How To Optimize Your Google Business Profile Posts

If you are hoping to make your law practice stand out from the other 1.3 million lawyers the American Bar Association says currently exist, you need to look for every possible advantage. Google rarely provides an easy way for businesses to promote their services in a way that gives them a better position in search engine rankings. However, Google Business Profile Profile posts are one very important exception. Law Quill can explain what these posts are, why they are important for your firm, and how you can best optimize them.

What Is Google Business Profile? 

Google Business Profile is an online business directory, and it is one of the most powerful ways to grow your online visibility and gain more clients. Where is it? Google Business Profile appears on Google’s Search Engine Results Page and Google Maps. Its objective is to provide relevant business information to users conducting local searches for similar products or services. 

Your Google Business Profile profile lets you share important information with potential clients about your business, including your:

• Business hours
• Address
• Website address
• Practice areas
• Contact information 
• Customer reviews

Google Business Profile is a free tool that can help funnel potential clients who are searching for relevant services through local search and map queries.

What Are Google Business Profile Posts?

Google Business Profile posts are directly related to your Google Business Profile profile. While the information on your profile is relatively static, posts allow you to update potential customers on new information about your business. They provide a great marketing opportunity and a chance to improve your site’s SEO. These posts appear in the following locations:

• Google Search and Maps mobile view of “Updates” or “Overview”
• Google Search and Maps desktop view of “From the Owner” section of your GMB profile
• Google Business Profile websites

Google Posts serve the same purpose for your Google Business Profile page as a blog does for your website. You can share recent updates about your firm to potential clients and signal to Google that you are actively managing your profile. Your firm’s updates can appear on the search results page and grab potential clients’ attention before they ever click on your website. 

Google Business Profile posts are live for seven days. After that, they are archived and can be viewed by users who want to see previous posts you created about your business. A Google Business Profile post can include all of the following that can be optimized for SEO:

• Content
• A link
• A photo
• A call to action

What Types of Google Business Profile Posts Can I Create?

Google Business Profile Posts are formatted so that any business, not just law firms, can benefit. The available options include:

• Book an Appointment
• Buy
• Call Now
• Events
• Learn More
• Offers
• Order Online
• Sign Up

Simply pick the selection that best fits the type of information you want to share with potential clients.

How Do Google Business Profile Posts Help Me with SEO?

By providing relevant and current information, Google Business Profile Posts can entice web users to click on your website. Increased links and a higher click-through rate for your Google Business Profile profile can improve your SEO and your rankings in local search results. Using these Google-provided tools lets the search engine know your law firm is a valuable service provider that can help local users. By showing you have an active profile with Google, you can show you are a well-managed business and Google will reward you as a result. 

Google Business Profile Posts can help with SEO in several ways:

1. Increased visibility: When you create a post on your Google Business Profile, it appears in Google Maps and Google Search. This means that your post is visible to potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours. Increased visibility can lead to more clicks, more website visits, and more conversions.
2. Improved engagement: Google Business Profile Posts allow you to engage with your audience by providing updates, sharing promotions, and providing valuable information. Engaging with your audience can lead to increased brand awareness, customer loyalty, and positive reviews.
3. Fresh content: Google favors fresh content, and regularly posting on your Google Business Profile can help you appear higher in search results. Each post is an opportunity to add fresh content to your profile, which can signal to Google that your business is active and relevant.
4. Increased website traffic: Google Business Profile Posts can include a call-to-action (CTA) button that directs users to your website. By including a CTA button, you can drive more traffic to your website, which can lead to more conversions.

Overall, Google Business Profile Posts can help you improve your SEO by increasing visibility, engagement, fresh content, and website traffic. By utilizing this feature, you can improve your online presence and reach more potential customers.

What Should You Include In Your Google Business Profile Posts?

Your Google Business Profile Posts should ideally discuss new and important information about your firm while optimizing your online presence. Some ideas of posts to feature include:

• Summarizing your latest blog post and linking to it
• Sharing information about a charitable event you are sponsoring
• Linking to a new YouTube video
• Announcing a new practice area
• Mentioning a new honor or recognition your firm or an attorney received
• Advertising current events your firm is participating in, such as seminars or CLEs 
• Sharing a 5-star review from a satisfied client
• Announcing a big legal victory your firm accomplished
• Telling clients about new business or holiday hours
• Announcing a job opening at your firm 
• Linking to recent articles or publications by your law firm

How Can I Make Google Business Profile Posts?

To create a new Google Business Profile post, follow this sequence:

1. Go to your Google Business Profile Dashboard and log into your account.
2. Click on “Posts” in the left-hand column.
3. Click on “Create Posts” in the pop-up menu.
4. Select the type of post you are creating.
5. Fill in all of the fields. The information you enter depends on the type of post you are creating. 
6. Write your post.
7. Add a photo.
8. Include a link.
9. Preview the post. 
10. Click “Publish.”

