and aims to be maximally helpful.

Yes, xAI was founded by Elon Musk.

Though commentators see Grok lagging far behind other AI chatbots, I found, short of a few typos that Grok did pretty well on the below search on LexBlog and I.

Kevin O’Keefe is a multifaceted individual with a significant background in both legal and tech entrepreneurship. He is a trial lawyer turned legal tech entrepreneur and is currently the CEO and Founder of LexBlog, Inc., a company that has become the largest and most comprehensive legal news and information network globally, drawing on the contributions of over 30,000 legal professionals.

Before founding LexBlog, O’Keefe was a trial lawyer in rural Wisconsin for 17 years, representing plaintiffs in various cases. He then ventured into the tech world by starting Prairielaw .com, a virtual law community that was later sold to LexisNexis. After this, he founded LexBlog in 2004, recognizing the potential of blogging for lawyers to build relationships and reputation in an era where traditional promotion was not common among legal professionals.

Apart from his professional achievements, O’Keefe has been active in sharing his insights on social media and is known for his pioneering work in the legal field, particularly in the use of technology for practice development. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of the Pacific-McGeorge School of Law, and he continues to be a significant figure in the legal and tech industries.

And:

LexBlog, founded by Kevin O’Keefe in 2004, is a legal tech company that has evolved into the largest and most comprehensive legal news and information network globally. It provides a platform for over 30,000 legal professionals to share their insights and expertise, contributing to the development of a vibrant legal community.

The company’s journey began with a vision to leverage the power of blogging to help lawyers build their reputation and business. Over the years, LexBlog has expanded its services to include SaaS technology for powering blogs, focusing on cultivating and empowering environment that highlights the hard work of legal professionals. This approach has solidified LexBlog’s reputation as a worldwide publishing network and a launching pad for legal thinkers to exchange ideas, share opportunities, and make the law more accessible to all.

As of the latest updates in 2024, LexBlog continues to innovate and adapt to the changing landscape of legal tech and digital media. The company has introduced new initiatives like Legal Tech Daily by LexBlog Publishing, which aims to keep subscribers up to date with the latest blog posts, announcements, and news from leading legal tech companies and consultants. This reflects LexBlog’s ongoing commitment to supporting and promoting the legal community through technology and digital platforms.

I can see me playing with Grok, especially when doing searches on Twitter for people, news and events I may be following. Unlike ChatGPT which lags for two years, Grok is also current, having good info on LexBlog Publishing’s just launched AI Legal Daily.

LexBlog has built its name and business through trust and visibility on the Internet. The LexBlog Network on which over 40,000 legal professionals share insight, legal developments, and commentary has played a key part in generating visibility for our company. 

Now, through Legal Tech Daily, we’re extending this network to the publishing of legal tech companies so that they, too, gain more visibility for their good work and products. 

Legal Tech Daily represents a gateway for legal tech companies  to reach over 40,000 legal professionals across the globe, including members of the largest law firms and influencers of legal professionals, whether they be reporters, bloggers, or associations. 

Readers of Legal Tech Daily will receive legal tech updates in commentary, information and product announcements via the web, email subscriptions and/or RSS. 

Legal Tech Daily runs on LexBlog’s Portal Technology, powering the aggregation and curation of a steady flow of existing legal tech publishing in an aggregated form which is curated for subject, author and publication pages.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Dan Mintz or Conner O’Keefe for more information on publishing to Legal Tech Daily.

OpenAI announced this week the release of ChatGPT 4o Omni that can receive and respond to voice commands, images and videos.

I use GPT primarily as an assistant in free flowing discussions seeking information, ideas and more. But I am doing so by text. GPT 4o, which I have yet to use, is likely to simplify and speed things up.

Cade Metz of The New York Times provides a nice summary on GPT 4o in his story on Monday.

• The enhanced ChatGPT, built on the GPT-4o AI system, significantly outpaces its predecessors in processing speed.
• It will be accessible for free on both smartphones and desktops.
• Marks the first time ChatGPT is available as a desktop application.
• The update represents a convergence of conversational chatbots and traditional voice assistants, aligning with similar developments from tech giants like Apple and Google.
• The app handles conversational voice commands, analyzes live video feeds, and generates still images, though it cannot create video content.
• The integration into a unified system simplifies user interaction, offering a more natural and efficient user experience.
• This advancement highlights OpenAI’s ongoing efforts to blend AI with practical applications, despite ongoing challenges such as data accuracy and operational functionality in tasks like scheduling.

