You may have implemented all the requisite search engine optimization (SEO) strategies on your law firm’s website, and now you are probably thinking of a way forward. How will you put your law firm on the map and increase its visibility to potential site visitors and clients? Google My Business (GMB) is one of the greatest law firm marketing strategies to get you listed on the top pages of search engine results.
What Is a Google My Business Listing?
GMB is a free platform that offers users the opportunity to create and even manage their business’s Google listing. These listings appear when users search for a business on search engines or Google Maps.
Here are some of the reasons you need a GMB listing for your law firm.
What Are the Benefits of Google My Business for Your Law Firm?
Google My Business listings are important to your law firm as they play the following roles.
1. Easily Provide Directions to Your Location
Having your firm’s location listed on Google Maps is essential to the growth of your law business. Customers often turn to Google Maps to seek directions to service locations whenever they need to procure those services. GMB will therefore keep you steps ahead of your rival law firms.
2. Equip Customers with Essential Information
Creating a GMB profile will enable you to add details about your business to help your clients contact you. Such details include your working hours, phone number, and contact info, among other vital information that may be useful to your customers.
3. Encourage Reviews and Interact with Them
Every business relies on a good word from their past clients or customers to thrive. GMB gives a platform for your customers to give positive (or negative) feedback and reviews. It also allows you to interact with reviews and address any concerns. This is particularly helpful in the law business since most new clients will rely on testimonials before hiring a lawyer.
4. Help Endorse Company Events and News
Your GMB platform will also enable you to post and publicize your company events and news. This will be helpful since all the information you may want to convey to your current or potential clients will be centralized in one place, hence making it much easier to find.
5. Add Photos of Your Business
Sharing photos of your business with your clients or potential customers goes a long way in promoting your business’s credibility. GMB is one of the few law firm marketing tools that allow you to add photos to your business profile. Photos will also help your audience to clearly visualize the message you are trying to convey.
Pitfalls to Avoid When Using Google My Business for Your Law Firm
Like all good things, GMB has its own tricky points, which may lead to grave consequences for your business when mishandled. Here are some of them.
1. Unclaimed Listings
Failure to claim your business listings will hinder you from managing them. What’s more, a rival firm or even customer may report your business as missing or closed down. This could lead to Google taking away your listing.
2. Incorrect Information
This is a major put-off for many clients. It could lead to the loss of customers or even more dire consequences on your listing.
3. Failure to Respond to Reviews
Much as you may be tempted to ignore the ugly reviews, it is advisable to respond to them and deal with whatever issue the client is complaining about. This will paint a good picture of your firm.
Hire a Professional
Using GMB for the first time can prove difficult; however, a professional’s guidance can help rank a law firm’s GMB listing higher and lead to greater law firm marketing results.
