Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business, remains a cornerstone of online visibility for attorneys. We’ll delve into the significant changes and updates to GBP in 2025, offering valuable insights for law firms to adapt and thrive in the increasingly competitive online landscape.
The Importance of Google Business Profile for Law Firms
In today’s digital age, a robust online presence is no longer a luxury but a necessity for law firms. GBP plays a pivotal role in ensuring your firm’s visibility and accessibility to potential clients. Here’s why GBP is indispensable:
- Increased Visibility: GBP ensures your firm appears prominently in local search results and on Google Maps. This is crucial because 81% of people research legal services online before contacting an attorney. When someone searches for legal services in your area, your GBP is often the first thing they see, making it easier for potential clients to find you.
- Enhanced Credibility: A complete and accurate GBP profile, including photos, reviews, and updated information, builds trust and credibility with potential clients. Since 84% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, a positive online reputation is essential for attracting clients.
- Direct Engagement: GBP facilitates direct interaction with potential clients through reviews, Q&A, and messaging features, allowing you to address their questions and concerns promptly. This direct engagement fosters a sense of responsiveness and accessibility, which can be crucial in building trust with potential clients.
- Improved Conversion Rates: A well-optimized GBP profile can significantly improve conversion rates by providing potential clients with easy access to your contact information, directions, and website. With 67.6% of all clicks going to the top 3 search results, appearing prominently on Google is essential for attracting clients.
Key Changes and Updates in 2025
While the core functionality of GBP remains consistent, several notable changes and updates in 2025 will impact how law firms should manage their profiles:
New GBP Features in 2025
Google has rolled out several new features for GBP in 2025, including:
- WhatsApp Integration: Businesses can now add a WhatsApp contact button to their GBP profile, providing another convenient channel for potential clients to connect with your firm. This allows for quick and easy communication, especially for clients who prefer messaging over phone calls.
- Story Format for Reviews and Photos: Google has introduced a new way to display Google reviews and photos in a story format. This visually engaging format can help capture the attention of potential clients and make your GBP profile more appealing.
- Social Media Profiles: Businesses can now add links to their social media profiles on their GBP. This allows potential clients to easily connect with your firm on other platforms and get a more comprehensive view of your online presence.
- Direct Management on Google: Users can now manage their GBP profile directly on Google Search and Maps. This provides a more streamlined and convenient way to access and update your profile information, respond to reviews, and track performance.
Focus on Visual Content
GBP is increasingly emphasizing visual content, making high-quality photos and videos more important than ever. Uploading professional photos of your office, team members, and even client testimonials can significantly enhance your profile’s appeal and build trust with potential clients.
Consider incorporating short videos showcasing your firm’s expertise or providing legal tips to further engage your audience. Videos can help you stand out from competitors, look more professional and established, and build trust before potential clients even contact you. They also provide Google with more ranking signals, improving your visibility in search results.
Some effective ways to use video in your GBP profile include:
- Office tour (1-2 minutes): Give potential clients a virtual tour of your office space, showcasing your professional environment.
- Attorney introductions (30-60 seconds each): Introduce your team members, highlighting their expertise and experience.
- Client testimonials (with permission): Feature satisfied clients sharing their positive experiences with your firm.
- Educational content about practice areas: Provide brief overviews of your practice areas and the legal services you offer.
- Community event participation: Showcase your firm’s involvement in local community events.
By maintaining strong visual content, you can create a more engaging and informative experience for potential clients, ultimately increasing their likelihood of contacting your firm.
GBP Verification Updates
Google has introduced updates to the GBP verification process, with a greater emphasis on video verification. This new method allows law firms to verify their business location and legitimacy through a short video recording. Here’s how it works:
- Record a video: Follow Google’s specific guidelines for recording a video that showcases your business location and surroundings.
- Show your business: The video should clearly show the exterior of your business with signage, pan across your office space/reception, and display your business address.