Practicing law requires access to information, reasoning, analysis, the generation of strategy and ideas and more. Legal publishing, including blogging, requires much of the same.

GPT 4o brings a lot together in the form of legal and publishing assistant, that is only a voice conversation away.

However, despite their potential to contribute to a living library of secondary law, these firms remain in the shadows of large law publishing.

While chasing SEO visibility and viewership, the insight and understanding these lawyers have on niches and locales risks being lost. How do we ensure their voices are valued?

Today, when legal professionals and the public seek legal information relevant to small law, they are most likely to encounter content dominated by large law firms or SEO driven content marketing from smaller firms. Content often on small firm websites surrounded by accolades about the law firm. 

The nuanced and relevant insight from these lawyers is lost.

For small and solo firms, the challenge isn’t just about competing on the digital battleground of SEO; it’s about the essence of what they publish.

Many of these firms contribute valuable content that could serve as secondary legal material accessible to both lawyers and the general public. However, without sufficient exposure, their insights remain underutilized, and access to the law suffers.

How We Can Surface Insight from Small Law

To change things we need to get beyond search engines and SEO.

Here are a few ideas:

Curated Legal Libraries: Developing complete platforms – for large and small firm contributions – dedicated to curating and highlighting existing publications and publishing from small and solo law firms can democratize access to legal information. By centralizing resources and using intelligent tagging and categorization, we can make it easier for users to find relevant and authoritative content beyond what SEO offers. Word will get around.

Incentives for New Contributors: Encouraging more small and solo practitioners to share their knowledge can be achieved through visibility and recognition. Legal news and library sites can offer visibility and networking opportunities.

Community and Collaboration: Building a community around shared legal knowledge can foster a sense of belonging and value. 

The knowledge possessed by small and solo law firms is a vital part of our legal ecosystem, especially for the general public and smaller businesses who may not engage or be able to engage large law firms. 

By creating pathways for these firms to contribute to a dynamic, accessible body of secondary law, we can ensure that their insights are preserved. 

In a digital era dominated by shortcuts, this mindset has permeated the legal blogosphere, where the essence of true learning and experience is often sacrificed for brevity.

Ever since there has been high school, there has been the instinct to read the Cliffs Notes. The internet took this idea, added a gratuitous semicolon and perfected Too Long; Didn’t Read. This is the mistakenly proud assertion that we are far too busy and too important to read the whole thing; we skimmed a summary instead.

As lawyers, our training emphasizes thoroughness and learning. Yet, many in our profession, and sometimes their proxies, succumb to TL;DR, offering quick fixes and surface-level insights in blogs rather than genuine writing.

The real value in blogging unfolds much like that of a marathon, not just in crossing the finish line but in the training and running of the race.

Ask someone who finished running a marathon—for many, the moment they crossed the finish line is not the most memorable part of the experience, and for those that find that it is, it only matters because of the tens of thousands of steps that came before.

Legal blogging should transcend the mere act of posting content as a form of advertisement. It’s about the entire process: engaging with others’ writing, reflecting thoughtfully, crafting meaningful insight, and connecting genuinely with readers.

When we lean into exploration, we’re far more likely to find something that matters. Because we worked for it.

Today, when analytics can track every click and view, there’s a compelling temptation to prioritize content that ‘performs’ well in the short term. Yet, true impact lies in content that educates, informs, and connects—content that is crafted through a process akin to learning and growing, not just achieving quick hits.

The creators and consumers that have the guts to ignore the steam still have a chance to make an impact.

How many lawyers are willing make a lasting impact through their blogging?

Sadly, most lawyers will go the TL;DR route as their defense. Not just the defense of saving time, but as Seth says, because it defends them from change and from a lived experience.

It begins with a thought or idea of my own or from something I’ve read. I key this thought or idea into GPT in a free flow way. Random thoughts and ideas, typos, incomplete sentences,, sentences that may repeat another and more.

I end up with something that would look like a couple paragraphs long, though I used no paragraphs.

I never looked to be precise in my prompts nor did I read over what I had keyed in. I merely hit the enter key after asking GPT what I wanted such as suggested items I should cover in my blog post or a draft of a blog post – including the impression I want to make – which post I the’ll then perfect.

