Insights on the Attorney’s “Google My Business” Listing

If you want to dominate your market online for your practice area, then you need to show up in Local 3 Pack (sometimes called the “map pack”). The Google 3-Pack displays the top three results for local SERP results to make the search relevant to the location where the user submitted the query.

At Internet Lava, LLC, we pay attention to all of the changes Google makes when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) and local search. We also help our clients take a more active role in updating the “Google My Business” listing for the law firm.

When our clients begin to use the Google My Business app, they start to get excited about increases in their traffic, especially when more of their ideal clients begin to call.

Although Google previously showed the top seven (7) results for a local search, now it only shows the top three (3) results. How do you get your law firm’s listing to show up into those coveted three spots?

From Google’s perspective, well-established law firms with a brick and mortar location should rank higher. For that reason, the name, address, and phone number of the firm should not change over time. Not only that, but Google wants to understand the law firm’s practice areas so it can best match the search query with the right type of law firm.

How to Rank in Google 3 Pack in 2020

Google’s Local 3-Pack has its own internal ranking system that is constantly being updated. The so-called Google Bedlam update just occurred on November 5, 2019.

To rank high in the Google 3 Pack in 2020, an attorney should focus on optimizing their business listing. The attorney should focus on having:

• a business profile that is completely filled out and frequently updated;
• a consistent Name/Address/Phone Number (NAP) across different online sources;
• high-quality photographs uploaded by both the business owner and its customers;
• lots of reviews left by real clients; and
• frequent posts about what’s new, upcoming events, and special offers.

Google’s local 3 pack also includes paid listings, but this article discusses how to rank organically without paying one penny per click.

How to Updated Your Law Firm’s Google Business Listing

From your “Google My Business” listing, you can create a post, add a photo, or create an add. You can manage your photos, respond to reviews, or view your business on Google Maps or Google Search.

As each new feature rolls out, consider using it. For example, Google recently added a “CallJoy: Answer with intelligence” feature to access easy-to-use phone technology that works with your Google My Business profile. By using CallJoy, you can access bookings on Google so that customers can book an appointment directly from Google Search.

Get full access to your Business Profile by using the Android or iOS app to receive instant alerts when customers leave reviews, send messages, and more with the Google My Business app. Receive instant alerts when customers leave reviews, send messages, and more with the Google My Business app.

View the “Insights” to See How Your Client’s Find Your Firm

The idea behind Google My Business was to help the business owner have more control over their online presence. By adding the “insights” feature, Google has made it easy for the business owner to learn more about how customers search for their business.

At Internet Lava, we insist that our clients understand how to access the “insights” provided on Google My Business. The insights will help you understand how your ideal clients are finding your business online.

We also encourage the attorney and others in the law firm to download and use the Google My Business app to:

• post recent photos – businesses that add recent photos typically receive more clicks to their website;
• create a post – the keywords in the post helps Google understand the services provided by the law firm;
• update the firm’s business hours – your potential clients want to find your business hours (particularly around holidays).

From insights, you can determine whether most of your traffic is:

• direct – consumers searching for the attorney’s name or the law firm’s name, address, or phone number; or
• discovered – consumers using keyword searches for a category or service.

From “insights” you can see the queries used by unique users to find your law firm’s listing on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. You can see where customers view your business on Google including when the listing appears on search or maps.

Find out how many actions are taken by consumers on your listing for the following actions:

• Visits to your website;
• Requests for directions,
• Calls to the firm; and
• Messages to the firm.

You can even where your potential clients are located when they request directions to your business.

Google insights show you when and how many times potential clients call your law firm during the week. You can see the number of photos views and the photo quantity when compared to other law firms. Your can seven see how many photos are displayed by you or by your clients.

Choose Internet Lava to Optimize Your Google Business Listing

For local searches, it is not uncommon for a small law firm focused on a particular practice area to beat out traffic that goes to larger law firms with a more diverse group of practice areas.

At Internet Lava, we help our clients both big and small dominate their marketing online. We help the attorneys set up their Google Business Listing profile and update it over time. We help the law firm announce upcoming events and add photographs and posts.

Most importantly, we help our clients have an effective website that functions on both a desktop computer or a cell phone. The main website is the center of any marketing strategy, but Google My Business helps that main website show up higher in the search engines.

Let Internet Lava help you optimize your Google Business Listing in 2020, while we manage all aspects of your internet marketing strategy. Call us today to get started.