Google Business Profile Optimization for Lawyers: A Guide

google business profile optimization lawyersBy optimizing your Google Business Profile (previously known as Google My Business), lawyers can turn local searches into free advertising space and gain new clients.

Many firms rely heavily (or even solely) on local clients. Your Google Business Profile is the number one way of amplifying your local SEO to get your law firm in front of prospects. And it’s free!

There’s a little more to optimizing your profile than just adding a few photos and your address, though. But you’ll want to follow the steps in this guide, as complete Google Business Profile listings are seven times more likely to get clicks than unfinished profiles.

It’s easier than you think to make your law firm stand out on the search engine results page. In less than an hour, you can have your Google My Business profile ready to impress.

This post will provide step-by-step instructions that show you how to dominate the competition with a supercharged profile, so that leads come pouring into your website like clockwork.



Why does an optimized Google Business Profile matter?

When someone searches the web for a local lawyer, Google will often feature an interactive Google Map of search results. The firms listed on this Map Pack are ones with complete and optimized Google Business Profiles.

oykhman criminal defence lawyer google business profile

This means that if your profile is incomplete or missing key information, you’re immediately at a disadvantage compared to other local law firms. Having a fully-optimized profile ensures that searchers see your firm as one of the best options in their area — making it far more likely they’ll reach out for legal help from you instead of one of your competitors.

To ensure your business profile makes an impact, consider adding:

  • Your practice areas and services
  • Photos and videos of your office and staff
  • Your business hours
  • Contact information, including your website URL
  • Testimonials from past clients

By optimizing your Google Business Profile to the fullest extent possible, you’ll have an easier time ranking higher in local search results and gaining new legal leads.

And a complete and highly-reviewed Google Business Profile can help you convert prospects at a higher rate than one with no reviews or otherwise incomplete information.

Here’s an example of a fully completed Google Business Profile.

Local SEO for Lawyers Google Business Profile OCD

So, if you want to rank higher and attract more prospects to your website, complete your GBP. It’s free!


Google Business Profile optimization for lawyers: A step-by-step guide

We’re operating under the assumption that you’ve already claimed and are familiar with the basics of your Google Business Profile.

If you need help claiming your Google Business Profile, head over to our Ultimate Guide to Google Business Profile for Lawyers.


1. Ensure your NAP is consistent and accurate (Name, Address, Phone Number)

If you want customers to find your law firm quickly, it’s essential to input accurate data on your Google Business Profile.

Having a consistent company name, address, and phone number across all of your online properties is essential to ranking highly on Google.

Google collects details about your law firm from all over the web, so make sure these facts are congruent across your website, directory listings, and your GBP, or you’ll be penalized.

Say your address is:

  • 123 Pinto Lane
  • Sacramento
  • California 95831
  • Tel: 012345678

If you list your address like this on your website, you should also list it exactly the same on your directory listings and Google Business Profile. Avoid variations, including different abbreviations like “Ln” over “Lane.”

Google actually recommends you:

”represent your business as it’s consistently represented and recognized in the real world across signage, stationery, and other branding.”

Your name, address, and phone number (NAP) should always be consistent and clear.

One odd case arises when you consider the lawyer without an office space. Although many law firms have physical addresses, some solo lawyers now run their businesses virtually without an office space.

You don’t need to include your address in this case, as live location updates on Google maps can help potential clients locate you when needed — but having an address does typically increase trust and credibility.


2. List your firm’s website and opening hours

These are simple ones but are equally as important.

First, provide an accurate link to your law firm’s website. There are no hoops to jump through here — just give prospective clients as many ways as possible to find you.

Then list your law firm’s operating hours — the hours that people can come into your law firm’s physical location or reach you on the phone.

This is entirely up to you. As long as it’s accurate, then you don’t have to worry.

If you want to change your firm’s business hours, follow these steps:

  • Open your Google Business Profile.
  • Go to “Edit profile” and select “Business information.”
  • Click on the “Hours” tab.
  • Click on the pencil icon next to the tab.
  • Choose “Open with main hours.”
  • Tick the boxes for the days that your business is open.
  • Use the drop-down fields to set your hours.
  • Click Save.

3. Optimize your business description and “From the Owner” section

You don’t have much control over your business description Google itself populates it using the information you give it about your business and location.

Here’s an example.

GBP For Lawyers Business Description Short

However, most law firms can use the “From the Owner” section below to say what they want to say about their law firm. You can treat this like your full business description, although it does show as a quote.

Describe who you are, what your law firm does, and list any benefits as well as your unique selling proposition. Think of it as a 750-character space to convince prospects that you’re worth contacting.

GBP For Lawyers Business Description Long

Here’s what Google says about this section.

(Image Source)

Use local keywords

To make an effective and persuasive case for potential clients to contact your firm, you should be sure to include relevant keywords in the main points of your business description.