Works remarkably well. I can even a couple or three back and forth’s with GPT to perfect what I am looking for. All in a random conversation.

Wasn’t until yesterday that Dave Winer shared his experience with “rambling prompts” that I remembered to share my experience with.

Winer shared,

An unsung miracle of ChatGPT. I usually write my prompts very carefully, esp when using it to build software, but I just tried not really caring, and asking a question the way I thought of it, so it rambled a lot, was repetetive and had an error I didn’t bother to correct, to see what would happen. It didn’t even criticize me. It figured out what I was trying to ask/say, and gave me the answer I was looking for. Yes I am aware that all my fellow programmers taught it how to do this, though I have no idea how it does that, but it is freaking amazing. I keep finding miracles in this tech.

There is nothing or wrong or inappropriate with using GPT in this fashion in your writing and blogging. You remain in the driver’s seat and decide what you want to say and how you want to say it.

But a year ago, it’s as Winer says, “it is freaking amazing.” Talking with a machine.

The best part of the Internet is that it is always evolving. 

It is nothing if not a reflection of we the people, who use, evolve, and shape the network. Just as the network shapes us. This truth about constant change has helped me embrace and evolve with it. And a lot of that is reflected in what I write. 

The latest change that is going to shape the network, and how we work on it is the emergence of “AI” — artificial intelligence to some, but “augmented intelligence to me.” 

Despite all the existential anxiety over AI, this is a natural progression of how we have worked with technology in general, and software in specific. Increased automation and simplification of tools are just part of making technology (and software) work for way more people. And that means it has to be simpler and faster. And like everything that tries to do that, it has its side effects and downsides.

Just look at blogs — when we started, blogging was not easy. You needed specialized software. Since those days, the “blogs” as we knew them have been atomized. The platforms have taken over, and blogging is everywhere: social media, newsletters, and communities – they do what we all used to do. But ultimately, the ideology of blogging is still the same. Whether you post on Twitter or LinkedIn, you are doing what I have been doing on specialized software.

The best part of the Internet is that it is always evolving. 

It is nothing if not a reflection of we the people, who use, evolve, and shape the network. Just as the network shapes us. This truth about constant change has helped me embrace and evolve with it. And a lot of that is reflected in what I write. 

The latest change that is going to shape the network, and how we work on it is the emergence of “AI” — artificial intelligence to some, but “augmented intelligence to me.” 

Despite all the existential anxiety over AI, this is a natural progression of how we have worked with technology in general, and software in specific. Increased automation and simplification of tools are just part of making technology (and software) work for way more people. And that means it has to be simpler and faster. And like everything that tries to do that, it has its side effects and downsides.

Just look at blogs — when we started, blogging was not easy. You needed specialized software. Since those days, the “blogs” as we knew them have been atomized. The platforms have taken over, and blogging is everywhere: social media, newsletters, and communities – they do what we all used to do. But ultimately, the ideology of blogging is still the same. Whether you post on Twitter or LinkedIn, you are doing what I have been doing on specialized software.

An evolution in writing is not something we should be alarmed about. Just be vigilant we don’t fall into those publishing drivel with AI in an attempt to draw attention.

We certainly didn’t see AI coming, nor did we think how great writing would be if we only had Artificial Intelligence at our disposal.

Growing up, I watched black and white television. I never felt slighted or wishing for the day I’d have color TV. Never once had a desire to buy sox, delivered the next day, via something called a computer.

Same thing with my writing. I was unaware of the impact the Internet would have—transforming research from a library-bound endeavor to an instant, online routine.

These technologies redefined my expectations and experiences, much like AI is doing now for my writing process.

AI is transforming my writing and blogging to more of a dynamic and efficient process. AI helps me summarize content, do research, refine the articulation of my ideas, create social summaries and more.

AI in writing was as unforeseen as the shift from black and white to color TV or from physical books to online articles. Now, it’s growing into an indispensable tool, enhancing productivity and creativity.

AI doesn’t replace the essence of writing but enriches it, making the process more manageable and the results more impactful.

Traditionally, public access to legal information meant being able to physically enter a law library and conduct research across a wide array of resources, all centralized in one location. This model allowed for comprehensive legal research without the need to visit each publisher’s individual repository.

The rise of legal blogs has introduced a new dimension to how legal insight is shared and accessed. While legal blogs are inherently public, saying they are public is misguided.

