Does Your Law Firm Need a Google Business Profile?

Among the many services offered by Google to business owners and professionals is the opportunity to make a Google Business Profile. Even if you have not technically heard of the service, in all likelihood you have seen other companies’ Google Business Profile hundreds of times. These profiles appear at the upper right-hand side of the page after making a Google search for a particular business, and in Google Maps when someone searches for a specific type of business in their area. A business profile contains valuable information in an easy-to-access format for clients, including location, hours, contact information, website, and more.

If a law firm has not set up its Google Business Profile, it’s a good idea to do so. If a law firm has one of these profiles but has not completed it by filling out all of the available fields, it is likely that the profile is not being maximized to increase traffic to your firm’s website.

Clients are used to relying on business profiles when they search for a service or product on Google.

A law firm’s Google Business Profile is one of the first places a potential client goes when looking for basic information on a law firm. Rather than clicking into an individual website and painstakingly combing through for all the pertinent information, a business profile contains all of the most basic information a potential client could want right up front. In addition to basic identifying information, a Google Business Profile may also include client reviews, a list of Q&As, and even a list of services or “products” offered by that law firm; all of this can be invaluable in providing immediate guidance to someone looking for legal help but unfamiliar with the industry. It’s also important to keep in mind that your firm is competing with others who have completed their Google Business Profile.

Business profiles are easy and time-efficient.

Maybe one of the best parts of the Google Business Profile is how easy it is to set up. The process is designed to be user-friendly, prompting business owners to fill out each of the basic sections such as geography, location, and business description, as well as offering the opportunity for additional engagement via a Question and Answer section, Reviews, Photos, Posts, and more. Business owners can choose exactly how much they want to include in their profile but in general, the more thorough the profile, the better. If you can answer a potential client’s question before they ever make it to your website, you have already made a positive first impression which could be invaluable to securing them as a client. Additionally, making a Google Business Profile is generally a fairly quick process, which is good news for attorneys and law firms that tend to operate at a consistently hurried pace.

For help creating your business profile or to learn more attorney marketing ideas, reach out to a legal marketing expert.