Now, you have a new post to share with the world!

You can see how many people view and click on your post on your dashboard.

Best Practices for Google Business Profile Posts

To best optimize your Google Posts for Google’s algorithm and potential clients, consider using these best practices recommended by Law Quill:

Optimize Your Google Business Profile Profile

Before you worry about creating Google Business Profile posts, your profile should be complete and include the following information:

• Business name
• Physical address
• Phone number
• Website
• Category
• Service area 

Verify your account. Add additional information about your company, including a business description and hours of operation. Select if you want to allow web visitors to message your business through Google. 

You can also include additional information from your business manager, including:

• Special holiday hours
• A list of your services
• A link to book a free consultation or appointment
• Health and safety precauations
• Access to public transportation 

Photos can improve your SEO. Some ideas for initial photos for your profile include:

• Your practice’s logo
• A cover image
• Professional pictures of the lawyers and staff members
• Pictures of the office

Also, ask satisfied clients to leave reviews. This extra step can give greater credibility to your firm and services.

Follow the Rules

Google has strict posting rules that you must follow to avoid having Google suspend your account. Google prohibits posts that are offensive, irrelevant, or in violation of another person or location’s privacy. While this may seem straightforward, this is not necessarily the case. For example, you could be found in violation of the rules if you post any of the following:

• A phone number in your post because this can be considered “phone stuffing”
• Political or social commentary
• Content that has no clear association with the business
• Misspellings
• Gimmicky character use
• Distracting content such as blurry images or poor video quality
• Unrecognizable content 
• Images or videos that negatively distract the web visitor 
• Links to irrelevant sites
• Duplicate posts, photos, or videos
• Content that contains offensive language
• Content that graphically depict injuries 
• Content that would likely make the web visitor upset or angry
• Sexually suggestive content 
• Content that contains private or confidential information
• Links that contain personal information 
• Hateful content 
• Content that harasses or bullies individuals 

Post Every Week

Because Google Posts are on a seven-day cycle, it is good practice to update them once a week. Having regular posts can also give potential clients a sense that you are staying on top of your profile and providing the most recent information.

Keep It Brief

These posts are not intended to be articles or blog posts. A good rule of thumb is to make posts between 150-300 characters. This smaller limit can help you keep your copy tight while also showing most or all of the vital information on the post without the user having to click on it. 

Use Keywords

Optimize your posts by including keywords that are likely to pop up in search queries. This can help increase relevancy. Consider what terms you would like to see if you were the one searching for relevant content. 

Optimize Your Other Sites

Any page that you link to, whether that is your homepage, a landing page, or a social media page, should also be optimized to best leverage your strategy. Include a clear call to action on the page where you are linking potential clients.

Keep It Professional

While you can be more casual on your Google Business Profile posts than on other platforms, you still want to keep a professional image for your firm. Web users can see your posts on the search results page. Therefore, you want to maintain a professional presence for your firm by avoiding misspellings, posting relevant information, and using professional-quality photos and videos.

Who Shouldn’t Create Google Business Profile Posts? 

While creating Google Business Profile Posts can benefit many law firms, there are some situations where it may not be necessary or appropriate to do so. For example:

1. Businesses with limited resources: If you have limited resources and cannot commit to creating regular posts, it may be better not to create posts at all. Inconsistency can harm your online reputation, and it may be better to focus on other aspects of your business.
2. Law firms with inactive online presence: If your business is inactive online or has a poor online reputation, creating posts may not be the best use of your time. It’s important to first build a strong online presence before creating posts.
3. Law firms that don’t want to engage with customers: Google Business Profile Posts are designed to help businesses engage with their customers. If you do not want to engage with customers or provide regular updates, then creating posts may not be necessary.
4. Law firms that don’t want to share information: Google Business Profile Posts require businesses to share information about their business, including updates, promotions, and other details. If you do not want to share this information with the public, then creating posts may not be appropriate.

Overall, while Google Business Profile Posts can be beneficial for many law firms, it may not be necessary or appropriate for every business. It’s important to consider your resources, online presence, and willingness to engage with customers before deciding whether to create posts.

Optimize Your Google Business Profile Posts with Law Quill’s Help

Google Business Profile is a free and powerful marketing tool, especially when you make the most of all of its features, including posts. Fully optimizing your posts can help you improve your users’ experience and search engine results. Law Quill knows the power these tools provide and can help you create a strong marketing plan that takes advantage of them. Consider contacting us by scheduling a Zoom call or emailing us at support@lawquill.com to request a free consultation.