Someone may spend up to thirty minutes just to check if a particular law firm has published the needed insight. For someone attempting to canvass the blogs of the top one hundred law firms, this could amount to over fifty hours of time. Include the next one hundred firms, and the time doubles. Not practical. 

Searching Google is just as problematic. Scrolling may be required to see one source. Other sources, and perhaps the better ones, will never be found.

This is where a library of legal blogs steps in. By aggregating credible legal blogs, we not only enhance the visibility of lawyers who contribute insight, but also improve the accessibility of their insight to the public. 

This library could be publicly available on its own or, more importantly, to legal research platforms already tapping into various libraries of content, in addition to primary law. 

In either case, a legal blog library mimics the traditional law library model by enabling users to conduct comprehensive research across a multitude of legal blogs in one centralized platform. 

Gone are the days when treatises and law journals, alone, were the sole repositories of secondary law. Legal blogs have become a crucial medium for sharing legal thought leadership and commentary. 

The emergence of a platform that aggregates these blogs signifies a pivotal shift in legal research, making it more aligned with today’s digital information age. Without such aggregation, there is a significant gap in the legal communities and the public’s access to legal knowledge.

I’ve always gone to Twitter, now X, for news and still do. 

Twitter is known for “what’s happening.” It is a real-time information network where people find the latest news and what’s happening.

In addition to news and “what’s happening,” I’ve used Twitter since its inception for engagement, networking and building a name. 

Despite recent criticisms and changes under Elon Musk’s ownership, which led some to question its relevance, my recent experience suggests Twitter remains a nice medium for engagement and networking.

When I first joined Twitter, it wasn’t immediately clear to me how impactful it could be. However, over time, I learned to leverage its power by curating content through tools like Feedly, and sharing insights that went beyond simple headlines. By embedding personal commentary and highlighting quotes directly from the sources, my tweets offered added value and context to my followers.

More importantly, I made it a point to acknowledge the original reporters, authors or speakers by including their Twitter handles with a “care of,” a small gesture meant to say “well said.” This not only showed respect for their work but also fostered connections and opened lines of communication.

Despite the growing sentiment that Twitter has lost its luster, I did quick test, yesterday. I revisited my trusted method: I visited into my Feedly folders, selected relevant articles, and shared them with a personal touch. The response was encouraging. The likes and retweets were there, indicating – to me – that engagement on the platform is still possible.

I always saw Twitter as a medium for professionals looking to establish their expertise and connect with like-minded individuals, particularly in niche areas. The key being in how you use it by providing genuine insights, recognizing contributors, and maintaining a consistent presence.

For those of you who have left Twitter in its new era as X, consider giving it another chance. The digital landscape is perpetually shifting, but the fundamental principles of meaningful engagement remain the same. 

Twitter, irrespective of its branding or ownership, can still be a helpful ally in connecting and building a name. Perhaps not as powerful as before, but Twitter is still there. 

In a blog post, today, marketing guru Seth Godin highlighted a distinction in how we measure engagement and success.

His point was spot on as to the LexBlog Network, something I have been giving a lot of thought to, of late. Bear with me as I share some of my thoughts on LexBlog.

More than two-thirds of companies use the Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge customer satisfaction, but as Godin points out, being liked isn’t the same as being promoted. 

He says,

Being liked is important. Trust, comfort, and delight are useful things to strive for. Liked doesn’t get you promoted, though. People promote a brand or activity when it increases their status or the affiliation they have with others, not because they owe you something.

Godin’s insights resonate with our mission at LexBlog. As the world’s largest network of publishing legal professionals, we’ve built substantial visibility over the years. However, our goal must extend beyond merely being liked; we must committ to enhancing the status and expanding the influence of the legal bloggers and publishers within our network. 

Elevating Our Network Members

At LexBlog, we recognize that real impact in the digital age comes not from satisfied customers but from meaningful engagement and recognition of our network members.  

We have leveraged the LexBlog network to elevate our community members in the past and we need to do so more so, going forward. 

Just some of the ways to do so include:

Spotlight Features: Regularly highlight outstanding contributions from our network on LexBlog’s front page and across our social media channels. These featured posts not only bring well-deserved recognition to their authors but also position them as thought leaders in the legal field.

