As a lawyer, your Google Business Profile is a critical component of your online presence, and online reviews can significantly impact your success. Positive reviews can serve as social proof and attract new clients, while negative reviews can damage your reputation and discourage potential clients from choosing your services. At Growth Lab, we understand the importance of managing your online reviews effectively to optimize your Google Business Profile and enhance your local SEO for your law firm. Here are 5 tips and strategies to improve your responses to Google reviews, promote positive feedback from happy clients, and enhance your image while attracting new clients to your practice.
Why Google Reviews are Crucial for Your Law Firms’ Local SEO Success
Online reviews are essential for any lawyer’s local SEO success because they impact a law firm’s online reputation, search rankings, and client acquisition. The vast majority (87%) of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, with 79% of them trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Positive reviews can significantly improve your law firms’ visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) and increase website traffic.
One of the primary ways Google reviews impact local SEO for attorneys is through Google’s algorithm. Google’s algorithm may consider a lawyer’s online reputation when ranking websites in search results. A lawyer with a high number of positive reviews and ratings is more likely to rank higher in SERPs than a lawyer with few or too many negative reviews. The Google Business Profile, which displays a business’ reviews and ratings prominently, has potential to be a critical factor in local SEO success for lawyers.
Positive reviews can serve as social proof, influencing a potential customer’s decision to choose one lawyer over another. Positive reviews can improve a firm’s credibility and attract new clients. In fact, lawyers with a high number of positive reviews and ratings can see up to a 9% increase in revenue.
Attorneys: How to Encourage Positive Google Reviews to Enhance your Local SEO
Encouraging clients to leave positive reviews can significantly impact a lawyer’s online reputation and success. However, getting clients to leave positive reviews can be challenging. Here are some effective strategies to encourage your clients to leave positive reviews for your law firm.
- Make It Easy for Clients to Leave Reviews
Your law firm should have a straightforward and easy-to-use review platform that clients can access quickly. Providing links to Google reviews on your law firm’s website or in follow-up emails can make the process easier for clients.
- Ask for Reviews
Asking clients for reviews is one of the most effective strategies for encouraging positive reviews. You can ask clients in person or via follow-up emails after a service or case. Nearly 70% of clients will leave a review when asked.
- Make Reviews a Part of Your Business Process
On top of follow-up emails where your law firm can request a review, include review requests on receipts or invoices.These can also be effective in encouraging clients to leave reviews.
- Respond to Reviews
Responding to reviews shows clients that your law firm values their feedback and is committed to providing excellent customer service. Responding to negative reviews can also help turn a negative experience into a positive one.
By implementing these strategies, your law firm can increase its chances of receiving positive reviews and improving its online reputation and success.
How Lawyers Should Respond to Google Reviews: The Dos and Don’ts
Having learned effective ways to request for reviews and the importance of responding to each one, you may be wondering about the best approach to responding. In this regard, we have compiled a list of do’s and don’ts to guide you in responding to online reviews.
DO:
- Respond to every review: Responding to every review, positive or negative, shows that you value feedback and are committed to providing excellent service.
- Address the reviewer by name: Personalize your response by using the reviewer’s name.
- Thank the reviewer: Show appreciation for their feedback, even if it is negative.
- Apologize for negative experiences: If a negative review is received, apologize for the customer’s experience and offer to resolve the issue.
- Keep responses brief: Make your responses short and to the point to ensure that customers read and understand them.
DON’T:
- Ignore negative reviews: Ignoring negative reviews can damage your reputation and lead to the loss of potential clients.
- Respond defensively: Defensive responses to negative reviews can make the situation worse and may lead to the loss of clients.
- Use generic responses: Using generic responses can make you appear disingenuous and can discourage customers from leaving reviews in the future.
- Disclose personal information: Avoid disclosing personal information about the reviewer or your law firm in the response.
Why Negative Google Reviews Can Benefit You (And How to Respond)
It’s essential to know how to respond to Google reviews, both positive and negative, to build your online reputation as a lawyer, and improve your local SEO. While it might be counterintuitive, negative reviews can have a benefit to your Google Business Profile and enhance the trust of your potential clients. A few negative reviews alongside the positive ones will show that the reviews are authentic and that your law firm has nothing to hide. It is not uncommon for a potential client to read the negative reviews when choosing a law firm. When they see how you have responded to the negative review in a professional manner, it shows that your firm is responsive and dedicated to providing quality service.
In addition, here are a few other ways your negative reviews can be beneficial to your law firm’s reputation as well as your local SEO:
- Demonstration of Service
Negative google reviews provide insight into client satisfaction, and allow you to demonstrate to searchers the service they can expect from you. The tone of your response may mean more to searchers than the complaint itself.
- Increase Conversion Rates
Responding positively to negative Google reviews can also help increase conversion rates. When potential clients see that you are responsive and willing to make changes to improve your services, they are more likely to choose your business over competitors.
- Stand Out from Competitors
By using negative Google reviews as an opportunity to improve your services, you can stand out from your competitors. Clients will appreciate a business that is actively working to improve based on client feedback.
Hiring a reliable and Results-Oriented Local Google Business Management Company For Your Law Firms SEO Needs
Look into choosing Growth Lab to manage your reviews on Google Business Profile. We specialize in optimizing and managing Google Business Profiles and local SEO for law firms. With our help, you can increase your visibility on Google, elevate your local SEO for your law firm, and attract more potential clients. Opting for Growth Lab to handle and address your Google Business Profile reviews can help conserve your precious time and energy, enabling you to focus on your forte – practicing law.
