Do You Want More Traffic?
Targeting Local Clients: Maximizing Local SEO for Law Firm Digital Marketing
Maximize your law firm's online visibility and attract local clients with effective local SEO strategies. Discover the importance of local citations, Google My Business listing, and online reviews, and learn how to optimize your website for local search.
This comprehensive guide provides the most in-depth and complete information available online for building a successful Google My Business and Local SEO marketing for attorneys. I recommend bookmarking this page for easy reference as you work on your local SEO marketing.
Jump to Section
- Claiming Your Google My Business Listing
- Optimizing Your Google My Business Listing
- Enhancing Local SEO through Google Maps and Google My Business
- Showing Up on Google Maps
- Managing Client Reviews
- Maximizing Google My Business
- How To Create a Google My Business Account.
- Local SEO & Google My Business FAQs
1. The Importance of Claiming Your Google My Business Listing for Your Law Firm
As a local business, your law firm has access to several marketing options and advantages. One of the most valuable tools available to you is a free Google My Business (GMB) listing.
A GMB listing is similar to a Facebook Business Page, but with the added benefit of being featured on Google Maps. When users search for branded keywords such as your law firm name and keywords with local intent e.g "lawyer near me," Google will display optimized GMB listings in the search results, complete with your law firms name, address, phone number, photos, hours of operation, client reviews, and more.
You can search your law firm name with Google. You will most likely see your law firm already listed. In the knowledge panel to the right of the search results you will see a blue link asking if you are the business if no one has claimed your business you can do so. If someone else has already claimed your business Google will let you contact them to ask to give it to the rightful owner. If they do not comply you can go to Google and try to get your listing from that person.
By claiming and verifying your GMB listing, you can make sure that your law firm is included in these local search results and stand out to potential clients.
However, it's important to note that Google's goal is to keep users on the search engine results pages and not click away from other websites. To achieve this, they have implemented more and more features on the results pages. If you don't claim and optimize your GMB listing, your competitors will claim theirs, optimize them and will benefit from local searches for law firms and you won't.
While a GMB listing is free to claim, it can be beneficial to hire a professional marketing agency to handle it for you. This will allow you to focus on being a great lawyer while still benefiting from the marketing opportunities offered by GMB. A professional marketing agency also has the expertise and experience to know what works and can integrate your GMB listing into a larger SEO strategy.
2. The Benefits of Optimizing Your Google My Business Listing for Local SEO
Optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing is a quick and easy way to improve your local search engine optimization (SEO). GMB is especially valuable for local searches that are commonly done on mobile devices, such as "lawyer near me" or "lawyer in [city]."
By completing and verifying your GMB listing, you increase the chances of your law firm showing up in these local search results. GMB is also an excellent platform for receiving client reviews, which can boost your ranking in local searches.
In addition to increasing your visibility in local searches, GMB allows you to provide important information about your law firm, such as your location, hours of operation, services, and contact information. This helps potential clients find and contact you more easily.
Overall, optimizing your GMB listing is a simple but effective way to improve your local SEO and reach more potential clients through local searches.
3. Enhancing Local SEO through Google Maps and Google My Business
Google Maps is a powerful tool for improving local search engine optimization (SEO) for your law firm. One of the most effective ways to use Google Maps for local SEO is by claiming and verifying your Google My Business (GMB) listing.
Having a complete and verified GMB listing allows your law firm to show up in Google Maps and local search results. It also provides important information about your business, such as your location, hours of operation, and contact details.
In addition to having a complete GMB profile, you can also boost your local SEO by receiving legitimate positive client reviews, answering questions in the Q&A section, and updating your posts frequently. These actions can help increase your visibility and ranking in local searches.
4. Your Law Firm Business Profile Showing Up in Google Maps
To maximize your local SEO efforts, it is also important to target the right keywords for local searches. These may include terms such as "lawyer," "attorney," "law firm," "law office," and "attorney at law," along with modifiers such as "near me," "by the courthouse," and the name of your city or area.
5. How To Manage Law Firm Client Reviews
How to Respond to Positive Reviews
Thank the client for their kind words and take the opportunity to showcase your professionalism and appreciation for their business. It's also a good idea to use positive reviews as a way to highlight the unique aspects of your law firm and the services you offer. Remember, potential clients may be reading these reviews, so make sure to present your law firm in the best light possible.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews
It can be difficult to see a negative review of your law firm, but it's important to remember that it is an opportunity to showcase your professionalism and dedication to customer satisfaction. Here are some tips for responding to negative reviews:
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Keep a cool head: It's easy to get defensive when faced with criticism, but it's important to remain calm and collected.
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Apologize: Even if you don't agree with the review, it's important to apologize for any inconvenience or frustration the client may have experienced.
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Offer a solution: If the client has a specific issue, try to offer a solution or resolution. This shows that you are willing to go the extra mile to make things right.
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Thank the client for their feedback: While the review may be negative, it's still an opportunity for you to learn and improve. Thank the client for taking the time to leave their review and let them know that their feedback is valuable to you.
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Keep it professional: Remember that your response will be visible to other potential clients, so make sure to keep it professional and respectful at all times.
By following these tips, you can turn a negative review into an opportunity to showcase your customer service skills and dedication to client satisfaction.
Conclusion for reviews
Managing reviews on your Google My Business listing is important for the success of your law firm. By responding to both negative and positive reviews in a professional manner, you can showcase your expertise and dedication to client satisfaction. Don't forget to ask your clients to leave reviews and make it as easy as possible for them to do so. This will help you build a strong online presence and attract new clients to your law firm.
