Law Firm SEO Success: When Should a Principal and Partner Use Practitioner Listings on Google My Business?

Creating a practitioner listing on Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) might seem like an easy project. However, if you're an principal or partner of a law firm not well-versed in the best practices and guidelines for representing your business on Google , it can get a bit tricky. What's even more important, though, is knowing the best time to consider using a Google Business Profile practitioner listing.

In this article, we're diving deep into the nitty-gritty details. We'll explore the ideal scenarios where practitioner listings shine for law firms and understand the crucial business information that must stand out.

Let us start by looking at what Google’s definition is. So, let's break it down. An individual practitioner, in simple terms, is a professional who directly interacts with the public and usually has their own dedicated clientele. This category encompasses a wide range of professions, including doctors, dentists, lawyers, financial planners, as well as insurance or real estate agents. When we talk about Business Profiles for these practitioners, it's important to note that they often include specific titles or certifications, such as Dr., MD, JD, Esq., or CFA, to highlight their expertise and qualifications.

If you’re wondering if your attorney or lawyer is allowed a practitioner listing, ask yourself if they do the following:

• Typically work in a customer-facing role, where they directly interact with the public. It's important to note that support staff, on the other hand, should not have their own separate practitioner listing on Google My Business.
• Moreover, the practitioner should be readily reachable at their verified location during the specified hours. This often entails having a distinct office line or dedicated desk line for the practitioner at that particular location.
  

What types of law firms are allowed practitioner listings?

The following common types of law firms are [generally] allowed practitioner listings:

• Small Business Law Firms: Play a crucial role in supporting the legal needs of small businesses, helping them navigate the complex landscape of business laws and regulations.
• Criminal Defense Law Firms: Specialize in defending individuals or organizations accused of criminal activities.
• Personal Injury Law Firms: Focus on cases involving personal injuries, accidents, and wrongful death claims.
• Family Law Firms: Handle cases related to family matters such as divorce, child custody, and adoption.
• Real Estate Law Firms: Deal with legal issues related to real property, including buying, selling, and leasing.
• Corporate Law Firms: Assist businesses with legal matters, including contracts, mergers, acquisitions, and compliance.
• Employment Law Firms: Specialize in employment-related issues, including discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination cases.
• Bankruptcy Law Firms: Help individuals and businesses navigate bankruptcy proceedings.
• Intellectual Property Law Firms: Focus on protecting intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
• Immigration Law Firms: Assist individuals and businesses with immigration-related matters.
• Environmental Law Firms: Handle cases related to environmental regulations and compliance.
• Tax Law Firms: Specialize in tax-related issues for individuals and businesses.
• Civil Rights Law Firms: Advocate for individuals whose civil rights have been violated.
• Healthcare Law Firms: Deal with legal matters in the healthcare industry, including regulatory compliance and malpractice.
• Entertainment Law Firms: Focus on legal issues in the entertainment industry, including contracts and intellectual property.
• Estate Planning Law Firms: Assist clients with planning their estates, including wills and trusts.
• International Law Firms: Handle legal matters that span multiple countries and jurisdictions.
• Environmental Law Firms: Specialize in cases involving environmental regulations and conservation.
• Securities Law Firms: Deal with legal issues related to securities and financial regulations.
• Military Law Firms: Assist members of the military with legal matters, including military justice and veterans' benefits.
• Social Justice Law Firms: Focus on cases that promote social justice and equality.

Should you create a practitioner listings on GMB?

The next question to consider is whether you should create practitioner listings if you don't already have them. In my view, the decision depends on various scenarios and factors.

You should consider creating a practitioner listing when multiple categories apply to your business type. Generally, this is a good idea and a more effective strategy, rather than solely emphasizing the agency office listing and diminishing practitioner listings. It will involve striving to achieve rankings for all Google Business Profiles using different primary categories and keywords. Leveraging the impact of the GBP landing page on ranking can also be strategically advantageous in this project.

Let's consider a scenario where you're an law firm based out of Richmond VA that also employs an divorce attorney. The attorney's practitioner listing on Google My Business could link to a webpage that ranks prominently for "divorce attorney Richmond VA," while the main Google Business Profile for the law firm could direct traffic to the page (most likely the homepage) with the highest organic ranking for general law terms. This approach enhances the visibility of both pages without internal competition.

Now, think about another law firm. You could optimize the primary Google Business Profile for terms like "personal injury," and then have one attorney who specializes in criminal justice and another who specializes in small business law. This strategy enables you to capitalize on organic rankings for various law-related keywords.

It's important to consider that if your aim is to have all three of your listings rank for the exact same keyword on Google, essentially dominating the entire 3-pack, this strategy is not very realistic. Google has filters in place to prevent the same website from appearing too frequently in the results. Unless you're operating in an extremely niche industry or market, achieving this goal is nearly impossible.

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