How Can I Increase My Law Firm’s Visibility on Google?

Google is the gateway that most people use to find information, services, and goods these days. Whether law firms like it or not, how Google sees them matters. Law firms that don’t rank well with Google will be invisible to the prospective clients that need to find them and could benefit from their services. 

In fact, 75 percent of Google users don’t scroll past the first page of search results. Considering this, ranking on the second or any consecutive page won’t have positive results. If you’re not ranking on the first page, your SEO marketing efforts aren’t worth your time or money. The good news is that you can change this. So, how do you increase your law firm’s visibility on Google? 

Steps to Increase Law Firm Visibility on Google

There are several ways to ensure that your law firm shows up on Google so potential clients can find you. 

Claim Your Google My Business Profile

First, make sure you’ve claimed your Google My Business (GMB) profile. Once you’ve done this, check to see that the information about your law firm is accurate. Does your listing include the correct office hours, location, and phone number?

Add Photos to Your Google My Business Profile

Adding photos to your GMB can help your page rank higher. When you use pictures, it increases your local positioning and, therefore, your online visibility. Keep in mind that Google rewards local businesses for constantly publishing fresh content. When you routinely add new photos, your law firm is more likely to land among Google and Google Maps’ top search results. As a bonus, posting pictures on your GMB profile improves brand awareness, increases engagement, and builds trust with your audience and potential clients.

Running out of ideas? Consider adding photos of:

• The interior and exterior of your office
• Your law firm’s logo
• Your staff members
• New employees
• Employees who have won awards
• The employee of the month
• Recent office renovations
• Recent company functions, events, or seminars
• A new office location or office renovation

Ask for Reviews

Ask your clients to leave reviews for you on your GMB profile. Not only will this reveal your reputation, but it’s also another way to keep your GMP profile active with new information. Ensure your clients know their reviews don’t need to be lengthy or include personal legal information. They should be kept general and to the point for readability. 

List Your Law Firm in Legal Directories

Make sure your website is listed in major legal directories. Legal directories index various lawyers and law firms, making them easily accessible to those using Google to find legal help. Directories not only make it easier for prospective clients to discover your law firm, but they can also help with lead generation, provide you with another place for online reviews, and increase SEO and other marketing opportunities. Examples of legal directories include Martindale-Hubbell.com and Avvo.com. 

Invest in SEO Content

While the primary purpose of your website and blog should be to provide information to prospective clients, your content should incorporate SEO. When done correctly, SEO tells Google what your website is about. Blogs and other content on your website should use SEO so that Google recognizes them and its algorithm ranks them higher on your website and pages. For example, SEO involves:

• Using the right keywords in the right places
• Using backlinks
• Ensuring your website is at optimal speed and is mobile friendly

However, SEO content can be difficult for many law firms and attorneys to grasp as they focus on practicing law. For them, investing in SEO content may mean hiring an SEO specialist or SEO marketing firm to help their pages rank higher so future clients can easily find them when they search Google. 

Increasing your law firm’s visibility on Google can be time-consuming and often confusing. However, it’s essential to compete in today’s legal environment and well worth your efforts and investments.