How to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing
Think about your law firm. Odds are, you spend a lot of time and money on online marketing. But did you consider Google My Business? GMB is a free listing service offered by Google that helps businesses get found on local search results.
Additionally, it allows you to create a business profile with important information like your contact info, website URL, and hours of operation. Finally, listing your law firm on GMB can help improve your SEO efforts and bring in more leads. So if you’re looking for ways to grow your legal practice, Google My Business is definitely worth checking out!
Why You Should be Listed on Google My Business
Being seen is one of the most important marketing fundamentals. It’s just as true for you online presence as your physical office.
The internet is like a neighborhood. Your website would be your office, social media would be the billboards, search engines would be the Yellow Pages, and the reviews work as referrals.
Google My Business brings it all together. People who are looking for an attorney will get a search result for your physical address, website, reviews, phone number, and all the information they need before they to decide to make a call.
Start by Claiming or Creating a Google My Business Listing
In Google maps, it’s possible for any user to add a location. If you find yourself there, the first step is claiming your law firm’s GMB listing, now is the time to do so.
To claim your listing, simply go to google.com/business and search for your business. Once you’ve located your listing, click on the “Own this business?” link and follow the instructions to verify your business.
In case you don’t find your listing there, read this other blog post to guide you through the process of creating one.
Be aware that either claiming your listing or creating one from scratch is a process that takes time. Google will require some business information before granting you the listing you’re requesting.
Optimize Your Business Name
Google is a search engine, which means that to be found there you must include in your name and description the most common words people use when searching for your area of practice.
That’s why it’s important to choose a name that is both accurate and reflective of your area of practice. For example, if your law firm specializes in personal injury cases, you might want to include that in your business name (e.g., “Smith & Jones Personal Injury Lawyers”).
To better understand how people find you online, you can ask your clients whatsearch terms they used to find your law firm.
Add photos and videos
Adding photos and videos will help people trust you and your services. Choose pictures that bring out the best of your law firm and make sure the photos connect with your ideal clients.
Having photos of your office space and staff is a great way to engage potential clients. Locations and faces help people feel more comfortable about the practice, and it helps them remember the law firm more easily.
One benefit of Google My Business is the ability to write descriptions below photos and videos. This provides an opportunity to engage potential clients and give them a sense of what your firm is all about.
Well-written descriptions can be helpful in driving traffic to your website and boosting your SEO. So, make sure to take advantage of this tool!
Fill out your profile completely
Making sure your GMB profile is up to date is important! By taking the time to fill out all of the relevant fields, you can ensure that your law firm is accurately represented to potential clients.
Plus, providing complete and accurate information helps you to rank higher in search results, making it more likely that clients will find your firm when they’re looking for legal services.
Encourage reviews from past clients
Finally, one of the best ways to attract new clients is by showing potential clients that you’re trusted and reputable—and one of the best ways to do that is by encouraging reviews from past clients on your GMB listing.
When potential clients see that you have positive reviews from other people who have used your services, they’ll be more likely to contact you for help with their own legal needs.
Our advice for prompting your clients to review you is to make it a part of the process. Look at your services’ flow and decide where the clients are most likely to write you a good review.
To encourage former clients to leave a review, you can also send them emails with a short message and a link to your Google My Business page.
As an attorney, having a strong online presence is essential if you want to attract new clients and grow your law firm. One of the best ways to achieve this is by claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing. By following the tips outlined above, you can ensure that potential clients can easily find information about your law firm online—which could lead to more leads and increased calls for you!