Success Showcases: By sharing success stories and case studies, we show the tangible benefits of being part of a global blog network. From increased client engagement to expanded digital footprints, these narratives underline the real-world impact of our members’ work.

Expert-Led Forums: Through webinars and live panels, we provide a platform for our members to share their expertise with a global audience. These events enhance their professional profile and create opportunities for further networking and collaboration.

A Commitment to Promoting Your Work

Godin’s message underscores the value of promotion – shining a light on network members – over mere approval.

We need to be committed to not only hosting legal content but actively promoting it in ways that enhance the professional stature of our members.

We need to understand that increasing your status within the legal community and beyond doesn’t come from you being satisfied alone, it comes from being seen, recognized, and respected as a leader and an expert.

As we continue to build and grow our network, LexBlog’s focus needs to be on creating value that elevates the professional lives of legal professionals. 

Google has long influenced us to craft content optimized for search engines. However, a significant shift is underway: users are increasingly seeking out content written by real people, for real people—sources they can trust.

In my own experience, I’ve found myself appending “Reddit” to my Google searches. Why? Because I’m looking for insights from real people, individuals I can trust.

It appears Google is catching on to this trend. When I searched for “leg injury at work benefits,” I didn’t use jargon like “workers’ compensation” because many everyday users wouldn’t either. They describe their situations plainly and seek straightforward answers.

The search results were telling. The top result was from the Washington Labor and Industries site about workers’ compensation benefits. But more interestingly, the second set of results fell under Google’s “Discussion forums” category, featuring links from Quora and Reddit about work injuries and compensation benefits—a clear nod to the public’s preference for user-generated content.

This evolution in search results may reflect a broader transition towards valuing authenticity and peer advice over keyword saturation.

As content creators, especially in the legal field, we must adapt to this shift by prioritizing the authenticity and reliability of the information we provide. This doesn’t just help our content rank better; it builds trust with our audience.

Could we be headed to a “post-SEO era,” one where the emphasis is on real conversations and genuine advice? Google’s recognition of our desire for person-to-person connections in search results may be just the beginning.

This evolution is noteworthy, as niche-focused law blogs have begun to cover more territory—and at a quicker pace—than traditional law reviews. Legal blogs are now a form of secondary law, the sole province of law journals, and articles, until now.

However, not all that glitters in the blogosphere is gold. In my previous post, I excluded a category of law blogs that I referred to as “junk blogs.” Maybe too harsh a term.

These blogs are crafted not with the aim of disseminating legal knowledge but rather for the purpose of enhancing search engine rankings. They are penned by legal marketers who are apt to prioritize visibility over veracity, thereby misleading the public about the true authorship and intent behind the content.

I received some comments about marketing or ghost written posts are a form of legal blogging.

I don’t see how when defining what constitutes a legal blog within the realm of legal publishing and, by extension, legal scholarship.

Consider the implications of this trend. Imagine a law library where treatises and law reviews are authored not by legal scholars but by marketing professionals aiming to spotlight lawyers, law professors, and law students for name recognition and professional gain.

Or picture a public library, where the names gracing the spines of books or bylines of articles do not belong to the true authors but to individuals seeking to enhance their visibility.

What if newspapers operated similarly, publishing stories not written by their reporters but by less costly writers, all while crediting the reporters?

In these scenarios, the credibility of the library or newspaper as a source of knowledge and information would undoubtedly be compromised.

The same principle applies to legal blogs. When the content is not authored by the legal professionals listed, the integrity and credibility of these sources are called into question.

As legal blogs increasingly mirror traditional legal publications in their influence and reach, ensuring their authenticity and integrity is not just beneficial—it’s imperative.

“Legal blogs” not intended to be authentic or authored with integrity have to lie outside legal publishing.

Our mission is to illuminate critical discussions and developments in AI law, ensuring they’re accessible, searchable, and subscribable for industry professionals, educators, various industries, and the general public.

In an era where large law firms have significantly increased their AI publishing, the AI Legal Journal recognizes this as a tremendous societal benefit. We’ve observed a remarkable uptick in AI-related content, reflecting the technology’s profound impact across sectors such as healthcare, finance, retail, manufacturing, transportation, the judicial system, education, agriculture, entertainment, and cybersecurity.

Despite the wealth of insights on AI, finding specific information on a law firm website and across the Internet can be challenging. Content is often dispersed across various publications and not organized in a user-friendly manner. LexBlog has embarked on this project to create a centralized platform, where AI legal insights and commentary are aggregated and curated for ease of access.

