Tips on How to Set Up Google My Business for Lawyers

If you are keen on attracting legal consumers from a specific city or region, you should take advantage of Google My Business for lawyers. Now known as Google Business Profile, Google My Business (GMB) is a powerful tool that lets you promote your services in specific locations by listing your legal practice’s information on Google Search and Google Maps. 

Why Create a GMB Profile for Your Law Firm

Google seeks to provide users with the most relevant business listings in their location. By listing your law firm on GMB, you can capitalise on the search giant’s massive reach to find local prospects looking for quality legal services. It also allows you to:

• Provide valuable details about your law firm and answer any questions potential clients may have about your services.
• Improve your reputation and credibility.
• Show prospects what they can expect when they enlist your services.
• Increase your online visibility.
• Generate more organic traffic and leads.

How to Create a GMB Listing

You will need a Google account to create a GMB listing. Follow these steps after signing up to list your legal practice on Google Business Profile. 

1. Find out if your listing already exists

First, you need to verify if there’s already a listing for your legal practice. Many law firms are already listed on Google even though their respective owners didn’t create them. This often occurs because a former client suggested the practice or Google made the listing based on the various information it obtained online. 

Click on the listing once you find it. If it hasn’t been claimed, you’ll need to review it and update the information it contains when necessary. See that your business address is correct because you’ll need it to verify your GMB profile later. If someone has claimed the listing, you should request the listing’s ownership.

Meanwhile, if you can’t find your business on the list, click “Add your business to Google”. 

2. Fill out your business details

If your law firm is not on Google, you must manually create a GMB profile. Make sure to fill out the required fields with the necessary details. These include your:

• Business name and category
• Address
• Phone number and website URL

When filling out your law firm’s details, you’ll see an option for showing your location. Click on “Yes” to ensure your address will be displayed on the listing. Also, if you serve multiple locations and have a website for each, see that they have their respective GMB profiles. 

3. Verify your GMB profile

There are two ways to verify your GMB listing. The first method is by receiving a postcard with your personal identification number (PIN) from Google. The search giant will send this postcard to the address you registered, so make sure it is accurate. Once you receive your PIN, you must enter it into your profile.

Instead of sending you a postcard, Google may also offer to verify your GMB listing by phone or email. As such, ensure you can receive the call or text because it is where Google will send your PIN. 

How to Optimise Your GMB Profile

It isn’t enough that you claim your listing and provide the necessary details about your practice. It would be best if you optimised your profile to make the most of Google My Business for lawyers. Here are a few pointers from our team here at Kinetic Traffic. 

1. Choose the most relevant category

Most people rely on GMB’s category to determine and understand the services a particular company offers. Because it has a significant bearing on your search rankings, ensure that you select the most appropriate primary category for your law firm. It also helps to match your main keyword to your primary area/s of practice for better results.

You can add secondary categories to provide more context about the legal services you offer. For instance, if your main category is “family lawyer”, you can choose “divorce lawyer” as your secondary category. Although secondary categories do not appear on your profile, they provide Google with more contextual information about your law firm. 

2. Encourage former clients to review your business

Client ratings and reviews can benefit your legal practice in several ways. First, they contribute to your SEO rankings by making you more visible online. They also help increase your reputation and give you more credibility. Finally, they serve as social proof that you are a legitimate and trustworthy business.

Therefore, you should encourage clients to review your legal practice after doing business with them. You must also respond to reviews, whether they are positive or negative, because most people tend to use service providers that do so. 

3. Optimise your business description

With a maximum of 750 characters, your business description gives you the perfect opportunity to tell your prospects who you are and what makes you different from other law firms. Don’t forget to incorporate relevant keywords into your description, but make sure you don’t overdo it. 

4. Add images and videos

Legal consumers are more likely to trust you if your legal practice isn’t “faceless”. Because they are in a sensitive or stressful situation, they will feel more at ease if they can associate a real human being with your law firm. This is why it’s always a good idea to add images and videos to your GMB listing to build trust and generate more leads. 

5. Take advantage of GMB posts

GMB posts are the equivalent of blogs on your website. They help increase engagement and keep your GMB profile fresh and updated. More importantly, they allow you to demonstrate your legal expertise. Use GMB posts to discuss:

• Business and law updates
• Interesting cases you’ve handled
• FAQs and information about relevant legal matters. 

Claim and Optimise Your GMB Listing Today

Now known as Google Business Profile, a fully optimised GMB profile can contribute to the growth and success of your law firm. Not only can it help you establish a better online presence and target more local prospects, but it also helps enhance your reputation and allows you to engage your former and existing clients.

If you want to make the most of GMB for law firms, we at Kinetic Traffic can help. We can provide you with the local SEO solutions you require to build better brand awareness and dominate local search rankings. Please get in touch with our team today.