BluShark Digital LLC

It's important to show up on Google maps because that's how potential new leads can locate your law firm in a more visual way. If you are choosing where you want to open an office, you want to make sure it's not in the same builder as other law firms because they can filter you out in Google maps. Additionally, if you are very close to another business, they can cover you up on Google maps, so you want to be sure you move your pin a few inches away from that business that is hiding yours. This can be done in the back end of Google My Business by clicking on the "address" section. Google maps pulls information from Google My Business, so you want to be sure that your business category is correct so that you show up in maps results when searched for. Additionally you want to make sure that your phone, hours, and website are all accurate.

The biggest tip for optimizing the Google My Business is making sure the primary category is the best option for the business. Look at the competition in your area and see what category they have listed. Sometimes there are variations for your specific type of business, like immigration lawyer instead of lawyer. It may not always be available, but selecting the most descriptive primary category is important and is one of the biggest ranking factors. Any other applicable categories should be listed as secondary. It is important for a small business to do it the right way - no shortcuts, just working on the fundamentals of SEO. The four fundamentals of SEO are technical, content, link building, and local. It starts with the website - making sure that it is built within SEO best practices. Once a small business has the foundation of a quality site, we continue to build with authoritative content. The whole goal of this is to show Google that you're the smartest, best business in the area by having localized content. Link building continues to build on the content by establishing your credibility and involvement. And lastly, with local SEO - all things Google My Business and reviews. A small business should spend all that they can to do SEO, no matter the level of spend. The important part is that they start as soon as they have a budget, as time is one of the most important factors in Google trusting your site to rank.

SEO for small businesses is absolutely worth the time and effort. At the end of the day, it comes down to increasing the business' visibility and reach which will, in turn, increase the number of customers in the door. It doesn't happen overnight, but by being consistent and persistent with SEO, small businesses can build authority and increase revenue. It is important for a small business to do it the right way - no shortcuts, just working on the fundamentals of SEO. The four fundamentals of SEO are technical, content, link building, and local. It starts with the website - making sure that it is built within SEO best practices. Once a small business has the foundation of a quality site, we continue to build with authoritative content. The whole goal of this is to show Google that you're the smartest, best business in the area by having localized content. Link building continues to build on the content by establishing your credibility and involvement. And lastly, with local SEO - all things Google My Business and reviews. A small business should spend all that they can to do SEO, no matter the level of spend. The important part is that they start as soon as they have a budget, as time is one of the most important factors in Google trusting your site to rank.