The AI Legal Journal aims to spotlight the authors and their contributions, extending kudos to law firms and lawyers who deepen our collective understanding of AI. We strive to make this information more accessible, empowering corporations, organizations, universities, non-profits, and individuals to stay informed about the legal frameworks shaping AI’s integration into our lives and industries.

Stay informed about the legal dimensions of AI with the AI Legal Journal, where legal insights on Artificial Intelligence are unified for clarity, insight, and impact.

Law firms have already inquired about having their own publication which aggregates and curates AI related content from their disparate AI publishing from blogs, insights, websites and third-party publications for their clients, prospective clients and the public. If you want to learn more about this opportunity drop me a note or give me a call.

The answer felt good – considering GPT, as a LLM recognizes and generate’s text from what it has collected online.

Yes, GPT knew of “Real Lawyers Have Blogs.”

Real Lawyers Have Blogs” is a well-known blog and concept in the legal community, especially among those interested in legal technology and marketing. The phrase signifies the importance of blogs as tools for lawyers to share their expertise, connect with potential clients, and contribute to the broader legal discourse. If this is your blog, it’s recognized for offering insights into how lawyers can leverage blogging and other digital platforms to enhance their visibility and establish their authority in various legal fields.

And saw that “Real Lawyers Have Blogs” is making a positive impact in the law.

By providing a platform like “Real Lawyers Have Blogs,” you are making a significant positive impact in the law. Your work supports legal professionals in sharing their knowledge, insights, and expertise with a broader audience. This not only helps in demystifying the law for the general public but also fosters a community where legal professionals can learn from each other, discuss pertinent issues, and stay updated on the latest developments in the field.

Your efforts contribute to the ongoing education of both lawyers and the public, promote legal literacy, and encourage the integration of technology in the legal field, all of which are essential components in advancing the legal profession and enhancing access to justice.

Real Lawyers is not the sole legal blog that GPT would acknowledge for making a positive contribution to the legal field. Numerous blogs and lawyers would be recognized for their work.

Blogger? Ask GPT about your blog. At a minimum it’s fun to do.

The professional, who had worked with some large companies said LexBlog is not selling a turnkey blog solution, “LexBlog is about networking through the Internet, taking lawyers where they have never gone before.” He admitted it was a little too Star Trek.

His perspective underpins our mission, recognizing that while the legal profession increasingly drifts from personal networks to a focus on numbers and clicks, the core of business development remains rooted in relationships and reputations.

In today’s digital age, many lawyers have transitioned from traditional, relationship-based networking to an online environment dominated by metrics and analytics. While these elements are helpful, they should not overshadow the fundamental essence of building and maintaining relationships.

At LexBlog, we embrace the digital evolution, offering a platform where lawyers can not only increase their visibility through clicks and views but more importantly, forge meaningful connections. By sharing insights, engaging in discussions, and contributing valuable content, legal professionals can cultivate a digital presence that reflects the trusted reputations they’ve built offline.

Our vision aligns with the principle that the best lawyers have always thrived on word-of-mouth and solid relationships. Most people find a lawyer by word of mouth than any other way.

My gut tells me we’re not just adapting to networking through the Internet; we’re one of the leaders of the this change, ensuring that lawyers can navigate this new terrain without losing sight of the personal connections and reputations that are the bedrock of their success.

After all, it’s networking through the Internet, taking lawyers where they’ve never gone before.

This development enhances user interaction by allowing conversations with the AI model without the need for text inputs.

You initiate conversation by tapping the microphone icon on the bottom of the home screen. I tapped the headset on my iPad. You’ll be given the option to a select various voices for GPT.

You just begin speaking to dialogue and tap the microphone to end it.

The interaction is fast and helpful when looking for ideas and feedback. I aassume dialogue would have the same hallucination challenges when seeking facts.

Voice dialogue, to me, seems a challenge because of its speed. There is little time to digest what GPT said and no text to help you respond.

As usual, we can expect advances in GPT conversations. GPT can already comprehend and reply in multiple languages, catering to users worldwide.

For bloggers using GPT for ideas, feedback and grammar, conversations could be a little tough. But my guess is some bloggers may get value from discussions while blogging.

