Claiming your Google My Business listing is a MUST for law firms seeking to improve their local search marketing results. Google My Business was created by Google to enable companies to share important business information and improve the accuracy of your company’s presence on Google. This makes it easier for consumers to connect with you.
Over the past year, Google has added some additional features to Google My Business, including:
Google Posts look like PPC ads but they are free. You can include a photo, description, offer, landing page URL — whatever you have to say or promote. You can make offers — a complimentary consultation, a free report, or information on an event you’re hosting.
Customers tab lists all the people who have connected or tried to connect with your law firm using Google tools. You can respond to reviews, answer questions and even text message from your Google My Business page or app.
Local service areas are sometimes more useful for law firms than a physical address and you can define your service areas on your Google My Business page. This will help your listing show up in Google Maps and Search when someone searches for legal services in an area where you don’t have a physical office, but you cover.
Home screen analytics in the Google My Business app tells you how you are performing across the Google platform — including how many views, searches, calls, website clicks, direction requests, and more helpful insights.
Having the right Google My Business category can make a big difference in how your firm ranks on Google. Don’t just go with the “Lawyer” category — claim a more specific category that says what kind of law you practice (i.e., family law attorney, estate planning attorney, business attorney, etc.). If your competitors are currently outranking you, check out which category they are using and try using the same one to see if that moves the needle for you.
This infographic from Headway Capital provides easy directions for setting up and optimizing your Google My Business listing and why it’s so important for you to claim your page:
