Google’s objective is to help searchers find the most appropriate company or service for their needs. When someone visits a search engine to find an attorney, they likely want a professional that’s locked close to them. Google uses that searcher’s location to help determine which attorneys to display in the search results. The displayed results are called the Google Local Pack. For law firms, it’s a critical place to be.
It is critical for attorneys to be listed in this listing of three local providers. There’s nothing you can pay to be there, though. Instead, you need to show Google that you deserve to be included in the Map Pack. Let’s talk about how law firms can get featured in this listing and what it could mean to you when you are.
What Is Google Map Pack?
Google Map Pack refers to a listing of three service providers based on Google Maps results.
Let’s say you want to find a restaurant for dinner. You type and perform a Google search for it. When you do, you’ll see three restaurants in a local grouping right on the page in front of you. Those are the most visible locations near your location at the time of your search. As an attorney, you need to be listed in this grouping whenever someone in your service area seeks out the services you offer.
The three lawyers who are listed in the Map Pack will benefit from:
- Clarity and visibility for a consumer looking for help right now
- Location information about where your office is
- Phone number, website, reviews, and other information about your firm
Consumers can instantly see these results, click on them, and even make a call directly on them. Because of this, it is a critical component in getting leads from search engine traffic.
Sponsored Listings Are Different
Ads and sponsored listings are not included in the Map Pack, though they can sometimes be seen alongside them. As noted, you’ll notice these organic search results displayed prominently with ads above and below. Generally speaking, they are often at eye level and very visible.
How to Rank in Google Map Pack for Law Firms
It’s not an easy process to rank high on any search engine results page, but the Map Pack is different than the same SEO strategies you may be using for your website’s content and blog. There are various factors that make up the algorithm that determines which law firms will gain these prized locations.
Another big factor to consider is that those results are always changing. Google will update various factors that change the ranking. More so, your competitors are also changing their efforts so they can outrank you. For this reason, it’s best to focus on providing quality content that allows Google to find and rank you based on an organic process.
While we don’t know everything about the factors that Google uses to rank law firm websites in the Google Map Pack, we do have a starting place that you can reference to get going.
#1: Claim Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is a free listing service provided by the search engine. You can set it up without cost and within a few minutes (though you should also consider optimizing it to ensure you get the most out of it).
Once known as Google My Business, your Google Business Profile is like a directory service for your business. It lets the search engine know that your business exists and helps it to rank your business in its search listings. It’s highly important for overall search engine ranking.
To optimize your Google Business Profile, which will help you to get the search engine’s attention in ranking your site, follow these tips:
Build a locally influenced profile
Include keywords about the locations you serve. Be sure that your profile clearly outlines your practice areas, the types of cases you take on, and the various resources you provide to your clients. Make sure you make it as local as possible but accurate.
Complete your profile
Your profile should include as many details as possible to encourage users to click on it. Some of the most important fields to fill in include:
- Name and address: Ensure this follows the same naming conventions as any other website or listing of your firm online. Make sure you spell your firm’s name the same way every time. Be sure you include your local number, which is not a toll-free number.
- Website: Include your website and ensure it is accurate
- Business services: Outline the specific types of law you practice, including any specific areas that make your services unique
- Photos: Update your photos to include images of the building or office, your attorneys, or other details that brand your firm
- Reviews: You’ll be able to read reviews of those who use your services here (you want them!)
Include a description of your company, the areas you service, and features you offer, such as free consultations. You need quality content here!
Keep it up-to-date
Make sure your profile includes up-to-date information about your business. Include any updates to your attorneys, services, and resources. Update hours of service or any other details as you see fit over time.
Use keywords
Generally speaking, your keywords will be your areas of service as well as your location. For example, you may include “personal injury attorney serving Dallas, TX.” Be sure to do this for all cities, even the small ones near you. That’s going to help send valuable signals to Google.
#2. Get Reviews and Interact with Them
The second way to increase the odds of getting in the Google Map Pack as a law firm is to have some type of social proof of what you are doing for others. Reviews are the way to do this.
Your Google Business Profile is the foundation of this. It is the best place for you to direct your clients to leave a review about your service. There are many ways to get these, but here are a few suggestions:
- Send a text message to your clients after they have a successful outcome with you. This can link directly to your Google profile.
- Ask your clients to place a review for you.
- Use your email list to encourage reviews by providing a direct link there.
Getting reviews allows you to show that your law firm is helpful to the community. However, you cannot stop there. You also need to interact with those reviews. When someone leaves a positive review, use their name and thank them. If you receive a negative review, never reveal details but ask them to contact you to discuss. Always maintain professionalism.
#3. Build Citations for Your Law Firm
Citations are something many law firms can benefit from, but they don’t always know much about them right away. Local citations drive reputable people to you. It’s simply a mention of your law firm online. Sounds easy, right?
Local citations are any type of mention of your law firm’s name, address, or phone number. You’ll find them throughout any website, social media site, or other platforms. Here are some steps to getting citations for your law firm:
- Create social media profiles for your business. That’s a simple and must-have starting point. Make sure your profiles on those sites contain all of the details about your firm’s name, location, and website.
- Third-party websites for lawyers are also beneficial. Consider the use of Super Lawyers, Avvo, and FindLaw.
- Local blogs, news sites, your college alma mater, and many other locations are excellent places to get citations. Your goal is to get your firm’s name, address, and website listed throughout the web.
Citations help to connect Google to your business. It builds the value and importance of your firm to the community you operate in. There’s no fast process to setting this up, though. You’ll need to work on them over time.
How Attorneys Can Improve Their Google Map Pack Visibility
Now that you have the three most important steps in place consider these tips to ensure you’re getting the best access to the Map Pack as a law firm.
- Be sure you’re working on ranking for all of your firm’s services and practice areas, not just your preferences.
- Consider the communities around you that your clients come from as well, not just the location you operate in.
- Keep your profile up-to-date and comprehensive. Use your About Us section to get keywords that can help you rank locally.
- Make it personal. Include information about your team and attorneys.
Automate The Entire Process
Consistency is critical to building your Google Map Pack visibility for law firms. That’s especially true when it comes to your reviews and engagement opportunities. To help you, use the SureFire Local platform. It can automate the entire process for you, allowing you to focus on the new sources of leads coming in.
You can learn more about it by requesting a free demo of Surefire Local. It’s the best way to see how you can compete.