- Upload and review: Upload the video directly through your GBP dashboard. Google will review the video and verify your profile if it meets the requirements.
Video Requirements:
- Show the exterior of the business with clear signage.
- Pan across your office space and reception area.
- Display your business address prominently.
- Record the video during business hours.
- The footage must be continuous with no editing.
- Keep the video under 3 minutes in length.
Pro Tips for Smooth Verification:
- Ensure NAP accuracy: Double-check that your firm’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent with official records.
- Have your business license ready: You may need to provide your business license during the verification process.
- Check for duplicate listings: Ensure there are no duplicate GBP listings for your firm.
- Use your exact legal business name: Use the precise legal name of your firm as it appears on official documents.
GBP Category Selection
When setting up your GBP profile, it’s crucial to select the most relevant and specific category for your law firm. While it might seem intuitive to choose “law firm” or “attorney” as your primary category, this is not recommended. These broad categories can make it harder for potential clients to find you when they search for specific legal services.
Instead, choose a primary category that accurately reflects your firm’s main area of practice, such as “personal injury attorney,” “criminal defense lawyer,” or “family law attorney.” You can then add secondary categories to further specify your services.
Integration with AI and Advanced Analytics
Google continues to integrate AI and advanced analytics into GBP, providing law firms with deeper insights into their profile’s performance and user behavior. Leverage these insights to understand how potential clients find your profile, what information they’re seeking, and how they interact with your content. This data-driven approach enables you to refine your GBP strategy and optimize your profile for maximum impact.
For example, you can use GBP analytics to:
- Track keyword rankings: Monitor the keywords that drive traffic to your profile and identify opportunities to improve your ranking for relevant search terms.
- Analyze user behavior: Understand how users interact with your profile, including which sections they visit most often and how long they stay on each page.
- Measure conversion rates: Track the number of phone calls, website clicks, and direction requests generated from your GBP profile.
- Identify peak hours: Determine the times when your profile receives the most views and engagement.
By analyzing this data, you can make informed decisions about how to optimize your GBP profile, such as updating your business description, adding more relevant photos, or adjusting your posting schedule.
Read More: How Should Lawyers Utilize ChatGPT?
Enhanced Local SEO Integration
GBP’s integration with local SEO is stronger than ever, making it crucial for law firms to ensure their profile is optimized for local searches. This includes:
- Accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone): Ensure your firm’s name, address, and phone number are consistent across all online platforms, including your website, social media profiles, and legal directories.
- Local Keyword Optimization: Incorporate relevant local keywords into your GBP profile, such as city names, practice areas, and legal terms commonly used in your region.
- Building Local Citations: Create listings on reputable legal directories and local business listings to further strengthen your local SEO presence.
Optimizing Your Business Listing on Google Maps:
To further enhance your local SEO, follow these steps to optimize your business listing on Google Maps:
- Fill in relevant details: Provide complete and accurate information about your law firm, including your primary business category.
- Upload high-quality photos: Showcase your office, building exterior, and team members with professional photos.
- Add listings for multiple locations: If your firm operates in multiple locations, create separate GBP profiles for each location.
- Regularly update your business hours: Keep your business hours up-to-date to ensure accuracy and provide a positive user experience.
Read More: 2025 SEO Guide for Law Firms
Emphasis on User Experience
Google prioritizes user experience, making it essential for law firms to ensure their GBP profile provides a seamless and informative experience for potential clients. This includes:
- Mobile Optimization: Ensure your GBP profile is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of legal searches originate from mobile devices.
- Regular Updates: Keep your profile updated with current information, including business hours, contact details, and any changes to your services.
- Prompt Responses: Respond to reviews and questions promptly and professionally, demonstrating your commitment to client satisfaction.
Leveraging Google Posts and Q&A
Google Posts and the Q&A feature provide valuable opportunities to engage with potential clients and showcase your firm’s expertise. Use Google Posts to share updates, announcements, and legal tips relevant to your practice areas. Actively monitor and respond to questions in the Q&A section, addressing common queries and demonstrating your knowledge and responsiveness.
