The Attorney's Guide to Google Business Profile

Balancing Digital Marketing with Professional Ethics 

Google Business Profile (GBP) offers a powerful, free platform for lawyers to enhance their visibility in local search results. Prospective clients often begin their search for legal services on Google, and an optimized GBP ensures that your firm appears prominently in search results, providing essential information at a glance.

However, as legal professionals, it's essential to balance effective marketing with ethical considerations. This article explores best practices for optimizing your Google Business Profile while adhering to the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, particularly Article 7, which governs lawyer advertising and communication.

Key Benefits of Google Business Profile for Law Firms

A well-optimized Google Business Profile can significantly boost a law firm's local search engine optimization (SEO), increasing visibility when potential clients search for legal services in their area.

Key benefits include:

1. Increased Local Visibility: An optimized Google Business Profile enhances local SEO, increasing the likelihood of appearing in the top three local search results.
2. Google Maps Integration: A well-optimized profile ensures your firm is easily discoverable on Google Maps.
3. Zero-Click Searches: Clients can access crucial information (hours, contact details, services) without visiting your website.
4. Credibility & Trust: A verified profile reassures potential clients of your firm's legitimacy and trustworthiness.
5. Trust Building Through Reviews: Encouraging and responding to client reviews boosts your reputation and engagement.
6. Direct Client Communication: Answering client questions and sharing updates fosters stronger connections.
7. Valuable Analytics: GBP provides insights into client searches and interactions, helping you refine marketing strategies.
8. Free Marketing Tool: GBP is a cost-effective way to enhance your firm's online presence.

Ethical Google Business Profile Optimization: 10 Strategies for Law Firms

Optimizing your Google Business Profile requires careful consideration of ethical implications. Here's a guide to help you maximize your online presence while adhering to the ABA Model Rules:

1. Complete Your Profile

Ethical Principle: Transparency and accuracy.

• Do: Completely and accurately fill out all profile sections.
• Avoid: Providing misleading, incomplete or outdated information.

Ethical Strategy: Regularly review and update your profile to reflect accurate hours, services, and contact details.

Unethical Practice: Leaving outdated holiday hours that mislead clients about your availability.

2. Choose the Right Categories

Selecting inaccurate categories to gain visibility in unrelated searches can mislead users.

Ethical Consideration: Accurate representation of services.

• Do: Select categories that reflect your practice areas.
• Avoid: Choosing broad or unrelated categories to artificially expand search visibility.

Ethical Strategy: Select categories that directly reflect your practice areas (e.g., “Personal Injury Lawyer” or “Estate Planning Attorney”).

Unethical Practice: Selecting broad or unrelated categories, such as “Law Firm,” to appear in more search results.

3. Optimize with Keywords

Ethical Guideline: Prevent misleading claims.

• Do: Use descriptive, factual keywords naturally within your GBP profile.
• Avoid: Keyword stuffing or making unsubstantiated claims like “Best Personal Injury Lawyer” without substantiation.

Ethical Example: “Experienced family law attorney in Philadelphia.”

Unethical Example: “Best trial lawyer - guaranteed settlements.”

4. Show Your Services

Ethical Consideration: Ensure all service descriptions are truthful and do not create unjustified expectations.

• Do: Clearly list your legal services with accurate descriptions.
• Avoid: Comparing services to other attorneys.

Ethical Practice Example: "Family law services including divorce, custody, and support matters."

Unethical Practice Example: "Better divorce settlements than any other firm in California."

5. Add Authentic Photos

Upload authentic photos of your office, team, and any awards or certifications. Visual content can make a strong first impression and help your listing stand out.

Ethical Principle: Genuine representation.

• Do: Use actual photos of your office, team, and professional settings.
• Avoid: Using stock photos that do not accurately represent your law firm's office or team. Photos that create a misleading impression of the firm's size or resources.

Ethical Strategy: Use authentic, professional photos of your office and team.

Unethical Practice: Using stock photos of luxurious offices or large teams when your firm operates from a small, shared workspace.

6. Encourage and Respond to Reviews

Client reviews are crucial for attracting new business. Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Always respond professionally to both positive and negative reviews to demonstrate your commitment to client satisfaction.

Ethical Consideration: Maintain client confidentiality.

• Do: Encourage honest feedback. Respond generically to protect client privacy.
• Avoid: Soliciting or manipulating reviews.

Ethical Practice Example:

• Generic response: "Thank you for your feedback. We strive to provide quality legal services."

Unethical Practice Example:

• Paying for fake positive reviews. 
• Scripting reviews for clients to post.
• Offering discounts for positive reviews.
• Revealing case details in review responses.

7. Use Google Posts

Ethical Principle: Informative, non-coercive communication.

• Do: Share educational content, blog posts, firm updates, and community involvement.
• Avoid: Guaranteeing case outcomes or making aggressive marketing claims.

Ethical Post Example: "Our firm is presenting at the PA Bar Association conference on family law updates"

Unethical Post Example: "We just won $1M for our client - We can do the same for you!"

8. Monitor Q&A

Monitor and respond to questions asked through the Q&A feature. This can help potential clients and show your expertise.

Ethical Consideration: Do not establish attorney-client relationships in public responses.

• Do: Monitor and respond to questions while avoiding case-specific legal advice.
• Avoid: Providing specific legal advice. Avoid establishing attorney-client relationships

Ethical Practice Example:

"We handle [practice area] cases. For personalized legal guidance, please schedule a consultation."

Unethical Practice Example:

• Providing specific legal advice in Q&A responses.
• Making promises about case outcomes.

9. Add Your Law Firm's Social Media Accounts

Ethical Consideration: Ensure all linked content adheres to ethical advertising rules.

• Do: Connect only official firm-managed social media profiles.
• Avoid: Linking personal or unrelated social media accounts to your GBP or using social media to promote unverified success rates or guarantees of outcomes.

10. Create Location-Specific Content

If your law firm has multiple locations, create unique content for each location's profile. This can help improve your visibility in local searches for different areas.

Ethical Consideration: Ensure each location is legitimate and properly represented.

Do:

• Create unique profiles for genuine office locations.
• Provide location-specific practice area details.
• Maintain jurisdictional accuracy. 

Avoid:

• Creating profiles for virtual offices without proper disclosure.
• Creating multiple profiles for the same physical location.
• Misrepresenting attorney availability at satellite offices

Ethical Practice Examples:

• "Main office in Philadelphia with consultation office in Pittsburgh, available by appointment"
• Listing specific attorneys who regularly work at each location.
• Clear disclosure of limited hours at satellite offices.
• Location-specific content about local court systems and procedures.
• Accurate description of practice areas available at each location

Unethical Practice Examples:

• Claiming "offices throughout Pennsylvania" when using temporary meeting spaces.
• Suggesting regular presence in locations where attorney is rarely available.
• Using a PO Box or mail drop as an office location.
• Claiming expertise in local courts where firm rarely practices.

To sum up, regularly update your Google Business Profile, engage ethically with clients, and ensure all information remains accurate and truthful. Implementing these best practices will help your firm attract more clients while maintaining the highest ethical standards.

Key Takeaways:

• Comply with the ABA Model Rules.
• Prioritize accuracy and transparency.
• Regularly review and update your profile.
• Focus on providing value to potential clients.
• Maintain professional boundaries in all communications.
• Always review state bar regulations, as ethical rules may vary by jurisdiction.

Conclusion: Balancing Marketing and Professional Ethics

A well-managed Google Business Profile helps law firms attract right clients ethically while staying compliant with the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. By adhering to these guidelines, lawyers can maintain their professional reputation and avoid disciplinary actions.