TL;DR
If your social media posts aren’t getting many likes, don’t panic—especially if you’re in legal or professional services. This blog explores why low engagement doesn’t always mean low impact. In fact, at Monsees & Mayer, we’ve had weeks with minimal public interaction on Facebook but still received multiple qualified leads. When it comes to leads vs likes, the data tells us which one really matters.
Why the Like Count Isn’t the Whole Story
There’s a common misconception in marketing that social media performance should be judged by public metrics—likes, shares, comments. And while engagement can tell part of the story, it’s rarely the most important part for service-based businesses like law firms.
In fact, many potential clients will never engage with your posts at all. They won’t hit like. They won’t comment. But they will click, read, and quietly fill out a contact form.
Last week, Monsees & Mayer received three leads directly from Facebook. Not one of those individuals liked a post. They didn’t comment. They didn’t share. But they converted.
“It’s easy to chase vanity metrics, but they don’t pay the bills. I’ll take lead conversions over likes any day of the week.”
— Samantha McCoy, Marketing Director at Monsees & Mayer
Why Professional Services Get Low Engagement (And Why That’s Fine)
We serve clients dealing with personal injuries, trauma, wrongful death, and legal uncertainty. That’s not the kind of content people typically want to engage with publicly.
Imagine a Facebook friend liking a post about traumatic brain injury litigation. That might raise eyebrows, and most people know it. So instead, they stay silent—and reach out privately.
In our work with other service-based businesses, from storage companies to contractors, we’ve seen this pattern repeat. Sensitive or high-trust services = low public interaction, but high conversion intent.
Metrics That Matter More Than Likes
Here’s what we track instead when evaluating social media success:
- Clicks to our website from Facebook or Instagram
- Form submissions tied to social traffic (via Google Analytics)
- Private messages initiated through our business profile
- Referral sources mentioned during intake (“I saw you on Facebook”)
According to Hootsuite’s guide to social media metrics, focusing solely on engagement rates is a mistake for service providers. Instead, conversion-based metrics—like traffic, form fills, and cost per lead—offer a more accurate ROI picture.
Leads vs Likes: Which Metric Drives Real Results?
| Metric | What It Measures | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Likes | Public approval or reaction | Can boost reach, but not directly tied to leads |
| Leads | Clicks, calls, form fills | Direct path to revenue |
| Comments/Shares | Public interaction | Useful but often low on sensitive content |
| Traffic from Social | Visitors who clicked from Facebook/IG | High-value indicator of interest |
What We’ve Seen at Monsees & Mayer
Our Facebook engagement rates aren’t flashy. We don’t get 100+ likes on every post. But here’s what we do get:
- Steady weekly traffic to our contact page
- Direct messages from potential clients
- Lead form submissions directly tied to Facebook links
That’s not anecdotal—it’s visible in our analytics. In fact, several of our highest-value case inquiries in the last 12 months came through Facebook, despite those posts having fewer than 10 reactions.
“Some of our most effective campaigns look invisible from the outside. You won’t always see the impact publicly—but we feel it when the phone rings.”
— Samantha McCoy
Engagement Goals vs. Conversion Goals
If your team is creating content and only measuring public interaction, you might miss what’s actually working. That’s why we recommend adjusting your goalposts.
- Engagement goals: Great for reach, brand awareness, and top-of-funnel content
- Conversion goals: Ideal for lead generation, remarketing, and service-based calls to action
At KC Media Team, we build content calendars that do both—pairing quiet conversion posts with broader engagement plays. That’s the strategy behind the work we do with both small businesses and firms like Monsees & Mayer.
What About Paid Facebook Ads?
Paid Facebook campaigns tend to generate more visible engagement—but that still doesn’t always translate to leads. We’ve seen boosted posts with 50+ likes and no conversions, and low-engagement ads that deliver five new cases.
If you’re running paid ads, make sure you’re tracking landing page traffic, calls, and form fills. Tools like the Meta Pixel and Google Analytics can help.
How to Shift Your Strategy Toward Lead Generation
Want your social media to work harder for your firm? Here’s what we recommend:
- Start with a clear goal: brand awareness, lead generation, or retention
- Post case-related content that educates and builds trust
- Use clear CTAs like “Learn more” or “Schedule a consult”
- Track form fills and calls by source
- Don’t judge a post by its like count
If you’re unsure how your content is performing under the hood, a social audit or lead flow analysis can help. At KC Media Team, we offer both for firms that want to move from passive posting to performance-driven strategy.
Can a post with no likes still generate leads?
Absolutely. Many people click, read, and reach out without ever engaging publicly. Especially in sensitive industries, conversions often happen in private.
How do I measure social media success without likes?
Use tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Insights to track traffic, leads, and form submissions from social platforms. Focus on performance, not popularity.
What industries are least likely to see public engagement?
Law firms, medical practices, financial advisors, and other high-trust, personal-service businesses often get less visible interaction—but generate highly qualified leads.
Can you help us audit our Facebook performance?
Yes—we offer performance reviews and lead-focused reporting for brands that want clarity around what’s actually working (and what’s just noise).