Over this twenty years, I’ve consistently heard “I don’t have time to blog.” That’s like saying I don’t have the time to become a better lawyer and grow my book of business.

Note also that some of the better and busiest lawyers in this country have time to blog. I know quite a few of them, personally.

Nonetheless, blogging does take some time so it’s best to blog in an efficient fashion.

Here’s some tips for you:

• Set aside a block of time to write your blog post. It’s difficult to shift back and forth between blogging and other work. Block out distractions (it’s possible) and you’ll write a post in 45 minutes or less.
• Employ bullet-point efficiency. It can be easier to support your key position by breaking it down in bullets. It’s also easier for readers to scan your post if you have used bullets. Take an article, case, or another’s blog post and break it down in key points in bullets.
• Blog in a conversational time. Writing as you would talk to someone over coffee or dinner makes it easier to blog and you more engaging for your readers. Of course, you’ll remain professional in your tone and what you’re writing.
• When you start a blog post, just write. Share what you’re thinking and want to say. You don’t sit for ten minutes to think through what you are going to say to someone socially, don’t do so when you blog. There will be plenty of time to cite and incorporate your sources as well as edit your copy.
• Curate from what you read. Breaking a third party’s copy into block quotes is a great way to blog. You establish yourself as an authority by demonstrating you stay abreast of news and developments by referencing what you have read and why you shared it with your readers. You also meet authorities, including the mainstream press by letting them know you shared what they wrote.

Give some of these ideas a try and I think you’ll find your blogging takes less time. And if you are not blogging yet, deploy some of these points and you’ll make your life easier.

Colin O’Keefe will review:

• Writing posts with a clear audience in mind
• How to engage with the mainstream media
• How to follow mainstream media and other influencers
• How to engage with clients and prospective clients
• Using existing conversations and online exchanges for content and networking
• Following up once a post is published

You can sign up here.

See you there.

Here’s Hubspot’s report on blogging statistics as of the end of last year.

• There are over 600 million active blogs across the internet. (Growth Badger, 2022)
• Brands that prioritize blogging see 13 times more ROI than brands that don’t
• More than 50% of bloggers are between 21 to 35 years old. (Truelist, 2022)
• Blog posts remain the most popular content format, with 9 out of 10 marketers using blogging to achieve content goals. (SEMrush, 2023)
• There are an estimated 32 million bloggers in the U.S. as of 2022. (Statista)
• Over 2 million blog posts are published daily. (Hosting Tribunal)
• The niches that have the highest percentage of blogs with over 50,000 monthly sessions are food (42.8%), lifestyle (13.3%), and travel (10%). (RankIQ).

Compare this to my report in October, 2005, eighteen months after the founding of LexBlog and some recent research on Technorati records.

• In 2003, Technorati was tracking less than a million blogs
• The total number of blogs tracked were doubling about every 5 months, by 2005
• The blogosphere was over 30 times as big in 2005 as it was 3 years ago, with no signs of letup in growth
• About 70,000 new blogs are created every day (stat seems to be high and many blogs were spam blogs)
• About 300,000 blog posts per day in 2005 (again seems high)

I am sure my numbers, via Technorati, twenty years ago, did not accurately track the growth of blogs as well as Hubspot’s, today. I question whether a new blog was created every second. But you get the point, blogging is much more popular than it was then.

Blogging has also matured to the point where it is used in major industries by major companies.

Lawyers and law firms may not be in the food, lifestyle and travel industries, but they too are using blogging to achieve their marketing and business development goals.

According to a Pew Research Center survey, a little under a quarter of LinkedIn users get their news from this social media.

This is particularly noteworthy for legal professionals and legal tech companies looking to build reputations and relationships with a discerning audience.

70% of these users are under age 49, so even though LinkedIn has been around for quite a while, it’s not going out of style for professionals.

As Broderick mentions, a LinkedIn account is tied to one’s work history and presumably their last name.

LinkedIn knows a user’s interests – what they read, from whom, and what they engage with likes and comments. Your news is likely getting to the right people. This fosters engagement and connections.

There are other social networks out there, but for legal, LinkedIn offers a platform where thought leadership, industry news, and professional insights are not just welcomed but sought after.

Law firms and lawyers have appreciated the value of LinkedIn for a good time. However, many or most of them have been less than effective in using LinkedIn. Now’s the time to learn how to work LinkedIn.