Movatterモバイル変換

Just One More Thing...We can’t send you updates from Justia Onward without your email.

E-mail

Send Me UpdatesUnsubscribe at any time.

Never miss an update with our Justia Onward newsletter.Send Me Updates

The fastest way to get your law firm online and start attracting local clients is to set up and verify your Google Business Profile (GBP). This free listing gets your firm on Google Search and Maps within days, even before your website is ready. From there, build trust and visibility with quick wins: launch a professional website, claim legal directory profiles, and implement a client review system that builds your reputation. This guide walks you through the launch path step by step, keeping your time and budget in mind.

Whether you’re fresh out of law school or branching out after years of practice, the early days of your new firm are crucial. You have your firm name, business cards, and the drive to help clients. But without an online presence, you’re invisible to the people who need you.

An online presence isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential for growing your firm and being found by future clients.

Think of your online presence as your digital office building: it needs to be easy to find, professional, and trustworthy. When done right, it doesn’t just exist; it actively turns online searches into client consultations. This guide delivers the fastest, budget-conscious path to building your online presence:

Set up and verify yourGoogle Business Profile.
Launch aclient-focused website.
Claim yourlegal directory listings.
Implement aclient review process.

Step 1: Set Up & Verify Your Google Business Profile (GBP)

YourGoogle Business Profile (GBP) is the free business listing that appears on Google Search and Maps. It displays your firm’s name, phone, address, hours, website, and client reviews, and it’s the fastest way to appear in front of potential clients.

Once verified, you control what prospects see, allowing you to put your best foot forward with accurate, professional information. If you don’t have a website yet, that’s okay. Google will still publish your profile. Just remember to add the URL once your site is live.
Person searching for a law firm on both desktop and on mobile.

Quick Setup Checklist

Search for your firm name (include variations like “Law Office of…,” “PLLC,” etc.) and your phone number on Google Search and Maps to check if a profile already exists.
If one exists but is unclaimed: Click “Own this business?” and follow the prompts. For a step-by-step walkthrough, seeSetting Up Google Business Profile – Existing Unclaimed Profile.
If one exists but someone else controls it: Request access. If denied, appeal through Google. Learn how inSetting Up Google Business Profile – Existing Profile Claimed.
If no profile exists: Go to google.com/business and create one. Follow our guide here:Setting Up Google Business Profile – Brand New Profile.

Google may ask for verification by video upload or a live video call.

⚠️Important: You can only have one profile per business location. Duplicates are against Google policy and may be suppressed in search.

Estimated Investment

Time: 1–2 hours setup, plus 3–7 business days for verification
Cost: $0

Pro Tips

Select relevant business categories like “Family Law Attorney” or “Criminal Justice Attorney” for better local search results.
Add professional photos of your office, signage, logo, and team. High-quality images help your profile appear more credible, welcoming, and trustworthy.
Regularly publish Google Posts. Share updates, insights, or announcements directly on your profile to keep it active and engaging. Fresh content signals credibility to both potential clients and Google’s algorithm.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Creating multiple profiles for the same office. Google may flag this as spam and suppress or suspend all listings, which means your firm disappears from local search.
Listing a virtual office or P.O. box as your address. Google requires a physical location where you meet clients in person. Using a virtual address violates their terms and can lead to suspension or removal.
Leaving incomplete fields empty makes profiles look unprofessional and leads to poor rankings.

View this clip to learn more about citations and the Google Business Profile.

Step 2: Launch a Professional Website That Gets You Clients

While your GBP gets you on the map, your website is your digital front door. It’s often the first place potential clients visit to decide if you’re the right lawyer for them. The idea of building a website can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. You don’t need a complicated, 50-page website to get started. For your initial version, “Version 1”, focus on a clean, trustworthy, and professional site that quickly answers a potential client’s core questions:

Who are you?
What legal problems do you solve?
Where do you practice?
How do I contact you right now?

Two Approaches to Building It

When it comes to getting your law firm’s website online, you have two main paths to choose from depending on your time, budget, and comfort with technology.

DIY: If you’re comfortable using a computer, website builders like Squarespace, Wix, or Weebly make it easy. They use simple drag-and-drop templates that let you build a professional-looking site without any coding.
Done-for-You: If you’d rather leave the technical details to experts, consider a service specializing in law firm websites. For example,Justia Elevate offers sites starting at $82.50 monthly (when paid annually). A WordPress-based platform powers these websites and includes AI tools to help you grow:
- Justia AI Writer: Drafts high-quality, optimized drafts for unlimited practice area pages, saving you time while keeping your site comprehensive.
- Justia Chat: Engages visitors directly on your website, helping convert more potential clients into real consultations.