Seeding Strategic Questions:
Proactively address common client questions by “seeding” strategic questions in the Q&A section. This allows you to provide helpful information upfront and demonstrate your expertise. Some examples of questions to seed include:
- “Do you offer free consultations?”
- “What types of cases do you handle?”
- “What are your fees?”
Proactive Monitoring:
Regularly monitor the Q&A section for new questions and respond promptly. Assign a team member to monitor the Q&A section daily and enable email notifications for new questions.
Best Practices for Q&A:
- Do:
- Answer every question, even if others have already answered it.
- Use professional and easy-to-understand language.
- Include calls to action in your answers.
- Upvote helpful questions and answers.
- Keep your answers updated with current information.
- Don’t:
- Ignore questions.
- Get defensive or argumentative in your responses.
- Provide outdated or inaccurate information.
- Use legal jargon that potential clients may not understand.
- Miss opportunities to highlight your services.
Deprecated Features in 2025
Along with the new features, Google has also deprecated the following GBP features in 2025:
- Business Chat: The Business Chat feature has been removed.
- Chat Functionality: The general chat functionality within Google Business Profiles has also been removed.
Top Legal Trends Law Firms Should Watch for in 2025
Optimizing Your GBP Profile for Success
To maximize your GBP profile’s effectiveness in 2025, consider these optimization strategies:
1. Complete and Accurate Information
Ensure your profile includes all essential information, such as:
- Business Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Website URL
- Business Hours
- Primary and Secondary Categories
- Detailed Description
- Services Offered
Providing complete and accurate information not only helps potential clients find and contact you but also improves your profile’s ranking in local search results.
2. High-Quality Photos and Videos
Upload professional photos of your office, team members, and any relevant visuals that showcase your firm’s expertise and professionalism. Consider incorporating short videos to further engage your audience and provide valuable legal insights.
3. Encourage and Respond to Reviews
Positive reviews are crucial for building trust and credibility. Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on your GBP profile. Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, promptly and professionally.
4. Utilize Google Posts and Q&A
Regularly publish Google Posts to share updates, announcements, and legal tips. Actively monitor and respond to questions in the Q&A section, addressing common queries and demonstrating your knowledge and responsiveness.
5. Track and Analyze Performance
Utilize GBP’s built-in analytics to track your profile’s performance. Monitor key metrics such as profile views, website clicks, and direction requests to understand how potential clients are finding and interacting with your profile. Use this data to refine your GBP strategy and optimize your profile for maximum impact.
6. Compliant Setup
For law firms operating virtually or with multiple locations, consider using a serviced office space. A serviced office provides a professional business address, mail handling capabilities, and meeting room access, ensuring you meet Google’s requirements for GBP listing accuracy.
A compliant setup typically includes:
- Serviced office space with a receptionist.
- Part-time attorney availability.
- Local phone number answered live.
- Mail handling capabilities.
- Meeting room access.
- Professional address (not a UPS/PO Box)
7. Serviced Office Space
A faster website provides a better user experience, leading to increased page views, reduced bounce rates, and more conversions (phone calls and form leads). This is because users expect a seamless browsing experience, and speed plays a major role in their satisfaction.
How Civille Can Help?
Google Business Profile remains an indispensable tool for law firms looking to dominate their local online presence. The 2025 updates, with their focus on visuals, AI integration, and user experience, present both challenges and opportunities. Navigating these changes effectively requires a strategic approach, and that’s where Civille comes in.
We’re not just website builders; we’re your partners in maximizing your online visibility. We can help you optimize your GBP profile, integrate it seamlessly with your website, and ensure you’re leveraging every feature to attract and convert potential clients. Let us help you turn your Google Business Profile into a powerful lead-generation tool. Contact us today!