For more information about leveraging client reviews visit
How Positive Client Reviews Can Boost Your Law Firm's Visibility, Trust, and Referrals
6. Maximizing Your Google My Business: Tips and Strategies
Optimizing your Google My Business profile can make a significant impact on your local SEO efforts and overall online presence. Here are some tips and strategies to help you make the most of your Google My Business listing:
Photos
Utilize the opportunity to upload photos of your law firm, including the interior and exterior of your office, as well as images of your team. This helps potential clients get a sense of your business and adds visual appeal to your listing.
In addition to uploading photos of your law firm's interior and exterior, as well as images of your team, there are other ways to utilize photos in your online marketing efforts.
Photos of your team members
One strategy is to use photos of your team members in their professional capacity on your website and social media profiles. This can help potential clients get a sense of who they will be working with, and can also help to establish trust and credibility.
Photos of your law firm in action
Another strategy is to use photos of your law firm in action. This could include images of your team working on a case or photos of your office during a client meeting. These types of images can help to give potential clients a sense of what it is like to work with your firm, and can also help to differentiate your firm from competitors.
High-quality and properly optimized
Finally, it is important to ensure that all photos are high-quality and properly optimized for the web. This means that they should be properly sized and converted to Webp format so that they load quickly on your website. This will help to ensure that your photos look great and that they don't slow down your website.
Services
The Services section in a Google My Business profile is an important feature for any business, and for law firms, it can be especially valuable for improving local SEO. By accurately listing and describing the services your law firm offers in the appropriate categories, you can help Google understand your business better and increase the chances that your firm will show up in relevant searches.
Use keywords that potential clients may use to search for
When listing services, be sure to use keywords that potential clients may use to search for your services. For example, if your law firm specializes in personal injury cases, you should list "personal injury" as a service, rather than just "litigation" or "trial law." This will make it more likely that your firm will show up when someone searches for "personal injury attorney" in your area.
Use accurate categories
It's also important to use accurate categories when listing services. Google provides a list of categories that businesses can choose from, and selecting the right category can help your business show up in relevant searches. For example, a criminal defense law firm should select "criminal defense attorney" as a category, while a family law firm should select "divorce attorney" or "child custody lawyer."
Include detailed descriptions
Finally, be sure to include a detailed description of each service you offer. This will give potential clients a better understanding of what your law firm does and what to expect if they choose to work with you.
Posts
Use the posts feature to share updates, announcements, and other important information about your law firm. This allows you to control the information that appears in search results for your business.
Post updates about your law firm
Create and post updates about your law firm, which can appear in the Knowledge Panel for your business on Google Search Result Pages. These updates, known as Google My Business posts, can be used to share important information about your law firm, such as announcements, promotions, events, and other updates.
Control information that appears in search result pages
Using the posts feature can be a useful way to control the information that appears in search results for your law firm. By regularly posting updates, you can ensure that the information that appears in the Knowledge Panel, when your law firm shows in search results, is current and accurate. You can also use the posts feature to highlight important aspects of your law firm, such as your services, locations, and hours of operation.
Posting an image
When posting an image keep in mind the aspect ratio is 4:3 and the recommended size is 1200 x 900 pixels.
To create a Google My Business post, you will need to log in to your Google My Business account and navigate to the Posts tab. From there, you can create a new post by selecting the appropriate post type (e.g., announcement, event, offer) and entering the relevant information. You can also include images and links in your posts to further engage your audience.
Once you have created your post, it will be published to the Knowledge Panel for your business on Google Search and Maps.
Questions and Answers
The Questions and Answers (Q&A) section on a Google My Business profile is an important feature that can help improve local SEO for law firms. By encouraging potential clients to ask questions and promptly responding with helpful and informative answers, you can build trust and credibility with potential clients.
Encourage potential clients to ask questions
One way to encourage potential clients to ask questions is by promoting the Q&A section on your website and social media channels. You can also include a call-to-action on your website, such as "Have a question about our services? Ask us in the Q&A section on our Google My Business profile." This can help increase awareness of the Q&A section and encourage potential clients to ask their questions.
Be as helpful and informative as possible
When responding to questions, it's important to be as helpful and informative as possible. Provide detailed and accurate answers that address the potential client's concerns. This can help build trust and credibility with potential clients and can increase the chances that they will choose your law firm.
Respond to questions promptly
It's also important to respond to questions promptly, as this can show potential clients that you value their time and are dedicated to providing them with the best possible service.
In summary, the Q&A section on a Google My Business profile is an important feature for law firms to improve local SEO. By encouraging potential clients to ask questions and promptly responding with helpful and informative answers, you can build trust and credibility with potential clients. This can increase the chances that they will choose your law firm.
7. How To Create a Google My Business Account
Creating a Google My Business account is simple and free. Follow these steps to get started:
- Go to google.com/business and click on "Start now" in the top right corner.
- Sign in to your Google account or create one if you don't already have one.
- Enter your law firm name and address. If your law firm has a physical location that customers can visit, select "Yes" and enter the full address. If your law firm operates online or at various locations, select "No" and enter the area you serve instead.
- Choose a category that best describes your law firm.
- Enter your phone number and website (if you have one).
- Click on "Continue."
- Google will then verify that you are the owner of the business. You can choose to verify your business by phone or by postcard.
- Once your business is verified, you can start adding additional information to your listing, such as photos and services offered.
Congratulations, you now have a Google My Business account! This is an important step for local SEO, as it allows your business to appear in Google Maps and local search results. Be sure to keep your information up to date and respond to customer reviews to make the most of your listing.
8. Local SEO & Google My Business FAQ's
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