Google My Business for Law Firms (This may be more important than your website!)
Do you want to drive more quality traffic to your law firm’s website and through its doors? A majority of people searching law services on Google use the “results near me” option, and it’s estimated that on average, 50% of those people contact top results within a day of their search. If you expect your law firm to rank #1 in your area, it’s time to optimize and leverage your Google My Business page.
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is an online platform that will increase your law firm’s presence across Google Search and Maps. Designed as a one-stop directory style listing, GMB provides your law firm’s location and contact information, hours of operation, your legal practice area and services, customer reviews, and links to your website.
Your law firm's GMB listing will appear in response to organic searches for local services and allow the user to see your firm’s vital information without leaving the Google search page.
Local business listing
Directory map
Law firm name
Location and contact information
Customer reviews
Website links
Why is Google My Business Important for Lawyers?
Lawyers provide counsel to clients needing expert legal advice and representation. Clients’ problems often require immediate attention and are of a sensitive, private nature, and prospective clients want a quick response from a trusted and reliable attorney.
Using Google My Business, a potential client can search for services at any time and from anywhere, without breaching personal privacy.
GMB offers instantaneous results to desktop users, as well as smartphone users searching while on-the-go. When privacy is of concern, word of mouth referrals and social media platforms such as Facebook or LinkedIn risk exposure.
Your law firm’s Google My Business page will safeguard privacy, highlight your law firm’s experience and practice area, and can showcase customer reviews that boost client confidence. Google My Business benefits include:
Offers discretion to prospective clients
Fosters confidence and trust in your legal practice
Provides location and contact information of your law office
Allows for immediate contact with attorneys at your law firm
Setting Up Google My Business For Lawyers in 5 Steps
Go to Google My Business, and click on ‘Manage Now.’
Sign in using the Google account you will use to manage your listing.
Enter your law firm’s vital information.
Name
Address
Phone number
E-mail address
Service category
Photos
Website URL
Double-check your entries for accuracy.
You may want to enter multiple, related service categories describing your law firm, i.e., Lawyer/Personal Injury Attorney; Law Firm/Family Law; Family Law/Divorce Attorneys.
4. Verify your law firm’s map location. If the location isn't correct, move the pin to the right spot.
5. Verify your Google My Business listing.
The Key Element to Maximizing Your Law Firm’s GMB Listing
You’ve claimed your GMB page, and potential clients see your listing.
Now what? How do you turn those prospects into actual clients?
The answer: User Engagement.
Google aims to create the best possible search experience for the least amount of effort by the user. While many potential clients will click through to your law firm’s website, most want the convenience of instant connection. GMB features designed to engage the user increase potential for conversion and ROI.
Engage Through Messaging and Q&As
direct contact with your law firm through your GMB account
satisfies urgency of those needing legal help
check and respond to messages regularly
avoid frustrating clients with slow or unanswered messages
Ask for Reviews
allows clients to share experiences
offer reassurance to prospective clients
encourage users to click contact your law firm
positive reviews improve SERP ranking
Enable Click to Call
facilitates immediate contact with your law firm by phone
ensure contact information is accurate
be available to answer the phone during office hours
Post Regularly (weekly at a miminum)
provide insight into your law firm’s expertise
affirm your law firms experience
highlights website content
link to website or blogs
Utilize Appointment Scheduling
encourages immediate booking from your GMB listing
generates a commitment by the client
clients are less likely to shop other law firms
syncs with Google Calendar
How to Manage Your Law Firm’s Google My Business Listing
Remember, the tools designed by Google are to provide the most accurate information in the least amount of clicks and with the least amount of frustration. Managing your GMB listing is critical to avoid your law firm being penalized by low ranking on SERPs.
Schedule Regular Maintenance of Your GMB Listing
Verify your law firm’s listing information:
law firm name
phone number
address
suite number
e-mail address
If you’ve added a partner to the law firm name, update your listing. If your law firm has changed suite numbers or e-mail addresses, an update is needed.
Don't forget to check the accuracy of your map location.
CRITICAL: Make sure your law firm’s GMB listing matches any other site or directory listings on the web.
Verify the accuracy of your listing regularly to avoid confusing clients and frustrating Google.
Responding to Messages, Q&As, and Reviews
This helps showcase your professionalism and fosters goodwill. To avoid having this step fall through the cracks, designate a single person responsible for this task.
Short on staff and time? Consider outsourcing this task
Response to client outreach is essential in building your reputation and avoiding bad reviews.
Use Google Insights
Google insights enable you to measure the performance of your GMB listing. It features an easy-to-read dashboard that provides all of the crucial information you need to assess your GMB campaigns. GMB statistics and functions include:
How clients find your listing
Direct contacts from your listing
Popular photos/posts
Clicks from GMB listing to website
Why Your Law Firm Needs Google My Business
Google My Business provides local search results for people in your area needing immediate legal services. Because Google favors its own products, your GMB page can be more important than your own website for attracting more traffic.
By establishing a GMB listing, your law firm is more likely to rank in top local search results on Google’s coveted page one, and it might also land in Google's local map-pack, making your firm’s contact information immediately visible to potential clients.
Most importantly, GMB provides a prime opportunity for immediate engagement between your law firm and local clients in need of your legal services. Claiming your Google My Business listing is essential to driving local traffic to your law firm's website, which gives you more opportunities to convert those visitors into clients.
Need help managing your Google My Business page? We can help. Connect with us to learn more about how we can help.