Build it.

3,184,393 -- that's how many impressions I had on my LinkedIn content in 2024 (through 1 PM CT on Tuesday 12.31.24).

What's an impression? According to Google, an "impression on LinkedIn is the number of times your content is visible on a signed-in member's device for at least 300 milliseconds, with at least 50% of the post in view."

If I've done my math correctly, that's at least 265.4 hours of eyes on my content in 2024--11 whole days' worth of views.

That's a lot.

If we go one step further, and take the average "CPM" or "cost per thousand impressions," which for LinkedIn is around $20-$30, that's an "EMV" or "earned media value" of anywhere from $63,688 to $95,532.

That's not pennies.

All this to say: there is value in developing your personal and professional brand.

What I've really come to understand and appreciate this year is this: this thing, my content on LinkedIn and all that has come along with it, is wholly mine.

It 100% benefits my firm and I'm working on how to show them its value more concretely.

But: it is mine. It belongs to me, Emily Logan Stedman, and with that comes power, and confidence, and agency, and autonomy--things that are priceless to me.

Everyone who builds a book of business in the law will come at it differently, but most will follow (or try to follow) a traditional path.

That path can be more difficult for commercial litigators--who can and do service all firm clients (so others' clients, across all industries and all contracts); who most clients hope to avoid and often come to begrudgingly or because of a crisis.

That's okay. There are ways to work around that.

For me, in addition to my core values (hard work, authenticity, consistency, and responsibility), it means taking a more modern approach--building my brand online (and in real life), creating a broader audience, and pursuing business development in a way that is my own.

I hope to expand on this still more in 2025--maybe with some videos, definitely with more speaking engagements, and likely with some clients of my own, too.

If you're on the fence about content creation, about a more modern marketing approach (or business development plan), quit hesitating. Dive in. You won't regret it.

✌🏻❤️🔥