Using Google My Business to attract local clients
If you run a business, creating a Google My Business profile and putting your organisation on the map (figuratively and literally) is an easy win. It’s a simple but massively effective tool that helps customers discover and stay up-to-date with your business.
And yet many businesses don’t exploit its huge potential to the fullest. So in this article, we’re not only going to tell you how to set up a GMB profile for your law firm, but also how to make the most of it.
5 advantages of maintaining a Google My Business profile
First, let’s talk about why you should create a Google My Business profile for your organisation. The obvious answer is, of course, so they can find your locations or your contact details, but there’s actually a whole host of advantages that come with maintaining a GMB profile. Here are a few of the top benefits:
1. Enhance your online visibility
Having a strong GMB profile means that when potential local clients search for something like "lawyers near me" or "family law firm in Leeds," for example, your firm appears both in search results and on Google Maps. This extra visibility puts you directly in front of customers who are actively looking for your services and ready to engage.
2. Boost engagement and build trust
As well as spotlighting your business details, GMB also gives clients a place to leave reviews and ratings. Social proof is an incredibly powerful marketing tool, and GMB has become a popular place for consumers to go when sizing up a business and deciding whether to use it. If you can stack up some positive GMB reviews, you can build your brand’s credibility, showcase your specialties, and heavily influence potential customers.
3. Keep clients up-to-date
There’s nothing more frustrating than turning up to a business location, only to find that the opening hours listed on GMB are out of date. Keeping your GMB profile details (like address, phone number, hours of operation, and services offered) accurate and current will help customers get the information they need to reach you, without any annoying missed connections.
4. Tap into insights and analytics
As a GMB user, you can access valuable insights into how clients find your business and interact with your profile. This kind of data can be super useful for a growing law firm; understanding what kind of search queries customers use to find you, the number of views you’re getting, and what actions people take when they land on your profile, can help you tailor marketing strategies and improve client outreach.
5. Promote your business
GMB can be a great way to communicate with customers and promote your services. Through your GMB profile, you can post updates about your firm that help customers understand what you do and where your expertise lies. This might include blog posts, legal advice, or news about recent successes; if your firm recently won a landmark case, for example, you can create a post about your achievement, highlighting your skills and engaging potential clients.
How to set up your Google My Business profile
Setting up your Google My Business profile is a fairly straightforward process. Here’s how to get started:
1. Sign in to Google My Business
Head to the GMB website
Sign in using a Google account. If you don't have a Google account, you’ll need to create one first.
2. Add your business
Enter your firm’s name in the search bar to find your business. If your business doesn’t appear in the search results, click on “Add your business to Google” to create a listing.
Enter your firm’s name and select the appropriate category (e.g., "Law Firm").
3. Add your location
Add your firm’s physical address to help clients find your location on Google Maps.
If you don’t have a physical address but provide services in specific areas, you can specify your service areas instead.
4. Add your contact information
Add your firm’s contact phone number, email address, website URL and any other methods of contact you might use to make it easy for clients to get in touch with you.
5. Verify your business
You’ll need to verify your business, and you can choose one of several methods to do this:
Postcard: Google will send a postcard with a verification code to your business address. Enter the code in your GMB account once you receive it.
Phone: Some businesses may have the option to verify through a phone call.
Email: In some cases, email verification is available.
6. Complete your profile
Set your regular operating hours.
Add some high-quality photos of your office, team, and any other relevant images to give your profile a more personal touch and help customers find your location.
Write an engaging description of your firm, outlining the types of services you offer, your experience, and what sets your firm apart from your competitors. You can also add special attributes that might be relevant to your customer base, such as "female-led" or "LGBTQ-friendly.".
List the legal services you provide so that the areas of law you specialise in are clear and obvious to potential clients.
Top tips for optimising your Google My Business listing
Once your GMB listing is live, it’s time to optimise it. The more comprehensive and engaging your profile is, the more likely it is to boost visibility, attract clients, and enhance your firm’s online presence.
Plus, a strong profile is a great reflection of your brand—a shabby and inaccurate profile is hardly a good look for a law firm. Let’s look at a few tips for levelling up your GMB listing:
Add secondary categories
Adding secondary categories can help you better showcase the services you offer and increase your visibility to customers looking for specific services (e.g., "Criminal Justice" or "Personal Injury Solicitor").
Use relevant keywords
As well as being informative and interesting, your business description should also include relevant keywords to improve search visibility. Make sure you work these in naturally, though; otherwise, you risk coming across as spammy. You can also use local keywords in posts and updates to target clients in your area (e.g., "divorce lawyer in Dorset").
Post often
Use GMB’s post feature to share news, updates, useful articles, and special offers or promotions like free legal consultations or webinars.
Encourage and engage with reviews
Ask satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on your GMB listing, and respond to all reviews (both positive and negative) professionally and promptly to show that you value client feedback.
Turn on messaging
Enabling GMB’s messaging feature allows potential clients to contact you directly through your GMB listing. Keep on top of these messages and reply quickly to land new clients.
Final thoughts on Google My Business for law firms
Leveraging Google My Business is not just about getting your law firm on the map—it's about strategically positioning yourself to attract and engage with local clients and becoming more visible in your community.
By setting up a detailed and optimised GMB profile, you enhance your online visibility, build trust through reviews, and keep your clients informed with up-to-date information. Utilising the insights and analytics from GMB can refine your marketing strategies, while regular posts and updates keep your audience engaged and aware of your services. With these steps, your law firm can harness the full potential of GMB to grow your client base and strengthen your online presence.