When someone searches for an attorney, their first stop is often Google. Before a potential client even clicks on your website, they’re likely to see your Google Business Profile (GBP) first. Your listing acts as a digital business card and a key part of your online presence.

For personal injury lawyers, family law firms, estate and probate attorneys, and other practices that rely on local clients, an optimized Google Business Profile can mean the difference between earning a call or being overlooked. 

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to set up and optimize your GBP for maximum impact. We’ll cover essential elements, advanced features, review strategy, analytics, and how your profile ties directly into your broader search rankings.

Why a law firm Google Business Profile matters for local SEO

Google Business Profiles appear prominently in local search results and on Google Maps. When someone searches “personal injury lawyer near me” or “estate planning attorney [city],” Google often displays a map pack of local law firms. These results show firm names, reviews, phone numbers, and quick ways to get in touch.

A thoroughly optimized GBP helps you:

  • Appear in more local searches
  • Build trust with reviews and firm details
  • Drive clicks and calls directly from the listing
  • Strengthen your overall search engine optimization (SEO) strategy

Ignoring your profile means potential clients could see incomplete or inaccurate information and choose a competitor instead.

Set up your law firm Google Business Profile

The first step is claiming, verifying, and confirming that your profile information is accurate. Without the basics, all other optimizations have limited impact. Reviewing each detail helps potential clients find, recognize, and contact your firm easily.

Categories

Choose the most specific category that fits your practice. For example:

You can add secondary categories to capture other services, but avoid adding too many. Focused categories make your profile more relevant to specific searches. Revisit categories periodically. If your firm expands services, update your primary and secondary categories to reflect new practice areas.

Business information

Fill out every section of your GBP:

  • Business name: Use your exact law firm name, no extra keywords.
  • Address: Ensure it matches exactly with your website and other listings.
  • Phone number: Use a local number if possible.
  • Website URL: Link directly to a landing page that best represents your services.
  • Hours: Keep these accurate and up to date, especially during holidays.

If your firm has multiple offices, create a separate GBP for each location. Local SEO favors profiles tied to a specific geographic area.

Enhance your law firm Google Business Profile

After the basics are complete, enrich your profile with details that attract and engage potential clients. Providing comprehensive information not only helps users understand your services but also improves your visibility in local search results.

Q&A section

Potential clients often have common questions. Posting your own Q&A helps control the narrative and gives prospects quick answers without leaving your profile. For example,  let’s say a client asks about probate consultations. You can post a clear answer in the Q&A, which helps future searchers find the information quickly and positions your firm as responsive.

Here are a few additional Q&A examples:

  • “Do you offer free consultations?”
  • “How do I schedule an appointment?”
  • “Which types of cases do you handle?”

Monitor questions submitted by Google users. Respond promptly to any new inquiries since this provides value to clients and signals to Google that your profile is active.

Photos and videos

Visuals make your profile feel approachable and professional. Posting a short video explaining how your firm handles estate planning or personal injury cases can increase the time users spend on your profile. Google interprets this as a positive engagement signal.

Consider including:

  • Headshots of attorneys
  • Photos of your office
  • Team or community event photos
  • Short videos explaining services or introducing attorneys

Google favors active profiles, so update photos regularly. New photos show potential clients that your firm is current and engaged.

Services and descriptions

Break down your practice areas under services. Include brief descriptions written in plain language clients can understand. Focus on how you help rather than legal jargon.

Incorporate local keywords naturally. For example, “Estate planning attorney serving families in [city]” ensures relevance for local searchers.

Get and manage law firm Google reviews

Reviews are one of the most powerful factors in both client decision-making and local search ranking. Google prioritizes listings with high-quality, frequent reviews, and potential clients rely on them when choosing an attorney.

Embed positive reviews directly on your website. Highlighting them builds trust with potential clients and also creates fresh content Google can index, reinforcing SEO.

