Google Business Profile is one of the most essential tools to help you increase leads, showcase your law firm and improve your local search. Google Business Profile or GBP is a free tool that many law firms actually don't use to their advantage. 

So, do you currently have someone managing your Google Business Profile?

Yes, coming up with a strategy for your Google Business Profile and investing the time to maintain, manage and optimize your profile takes some work. However, there are such great benefits to consisting updating your profile. 

According to recent studies, 

• 95% of people looking for law firms will visit your Google Business Profile than your website. That means a client may read your reviews, good and bad, look at your photos and read your latest GBP updates before even going to your website. 

• Potential clients are x5 more likely to visit your Google Business Profile than your website.

If you are not already maximizing your Google Business Profile, it would be beneficial to make it a top-priority marketing goal for 2023. 

Here are ten things law firms should do to manage your Google Business Profile. 

1. Make sure your profile is complete. 

Here is a list of everything you should include in your Google Business Profile.

• Your business name should exactly match your law firm

• Select your business category for your main service 

• Use all 750 characters to complete your business description

• Enter your law firm's opening date

• Include your primary contact number, complete address, and include a link to your website or contact page

• List your service areas

• Add your business hours and all holiday hours

• Complete all attributes that apply to your law firm

2. Add Q&A's. 

Yes, you can add your own Q&As. If you are unsure what to add, use the FAQs from your website or think about the most common questions your clients ask you. 

3. Add a booking link. 

If you allow potential clients to book appointments online, utilize the link on your Google Business Profile to make scheduling an appointment with you easier. 

4. Respond to all reviews. 

It's essential to respond to all reviews, even the negative ones; you are showing your customers that you're committed to listening to their concerns and exceeding their expectations.

5. Ask for reviews.

You should ask every client for a review. It’s important to make someone in your law firm responsible for asking for and responding to all reviews. You should simply set up a custom email or text that goes out to each client, along with the link (which you can find on your Google Business Profile dashboard under ask for reviews.)

6. Add high-quality photos. 

Make sure to include the following high-quality images.

• Your logo

• Interior photos

• Exterior photos

• Staff or group photos

• Events

• Customer photos

• Community events

7. Turn on your calls and messages. 

Turning on calls allows your potential customers to call you directly, and with your monthly insights, you can see when you are most likely to miss a call, which is valuable data for your law firm. Messages work the same way, and you can set up a welcome message and a phone number, so when you get a message, it will go straight to your call as a text. 

8. Post updates. 

You want to post an update about your business a least once a week. Updates include;

• posting blog articles

• posting about your services

• posting relevant news or updates

• adding any offers or events

9. Google tells you what you should include. 

As you manage your profile, Google will give hints about what to include or add. These tips from Google greatly benefit your potential clients and your local search. 

10. Add FAQs to your chat. 

Just like the Q&As you can add FAQs to your chat/messages. For example, clients might ask you questions like what services you provide, and you can easily set up common questions that your clients ask you when first contacting you. You can add up to ten (10) FAQs.

To enable FAQ:

1. In Google Search, search for your business.

2. In your Google Business Profile dashboard, click on Messages.

3. Click the three-dot Menu, then Chat settings.  

4. Add FAQs.

Unfortunately, in 2023 experts are forecasting a recession will impact the legal field (Read: Investing in Legal Content Writing Can Help Law Firms Recession-Proof Their Firm). However, managing and optimizing your Google Business Profile is a free way to increase your leads and your local search, putting you ahead of your competition and gaining new clients.

What’s the point of having a website if no one can find it?™

If you need help managing your Google Business Profile, we can help! We offer affordable monthly services to fit every law firm's budget. Contact Us Today about GBP management and our SEO-optimized content writing, blogging, newsletters and other content solutions for lawyers and law firms.