“How can I get my law firm to show up at the top of the Google results page?” We get this question from all of our clients in the legal field. It’s no secret that in the legal vertical, competition is fierce. You want to make sure that when a potential client is searching for “personal injury attorneys near me,” or “best family lawyer in [your city]”, that your law firm’s name is at the top of the docket.
Surefire Local offers a range of SEO and digital marketing services and techniques that can help rocket your law firm to the top of Google results. But one of the easiest and simplest ways to dominate the first page of results is to harness the power of your Google My Business (GMB) listing.
There are several components of your Google My Business listing that can positively or negatively impact your SEO, and, therefore, your rankings with Google–read more about how to optimize your Google My Business listing here. Today, we’ll be covering the powerful, but often overlooked Google My Business Q&A section. It may be the secret weapon you’re looking for to grow your law firm’s online visibility!
What Is Google My Business Q&A?
Google My Business Q&A is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s the section of your Google My Business listing that allows anyone with a Google account to ask and answer questions about your business. It’s similar to the “Customer Questions and Answers” section in Amazon product reviews.
It’s important to remember that this is “user-generated” content. Google loves user-generated content and it is one of the most compelling and coveted types of content in the SEO and digital marketing world. But why? For the same reason that Google and other search engines value reviews so highly–it’s not created by your firm and is, therefore, less biased and more helpful to other users.
The Google My Business Q&A section also allows users to quickly review information about your practice directly from the Google results page instead of having to click through to your site. And since Google’s number one goal is to get users the information they need in as few clicks as possible, it will reward this kind of up-front information by ranking your firm higher in the results.
The Importance of Actively Monitoring Your Google My Business Q&As
The Benefits of Using Q&As
You can learn a lot about what potential clients are looking for from the questions people ask on your page. Are they asking about how approachable the lawyers are? Are they wondering how many cases you’ve won in your practice area? Do they want to know if you offer virtual consultations?
When you are actively monitoring the questions people ask on your Google My Business page, you gain insights that can inform your website content, your marketing strategies, your social posts, your video content, your email campaigns, and so much more. Introduce your lawyers’ pets in a viral video campaign (Approachability). Put up billboards with your case win numbers (Reputation). Post about your virtual consultation options (Accessibility and Social Responsibility).
Google My Business Questions and Answers can help you meet your clients where they are. Don’t assume that you know what they’re looking for–let them tell you.
Another major benefit of actively utilizing the Q&A section is that you have the opportunity to directly interact with your clients in a visible way. Each question and answer have a general time period (2 months ago, 4 days ago, etc.) attached to them, so people can gauge how responsive your law firm is in a matter of seconds. This is an opportunity to make an excellent first impression and position yourself as a thought leader in your area of expertise.
Stay On Top of Your Q&A Section to Avoid a Negative First Impression
Unfortunately, because the content is user-generated, the Q&A section of GMB can also be a source of misinformation if you’re not monitoring it closely. When questions pop up, you, as the law firm in question, can answer them. But so can anyone else with a Google account! And you don’t want Joe Schmoe off the street answering for you–especially when it comes to legal matters!
Luckily, you can respond to any incorrect answers with the appropriate answer (you cannot delete them yourself), but it’s best to answer the questions yourself as soon as possible. This is doubly important because the Q&A section also populates the “People also ask…” section in Google results that sometimes pops up. So if there is incorrect information in that section, people will click on it and be led straight to your site. Not a good look.
Before you ask–no. There is no way to turn off the Google My Business Q&A section without deleting your Google My Business listing altogether–and that is not an option! Instead, use a digital marketing platform like Surefire Local that allows you to monitor and answer questions on your Google My Business page in real-time.
Remember, the more questions you answer, the more often your profile will be shown to people who have those questions. And if you start showing up in the “People also ask…” section (which you cannot pay to be in), you can also start showing up directly under your competition as the go-to expert in their area of practice!
Attract New Customers
People are already using Google My Business to find attorneys in their area. You want to ensure that when people have questions about your legal area of expertise, your law firm is at the top of the results. Using the Q&A section can help remove entry barriers and speed up your conversion timeline.
Generally speaking, it takes six to ten “touches” before potential clients convert and contact your law firm. Some of these touches can be accounted for through passive marketing during inopportune moments–for instance, passing a billboard for your law firm before they are in need of your services.
But sometimes, these “touches” are indicators of call reluctance or research. Shopping for a lawyer is higher-stakes than, say, shopping for a new pair of shoes. When people are searching for legal services, there is often a serious problem or situation that has to be addressed in their lives. You’re dealing with people in desperate and scary moments in their lives. They want the best attorney they can afford, but it’s an overwhelming decision–especially if you don’t have any recommendations from close friends and family.
The Q&A section is a place that can answer some of their questions immediately and start to put them at ease. Answering promptly is a good indicator that you’re on top of things. Detailed, well-thought-out answers mean you’re knowledgeable and communicate well. The tone you use can convey your approachability.
Remove call reluctance and answer as many of their questions as possible up-front. It gives people a sense of security and positions you as a thought leader. And once they read through your Q&As and are suitably impressed, the “Call Now” button allows them to access all of that knowledge and expertise in a single click.
And in emergency situations (car wrecks, police showing up on your doorstep, etc.), you want people to be able to find your law firm easily and contact you as soon as possible. Filling out your Q&A may seem like an unrelated task, but it can massively boost your SEO and put your phone number right at the top of Google results when people need your help the most.
Answer Your Own Questions to Boost Your SEO and Overall Visibility
If you’re not receiving any questions about your law firm from Google users, don’t despair! You can still populate this all-important section with questions and answers of your own! Already have an FAQ section on your site? Perfect! You can copy and paste those into your Google My Business Q&A section–just make sure you double-check that the information is still pertinent and accurate!
Keep your answers to about one paragraph maximum, highlight your strengths and your competitive differentiators, and use locations in your answers to boost local SEO. So if someone asks “What should I look for in a divorce lawyer?” Respond with “When you’re looking for a divorce lawyer in [your city], you should look for…”
Let Surefire Local Help You Boost Your Law Firm’s Online Presence
The Surefire Local Marketing Platform brings all of your online marketing efforts together on one easy-to-access dashboard. You can view questions as they are asked and respond to them immediately from within the platform! Your answers will be automatically populated in your Google My Business Q&A section. Our all-in-one marketing platform can help you streamline and automate your digital marketing strategies and budgets. Save yourself time, money, and frustration — contact Surefire Local today for a demo!