Just as you would research legal terms when crafting content on both your website and blog posts, it’s best practice to incorporate these same words into the “From the Owner” section of your Google Business Profile.

Get more specific by drilling down into each one of your practice areas so that direct and qualified traffic seeking out services like yours can find what they need.

Rather than using keywords like “family lawyer in Toronto” you could include variations and synonyms that are less competitive and more specific. If you work specifically on child custody cases, try “child custody lawyer in Toronto.”

The key is to use local keywords (keywords that specify the exact cities you serve) that are as specific as possible.


4. Add photos of you and your team

Having good photos of you and other lawyers at your firm on your Google Business Profile gives people an idea of what to expect. High-quality photos will draw readers in and help to create credibility with potential clients.

High-quality images also help attract attention across all the web pages related to your business, including maps, knowledge panels, business listings, and Google search engine results pages.

Connecting faces and places to your firm is vital since it helps individuals create a mental image of the law firm and helps them feel more comfortable reaching out.

In fact, Google Business Listings with photos are statistically twice as likely to appear reliable than those without them. Furthermore, according to Google itself, businesses that have photos in their profiles receive more clicks and requests for route directions on Maps.

GBP For Lawyers Images Google

To set your local business apart, include as many high-quality photos as possible. Include pictures of attorneys in good lighting and focus, shots taken in reception areas, or snapshots capturing lawyers conversing with clients inside meeting rooms. Utilizing visuals can help tell an engaging story that promotes a favorable view of your establishment.

Here are a few more tips for uploading photos to your GBP listing:

  • Include your lawyers — people want to see a friendly and helpful face
  • Add a logo, as it’s an important part of your law firm branding
  • Photos should be at least 720 pixels wide by 720 pixels tall
  • Use either a JPG or PNG
  • Keep the size of all photos between 10KB and 5MB (the smaller, the better)
  • Your main cover photo will be cropped to a 16:9 aspect ratio, so select an appropriate photo that will retain its integrity once cropped

Crafting an optimized Google Business Profile is a creative process, and the optimal number of photos to include can vary. However, on average, at least 11 pictures are recommended per listing.


5. Focus on reviews

It’s no secret that reviews are important for law firm Google Business Profile listings. Social proof is now essential for businesses to thrive online.

Lawyer reviews also help improve your search rankings, and Google often favors businesses with more positive reviews.

So, it’s important to generate as many positive Google reviews as possible from your past and current clients. The more positive reviews you have, the more clients you’ll get, as they’re huge indicators of trust.

GBP For Lawyers All Reviews H&L

Asking clients for reviews can easily be added to your client intake process, allowing them to write a review without any extra effort. Automating this process is simple with the right law firm software.

If you take the time to attend to your customer’s needs, they’ll more than likely leave a positive review.

Going above and beyond by replying to all reviews (even negative reviews) can that you’re proactively engaged in providing outstanding service.

This can help transform a potential obstacle into an opportunity for showcasing exceptional customer care, like this example.

GBP For Lawyers Review Response


6. Use the “Questions & Answers” section to answer FAQs

Many law firms still neglect the Questions & Answers section of their Google Business Profiles. That’s unfortunate, as it can help with your GBP performance and overall local SEO.

But now that content marketing has become essential to law firms’ success, this section is an excellent way to quickly demonstrate expertise and trustworthiness. The FAQ is located right beneath the main details about the firm.

GBP For Lawyers Q&A

The Q&A section is more like an interactive community forum where users can ask their questions and provide answers.

It’s important to be as thorough as possible when answering these questions, as they’re prominently displayed.

Anyone can ask a question, but we recommend asking your own questions (Google is okay with that). That way, you can stay in control of what you’re asked and showcase the information you think searchers are going to want to see.

Keep an eye on your Q&A section, as some questions may be from sales leads who won’t call you. If you don’t pay attention, the question goes unanswered, and you could lose the client.


7. Add Google posts

We recommend publishing a new post on your Google Business Profile on a consistent basis.

That is, whatever you can realistically get done — whether that’s one a week or one a month.

GBP For Lawyers Google Posts TJ

Consistently publishing content on your Google Business Profile goes a long way toward boosting your local SEO and helping you get more traffic.

Your Google post can be a great way to demonstrate legal proficiency or otherwise promote you and our law firm. You can upload photos, videos, or link to blog and social media posts you’ve written.


Optimizing your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)

Creating a Google Profile is one of the most effortless yet lucrative marketing strategies out there. It takes no time and costs nothing, and the benefits are unmatched.

You’ll quickly notice an uptick in your local search engine ranking on Google, bringing more clicks to your law firm website — and, ultimately, more clients for you.

Why overlook something so simple that offers such great rewards?