It is surprising how many law firms are not taking advantage of their Google My Business profile. Once you learn how powerful your Google My Business profile can be, you will be anxious to get started working on your law firms. 

But as you start filling out your Google My Business profile, you may be unsure which parts are necessary, and how to write your profile in a way that is going to help your law firm in the rankings. With this in mind, here are five of the top things that your law firm should be including on your Google My Business profile.

What Is Google My Business?

Google is the top search engine in the world. As such, if you want to win in the rankings, you need to be prepared to work with Google’s algorithm. But more than that, Google loves to see when your law firm is utilizing its products and services. Some law firms may remember when Google Plus was “all the rage”. Even though it never grew in popularity the way other social networks did, if your law firm was using Google Plus you can bet Google prioritized your firm over others that weren’t in the rankings.

Google My Business is similar. When a user searches for a business by name, and that business has claimed their Google My Business profile, this profile will be prominently displayed on the right sidebar of the search results. This is a great feature, but more than that, claiming your Google My Business profile is a signal to Google that your firm is doing what it needs to do to rank.

But you can’t simply claim your Google My Business profile, add your location and hours, and call it a day. If utilized to its greatest potential, Google My Business (GMB) can be great for search engine optimization (SEO) and to nail down your unique value proposition so you’re branding your law firm in a way that best serves your potential client’s needs. 

1. Claim Primary and Secondary Categories

As you’re getting started with your law firm’s GMB profile, you will need to begin by choosing your primary and secondary categories. These tell users what services your law firm offers. You will have the opportunity to select your practice areas here. But be careful to select the correct categories, as incorrect category selection could have a devastating impact on your rankings. 

2. Publish Posts on Google Weekly to Keep Content Fresh

Once you have updated your profile with the correct categories and filled out your profile with the appropriate contact information about your law firm, it’s time to keep your GMB fresh by publishing weekly content to your profile. But publishing weekly posts does more than keep your content relevant. 

This is a great opportunity for your law firm to cement itself as an authority in your practice area. Make sure you’re publishing content with information users are going to be searching for based on in-depth keyword research, so you can provide them with the answers they need. 

The longer the user stays on your post, the more juice is being sent to Google that says your law firm is the one that should be ranking first when people search for specific law-related search queries. 

3. Create a Reviews Systems 

Once your Google My Business profile is established and thriving, you need to make sure you are actively responding to reviews as they come in. Have a system in place to let your clients know that giving reviews is valuable for your law firm. You can even offer incentives to get clients and peers to leave a review on your firm’s GMB. 

Do not make the mistake of failing to respond to any negative reviews you may receive. You shouldn’t argue with negative reviewers, but you do have an opportunity to show the public and your potential clients how you handle an unhappy client. 

Be professional and try to rectify the situation wherever possible. Be sure to respond to your positive reviews as well. You can highlight the positive features of the review and thank them for taking the time to leave a review. 

4. Upload New Photos Weekly 

Another way to show Google your law firm is active and relevant online is by updating your GMB with photos on a weekly basis. You can share shots of your team working tirelessly for your clients, the team participating in events within the community, make announcements when your law firm brings on new attorneys or joins a new organization. 

The possibilities are endless. Just be sure to keep your updates firm-related only, and save your family and personal updates for your own personal social media profiles.

5. Be Ready to Answer Questions As They Come In

Your GMB also provides opportunities for your prospective clients to get to know your law firm and ask specific questions. Although you do not need to get into specific answers via your Google My Business profile, you should take the time to respond and suggest the user contact your office to discuss the details in-person or virtually. This is a good way to signal to Google that your law firm is active, but more importantly, that you are responsive to users who submitted questions via your GMB. 

Once you have taken the time to fill out your law firm's Google My Business profile, you will also need to be sure to set aside time to maintain it. It is not enough to fill out your Google My Business profile and do nothing else. Every week or month you should be making updates to your profile and making changes as needed. This can go a long way in helping to show google that your law firm is relevant and should be ranking in the top of the search results for law firms in your area.