Getting reviews

  • Ask promptly: Request reviews immediately after a case closes, when the client experience is fresh.
  • Provide direct links: Include a link to your GBP review page in follow-up emails or texts. Example: “Thank you for trusting our firm. Please share your feedback here.”
  • Encourage staff participation: Staff can remind clients politely during communications, increasing response rates.

Responding to reviews

  • Positive reviews: Thank the client and highlight specific outcomes. For instance, “We’re glad we could help you navigate your probate case efficiently.”
  • Negative reviews: Stay professional and acknowledge the concern. Offer to discuss privately: “We’re sorry to hear about your experience. Please contact our office so we can address your concerns.”

Monitor reviews weekly and respond promptly. Frequent engagement signals to Google that your firm is active, which can improve your local ranking.

Advanced law firm Google Business Profile optimization

Once the foundational elements of your profile are in place, using advanced features can boost both visibility and client engagement. These tactics go beyond basic listing information, helping your firm stand out in local search results and encouraging prospective clients to take action.

Google posts

Posts allow you to share updates directly on your GBP. Schedule posts weekly to keep your profile fresh. Profiles with regular posts often rank higher in local search. Examples include:

  • Blog articles or case studies
  • Community involvement updates
  • Promotions for free consultations

Call tracking

Adding a call tracking number helps measure how many leads come directly from your GBP. These numbers forward calls to your main line while capturing call volume and duration. Use consistent numbers across all marketing channels to maintain accurate reporting.

Messaging

Enable messaging so clients can reach your firm directly from your profile. Assign staff to monitor messages, or utilize AI-powered tools for instant responses to common questions. Prompt replies, whether automated or manual, increase the likelihood of converting inquiries into consultations and help your firm maintain a responsive, professional image.

Google attributes

Attributes let you highlight specific qualities of your firm that may appeal to potential clients, such as:

  • Women-led
  • LGBTQ-friendly
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance

Including these attributes helps your profile stand out in competitive local markets and gives clients quick insight into your firm’s values and offerings. Regularly review and update attributes to reflect new certifications or community initiatives, keeping your profile relevant and appealing to searchers.

Track law firm profile performance with GBP insights

Tracking performance is imperative to understanding ROI. Review these metrics monthly to identify what’s driving leads. Adjust posting, photo updates, or response strategy based on performance. For example, if your data shows that photos of attorneys generate more clicks than office photos, prioritize updating team photos and adding professional headshots regularly.

Focus on:

  • Clicks to website
  • Phone calls and message inquiries
  • Direction requests
  • Profile views

You can also use GBP insights to strengthen your overall SEO strategy. For instance, if posts about new family law regulations generate clicks and calls, prioritize similar content and incorporate those keywords on your website. This way, performance data from your GBP helps guide both profile improvements and site-wide optimization.

Law firm Google Business Profile mistakes to avoid

Many law firms leave opportunities on the table by neglecting their profile. Avoiding these mistakes helps your GBP continue attracting qualified leads.

Common errors include:

  • Using broad or incorrect categories
  • Letting hours or contact info go out of date
  • Ignoring negative reviews
  • Never updating photos or posts
  • Failing to track performance

Consistently auditing your profile and making small updates keeps it accurate, engaging, and more visible in local search results.

How FirmPilot optimizes Google Business Profiles for law firms

Managing a law firm Google Business Profile takes time and attention. Between updating details, posting content, responding to reviews, and tracking performance, it’s easy for busy attorneys to get overwhelmed.

With FirmPilot, we automatically optimize your GBP and overall marketing strategy by:

  • Reformatting your top-performing content for Google Maps and business profiles across channels
  • Requesting reviews to create a steady stream of positive client feedback
  • Surfacing analytics that show how clients are finding and interacting with your profile
  • Crawling thousands of sites for unread mentions and broken links to easily build firm credibility at scale.

Instead of spending hours managing your listing, you can focus on running your firm while FirmPilot handles the details behind the scenes. 

Want to see better results with less hassle? Let FirmPilot manage your law firm Google Business Profile and watch your local visibility grow. Book a demo today.