Combined with best-in-industry SEO and designs built to convert, this small investment can help bring real clients through your door.

Must-Have Pages

Start simple. By including these must-have pages, you’ll give visitors the information they need to trust you and get in touch.

Homepage: A clear, welcoming front page that communicates:
- Who you are
- What legal problems you solve
- Where you practice
- How potential clients can contact you right now
About/Bio: Highlight your experience, awards, and recognitions, e.g., Super Lawyers, AV Preeminent, or strong ratings on platforms like Avvo and Justia (aim for the highest ratings, such as 10.0 if possible).
Contact Page: Phone, address, and a simple contact form.

This clip will give you an overview of the pages you need on your website and their importance.

Pages to Add Over Time

Once your core pages are live, you can expand your site with additional pages that strengthen your credibility, boost Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and improve visibility.

Practice Areas: A straightforward breakdown of the types of cases and legal services you handle. To create this content efficiently, many law firms now use AI tools likeJustia AI Writer, ChatGPT, and Perplexity to expand their sites with useful pages. Justia AI Writer, in particular, is designed to generate high-quality, optimized drafts for a full range of practice areas, with no limit on the number of pages you can create. This saves you valuable time and makes it easy to keep your site comprehensive.
Case Results: Examples of past successes that demonstrate your expertise and give clients confidence.
Client Testimonials: Real feedback from satisfied clients to build credibility and trust.
FAQs: Answering common client questions can ease concerns and save time. If you’re unsure where to begin, Justia Elevate’s newFAQ for AI Optimization tool has you covered. It generates curated FAQs tailored to your practice area, based on real client searches. From there, simply add your answers to highlight your firm’s expertise. The tool also includes built-in schema markup, helping search engines and AI tools better understand and feature your content more prominently.
Blog: Publish helpful articles and legal insights to showcase your knowledge and reinforce your reputation as an expert in your practice area.

Estimated Investment

Time:

DIY: Setup usually takes 8-15 hours.
Done-for-You: Typically takes about six weeks, depending on how quickly you provide content (bio, contact info, etc.) and give design feedback. The timelinecan be much shorter if you aim for a simple 3-page site (Homepage, Bio, Contact) and respond promptly.

Cost:

DIY: ~$20–$50/month for hosting + domain
Done-for-You: Starting at $82.50/month (when paid annually), which covers hosting, website design, and built-in SEO.

Pro Tips

Start with three essential pages. The Homepage, Bio, and Contact are more than enough to get online and build credibility. Don’t wait for a 10-page site to be “perfect.”
Use a professional photo. A high-quality headshot establishes trust, and it’s one of the most viewed parts of your site.
If you offer free consultations, say it clearly and early. Display it prominently at the top of every page on your site. It can increase conversion rates from visitors to leads.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overthinking the design. Your website doesn’t need to be fancy. It needs to be clear, mobile-friendly, and client-focused.
Delaying content. Waiting too long to write your bio or send a photo can delay your launch by weeks. Done is better than perfect. You can always update and refine your content after the site is live.
Using inconsistent contact info. A mismatched phone number, firm name, or email can confuse clients and hurt your search rankings.

Step 3: Claim Listings in Trusted Legal & Local Directories

To maximize visibility, your firm should claim listings in both legal directories and local business listings. Legal directories (like Justia, Legal Information Institute, and Super Lawyers) build credibility within the legal industry, while local business listings (such as Google Business Profile, Yelp, Apple Maps, and Bing Places) strengthen your broader local search presence.

Together, these listings establish your firm’s legitimacy online. Consistent Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) data across platforms helps search engines verify your business and gives potential clients confidence when cross-checking your information.

Highlight of the badges on a Justia Attorney's Profile.

Where to Start: Manual Setup (Free)

Start by claiming or creating your profile on trusted, no-cost legal directories. This list offree lawyer and law firm directories is a good place to begin. Key directories to prioritize include:

Justia Lawyer Directory
Legal Information Institute
FindLaw
Law Info
Super Lawyers

When filling out your profiles, if possible:

Upload a professional headshot and bio to build trust.
Match your name, address, and phone number exactly with your Google Business Profile and website.
Add your practice areas, bar number, and recognitions.
Include your website URL.

Optional: Automation Tools (Paid)

As your firm grows, you can use tools like Moz Local, Whitespark, or BrightLocal to save time managing general business directories. These services (for a fee) will:

Create and claim profiles on multiple directories for you
Sync and update your NAP data across multiple directories
Save time by reducing the need for manual updates

⚖️Note: Legal-specific directories usually require manual claiming and setup. That’s why it’s smart to handle those yourself first, then let automation cover the broader web presence.

Estimated Investment

Time:

Manual Setup: 2–3 hours to claim the top five profiles
Automation Tools: Once you submit your NAP information, the tool distributes it to multiple general business directories, typically within 3–15 days.

