Google Places for Law Firms: What You Need to Know

Google+ Local for Law Firms: What You Need to Know

Why Google+ Local is essential to marketing your law firm online.

Today's answer to yesterday's Yellow Pages, Google+ Local is a directory that displays local business search results. A Google+ Local listing links to your law firm's website and features your phone number, address, and business hours as well as a map, reviews from clients, and a link to your Google+ profile, if you have one.

Formerly known as Google Places for Business, Google+ Local is a necessary component of any lawyer's online marketing strategy because 66.2% of all online searches in the US are performed on Google, according to ComScore. Furthermore, when people search for a local attorney, they see Google+ Local listings before they see organic listings because Google+ Local gets priority in the search results. As a result, creating a Google+ Local page for your law firm can help you increase your local search visibility and generate more leads and traffic. Best of all, Google+ Local is free!

If you have a Google+ Local page, you'll be able to reach more potential clients in your local area. It's also vital to have a presence on Google+ Local if you want to target mobile users because the first results that people see when they perform local searches with Google on their smartphones are Google+ Local listings. Your law firm will also appear in Google Maps for relevant searches if you have Google+ Local.

How to Get Started with Google+ Local

Create or Claim Your Listing. Go to google.com/places. Log into your Google account or create an account if you don't have one already.
Create or claim your listing and make sure that it's filled out completely. To increase the likelihood that your law firm's listing will rank highly in Google+ Local, you need to fill out as many fields in your profile as possible. Be sure to include keywords related to your practice area, services, and the locations you serve in your listing description, but don't go overboard.

Get Verified. Get verified by having Google call you or send you a post card. The phone option is best because it is immediate.

Get Listed on as Many Citation Sources as Possible. Google looks at established citation sources, like your local phone book, Bing, and Yahoo, to build its database and check the accuracy of the information in your Google+ Local listing. If your law firm isn't listed in the local phone book or another citation source, it probably won't make it to the first page of Google+ Local. In addition to the aforementioned sources, other influential citation sources include Manta, Facebook, CitySearch, Merchant Circle, and Super Pages.

Encourage Clients to Leave Reviews. Client reviews can positively impact your Google+ Local listing. Just keep in mind that Google+ Local reviews may violate bar ethics rules in some states. For more information, check the American Bar Association's website, which links to each state's set of ethics rules.

Verify that the Pin Location on Google Maps Is Correct. Make sure that your law firm's pin on Google+ Local is in the correct location. If it isn't, change it.

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If you'd like to generate more leads from the web and drive more targeted traffic to your law firm's website, get in touch with efelle. We're a full-service web development and online marketing agency that has over ten years of experience helping law firms market online. From web design for law firms, to social media marketing, to search engine optimization, our services have got you covered. Give us a call at 206.384.4909 or fill out our online contact form to set up a free consultation!