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    Using Google business Profile

    by SimpleLaw on
    Online marketing for law firms Law Firm Growth

    How do people look for an attorney when they think they need one? Well, not surprisingly, in a recent survey over 60% of the respondents stated they would search on Google. Not search online, but search on Google. That's probably the only thing you need to hear to make sure your online profile on Google, using Google Business Profile, is a priority for your firm.  

    Google Business Profile

    Previously referred to as Google My Business, Google Business Profile integrates seamlessly with Google Search and Google Maps. That's one of the biggest differences between the two offerings. 

    Google Business Profile helps potential clients find businesses while searching. Businesses actively manage their information online, including specifics like hours, location, and links to the website. The Google tool was initially released about eight years ago in June of 2014. The change to Google Business Profile happened in November 2021.

    Potential Client Benefit

    The majority of people only view links that appear on the first page of their Google search.  70% of people will visit a store or purchase a service based solely on information they found online. That being said, having Google Business Profile helps improve your ranking so it's easier to appear on the first page.

    Most people who search online for an attorney have a handful of questions they want to get answered. Among them, they want to know the type of law you practice, the experience level of your firm, where your office is and if you are seeing clients in the office, what online meeting tools you offer, and of course, your rates.  While all of that isn't going to be visible on your Google Business Profile result, you can give them enough to click on your website. And from there, it's all you. Think of Google as making the introduction.

    Using Google Business Profile

    How do you set up Google Business Profile for law firms specifically? Here is the step-by-step process:

    • First, go to the Google Business Profile page.
    • Select 'Create'. If you see 'Manage', your page is already set up.
    • Find your law firm name. It is likely already there if you have a website. If not, select 'Add Your Business to Google'. 
    • Add your address and mark your business as a law firm.
    • Select your areas of practice, add your phone number, address, website page URL (if you have one), etc. 
    • Select your verification process. Naturally, Google must verify that you have rightful access to the profile.

    After verification is complete, your Google Business Profile will be visible online. 

    If you want to maximize the impact, consider going a step further to make it easy when people are searching. 

    • Drop a pin on Google Maps. 
    • Drive reviews to the Google Business Profile page. Ask past clients to submit a review to get it started. After that, make sure you ask clients for reviews as a regular part of wrapping up matters. 

    Once everything is set up, maintaining your profile is easy. Making updates to your page does not take long at all, and doing so will put your business at an advantage. Posting updates, like client reviews, on Google Business Profile regularly is recommended if you want to achieve the best possible results. Companies that post more often have seen better results. You also have the option to have multiple owners and editors on your page, so more than one person is able to add updates. Overall, Google Business Profile has no real downsides to it at all. It is essentially free advertising that makes your business easier to find, which is a positive for you as a company and for any customers who are looking for attorneys.

    And, now more than ever after the COVID-19 pandemic, clients want online visibility of their matter. They want to contribute to the resolution of their matter, including submitting documents and completing forms. If you are using case management software, like SimpleLaw, make sure clients know that when they see your website, or on your Google Business Profile. 

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