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Setting up your Google Business Profile is a must to improve your local visibility online. Being free, it is a great marketing tool for law firms of every size, so don't lose potential customers by not having one.
First and foremost, What is Google Business Profile? As mentioned in our previous post, “Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free tool for businesses and organizations through which they manage their business profile(s) and presence on Google, including Google Search and Google Maps.“
This post will address how you can create and verify a new Google Business Profile (we will cover claiming an existing profile in a future post).
Creating a new Google Business Profile involves these two steps:
- Create your new profile.
- Verify your profile.
Create Your New Profile
Before you start off the Google Business Profile creation process, you need a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can sign up for one here.
Once you have a Google Account, go to google.com/business, sign in to the Google account you want the profile to be associated with, and then enter your law firm name.
Next, you’ll have to choose the category that best fits your business; there is a wide variety of categories to choose from.
Attorney categories you can choose from are:
- Personal injury attorney
- Criminal justice attorney
- Family law attorney
- Bankruptcy attorney
- Real estate attorney
- Employment attorney
- Immigration attorney
- Civil law attorney
- Elder law attorney
- Patent attorney
- Tax attorney
- Trial attorney
- Insurance attorney
- Attorney
- Law Firm
- Lawyer
- Legal Services
- Medical lawyer
- Divorce lawyer
Then, select “Yes” or “No” if your law firm operates in a location where your clients can visit you. If you choose “Yes,” the address you will register later may be eligible to show up on both Google Maps and Google search.
Type in your law firm address and click on “Next.” If Google cannot locate the address on the map, you will have to confirm it directly on the map by manually moving the pin to the correct location.
Next, you will be asked whether you serve clients outside your physical business location. If you do, you can choose the areas you serve. Keep in mind that this is optional, and you can list more than one service area.
Finally, you enter your law firm phone number and website address. This information is critical as clients may want to call or visit your website looking for further information regarding your legal services.
As soon as you are done with these initial setup steps, you will need to verify your business profile.
Verify Your Profile
You must verify your business profile to manage your information on Google Maps, Search, and other Google properties. The verification process helps ensure that your business information is accurate and that only you can access your law firm’s Google Business Profile.
There are two different ways to verify your Google Business Profile:
- Via Video Call Conference
- Via Business Video
Verification by Video Call Conference
This is a new method offered by Google Support. This method involves joining a live video call with a Google Support specialist from your workplace to show them where you get your work done. This will include showing the specialist around your work space, your business logo, and the tools you use. If you meet customers on your premises, they will want to see your public space as well.
For this type of verification you will have to install the Meet Application on your mobile or any other device that you would use for a video call.
Verification by Business Video
You can verify your business with a video upload that captures key details. If you choose this method, you will need to record a video of your business to show your location, equipment and proof of management. Your video should be unedited, unique, and one continuous recording without breaks. At least 30 seconds long but no longer than 5 minutes and should be recorded and uploaded from a mobile device through your Business Profile dashboard.
The video helps Google confirm that you represent the business at that location. Please note that this video will be only used for verification and won’t be shown publicly.
Keep in mind that video verification is for businesses with a physical storefront, service providers without a physical location, or hybrid businesses. Knowing your business type helps you understand what details to capture in your verification video.
Conclusion
Setting up a Google Business Profile is an easy, straightforward process and benefits your business by increasing traffic, sales, and providing useful information to your clients.
At Justia, we can help you set up your Google Business Profile and optimize it to get the most out of it to help your business. Contact us today if you are interested in getting advice with your Google Business Profile.