Cost:

Manual Setup: $0 for basic profiles
Automation Tools: They range from $20 on the low end to $999+ on the high end, depending on whether you choose a subscription or a one-time service.

Pro Tips

Start with the free, high-authority directories. Some platforms limit what you can show without paying, but theJustia Lawyer Directory gives you more space to share useful details, like your headshot, practice areas, website, and more at no cost. Start with directories that provide the most value for free before exploring paid options. Take advantage of these no-cost opportunities before paying for visibility elsewhere.
Match your NAP exactly. Use the same punctuation, abbreviations, and phone number format across all profiles to strengthen local SEO.
Fill out every available field. Complete your profile as fully as possible: practice areas, bar number, languages spoken, jurisdictions, headshot, website URL, and bio. The more complete your profile, the more trustworthy and visible it becomes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Inconsistent contact info across profiles. Even slight differences in your name, phone, or address can weaken your SEO and confuse search engines.
Leaving profiles incomplete. Missing headshots, blank bios, or no website link make your profile look inactive or untrustworthy.
Ignoring updates. If your contact info or practice areas change, remember to update all your directory listings manually (or use a tool).

Watch this clip for insight into the importance of links within legal sites and pages.

Step 4: Put a Client Review System in Place

Client reviews offer powerful social proof that builds trust and boosts local SEO rankings. According to a2024 survey by GatherUp, over 99% of consumers consult reviews before hiring a service professional.

Man holding a cellphone with five yellow stars, symbolizing a positive client review.

Simple Review Workflow

Here’s a simple, repeatable process you can use to consistently generate client reviews without overwhelming yourself or your clients.

Ask if the client is open to leaving a review at case closing. ⚠️Note: If Yelp is one of your listings, be aware that Yelp’s policy prohibits asking for reviews, so do not include it in your request.
Send a follow-up email or text with direct links to your Google profile and directories where clients can leave a rating.
Thank them once the review is posted.

A Few Optional Tools to Automate

If you want to save time and streamline your review requests, these optional reputation management tools can help automate the process:

Birdeye – Helps businesses collect reviews, manage listings, and engage with clients across multiple channels.
Podium – Focuses on text-based communication, making it easy to request reviews, message clients, and even handle payments from one platform.
GatherUp – Collects, monitors, and showcases customer feedback to build credibility and improve local SEO.

Respond to Reviews

Respond to both positive and negative reviews professionally. It shows credibility, accountability, and attentiveness.

Estimated Investment

Time: 15–20 min per client (manual); faster with automation

Cost:

DIY: $0
Automation: Pricing ranges from about $99/month on the low end to $599/month or more on the high end, depending on the services included, AI features, and the number of office locations.

Pro Tips

Ask at the right time. Request a review when the legal matter has concluded or when your representation naturally ends. Clients are more likely to leave feedback when the experience is still fresh in their minds.
Make it easy. Share your direct Google review link in a thank-you email or post-resolution follow-up. The fewer steps, the better.
Respond to all reviews, even short ones. A simple “Thank you for your feedback!” shows you’re engaged. For detailed reviews, respond personally and professionally.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting too long to ask. Clients are much less likely to leave a review weeks or months later. Ask while the experience is still recent and relevant.
Offering incentives for reviews. Google prohibits offering discounts, gifts, or any compensation in exchange for a review, even if it’s just “for honest feedback.”
Ignoring critical or neutral reviews. Don’t delete or avoid less-than-perfect feedback. A calm, professional response demonstrates maturity, responsiveness, and client care.

Final Thoughts

Launching your law firm’s online presence doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. By following these four steps, you can quickly get your firm visible in search, establish trust with potential clients, and create a strong foundation for long-term growth.

Remember, building an online presence is not a one-time task; it’s an ongoing process. As you add more pages, gather reviews, and expand into directories, your digital footprint will grow stronger and more competitive. The good news is that you don’t have to figure it out all on your own. With the right tools, strategy, and consistent effort, your firm can thrive online just as much as it will offline.

And if you’d rather focus on practicing law, Justia Elevate can take the complex website build off your plate, turning your content into the foundation for a fast, professional site that’s fully optimized for SEO and client growth.Learn more about getting started today.

Lee este artículo en Español en Justia Avanza.

Justia offers premium website, blogging, and online marketing solutions for law firms. We have an unparalleled record in helping law firms grow. Regardless of whether you are just starting your online marketing efforts or have a fully developed website and blog, we have solutions to help propel you to the next level. In addition to our website and blog services, we also help clients with content, lawyer directory services, social media, local SEO, and PPC Management.Contact us for more information, or call us at(888) 587-8421.