Google Business Profile Optimization Checklist

This is a do-it-in-one-afternoon checklist. Set aside 2 hours. Work through it top to bottom. Check off each item as you complete it.

Foundation Setup (15 minutes)

• ☐ Claim or verify your profile at business.google.com. If you have not claimed it, do this first. Everything else depends on it.
• ☐ Business name: Use your exact legal business name. Do not add keywords (Google penalizes this). Example: "Smith & Associates Law Firm" not "Smith & Associates | Best Dallas Injury Lawyer"
• ☐ Primary category: Choose the most specific category. "Personal Injury Attorney" beats "Lawyer." "Estate Planning Attorney" beats "Legal Services."
• ☐ Secondary categories: Add up to 9 additional categories, but only ones that accurately describe services you provide.
• ☐ Address: Full street address. Must match your website exactly (same format, same abbreviations).
• ☐ Phone number: Local number preferred. Must match your website. If using a tracking number, keep it consistent.
• ☐ Website URL: Link to a relevant landing page, not just your homepage. Law firms: link to your main practice area page.
• ☐ Hours: Set accurate hours. Set special hours for holidays in advance.

Business Description (10 minutes)

• ☐ Write your description: You get 750 characters. Use all of them. Structure: What you do + who you serve + where you operate + what makes you different.

Template: "[Firm Name] provides [primary services] for [client type] in [city/region]. [1-2 sentences about what makes you different]. [Call to action or key outcome]."

Example (378 characters): "Sterling Law provides business litigation and commercial dispute resolution for mid-market companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Our team resolves disputes in 90 days or less, saving clients the time and cost of prolonged litigation. We represent businesses with $5M to $50M in revenue facing contract disputes, partnership conflicts, and employment litigation."

Visual Content (20 minutes)

• ☐ Logo: Upload a clean, square version of your logo as profile photo.
• ☐ Cover photo: Your office exterior or interior. Not a stock photo.
• ☐ Interior photos: Upload 5+ photos of your office interior. Clean, well-lit, professional.
• ☐ Exterior photos: Upload 2-3 photos of your building exterior and entrance.
• ☐ Team photos: Upload professional headshots of key team members.
• ☐ Goal: Profiles with 100+ photos get significantly more engagement. Start with 10-15 and add more each quarter.

Services and Products (15 minutes)

• ☐ Add every service: List each service you offer with a clear description (150-300 characters each).
• ☐ Set price ranges if applicable (or mark as "Free consultation").
• ☐ Add booking link: If you use Calendly or a scheduling tool, add the URL.

Q&A Section (15 minutes)

• ☐ Seed 5 questions: Ask and answer the top questions your prospects have. You can ask questions on your own profile and then answer them. This controls the narrative.

Template questions to seed:

1. "What types of [cases/clients] does [Firm Name] handle?"
2. "How much does a consultation cost?"
3. "What areas do you serve?"
4. "How long does a typical [engagement] take?"
5. "What makes [Firm Name] different from other [firm type] in [city]?"

Reviews (Ongoing)

• ☐ Create a review link: In your GBP dashboard, find the "Ask for reviews" short link. Save it.
• ☐ Send 3 review requests this week: Text or email your 3 most recent happy clients with the link.
• ☐ Set a cadence: After every successful engagement, send a review request within 48 hours.
• ☐ Respond to every review: Positive reviews: thank them specifically. Negative reviews: respond professionally within 24 hours.

Review request template: "Hi [Name], it was great working with you on [matter]. If you have a moment, a Google review would mean a lot to our firm. Here is the link: [your review link]. Thank you!"

Weekly Posts (10 minutes per week)

• ☐ Post once per week minimum. GBP posts have the most impact when fresh.

Post templates you can rotate:

1. Tip post: "Did you know [useful fact about your practice area]? Here is what to do about it. [Link to your blog or service page]"
2. Update post: "[Firm Name] is now accepting consultations for [service]. Book online or call [number]."
3. Community post: "Our team attended [local event]. Great to connect with [community]."
4. Resource post: "New guide: [title]. Free for [client type]. Read it here: [link]"

Quarterly Maintenance

• ☐ Update all photos (add at least 5 new ones)
• ☐ Review and update business description if services have changed
• ☐ Check for and answer any new Q&A
• ☐ Verify hours are still accurate
• ☐ Check that phone number, address, and website match your site

Want us to handle your GBP optimization and ongoing management? Get in touch.