Guest post by Lawyerist.com

The internet has allowed law firms to have a much greater advertising reach than before at a much lower cost. However, the internet also made it possible for law firms to target their local advertising better and reach as well. Making sure you appear at or near the top of local search rankings and making sure you’re taking full advantage of tools like Yelp is crucial.

For several years now, Google has tailored search results by locality. This means that you need to make sure your firm shows up early in Google’s local search results. First, make sure you’re following Google’s guidelines for representing your business on Google and remember that, like all Google products, local results are an ever-evolving project. Next, make sure your website has key geographic information, such as where your firm is located, prominently displayed. You’ll also want to make sure that you research what keywords rank highly for your location and practice area.

Besides ensuring that your Google search ranking remains high, you’ll also want to keep an eye on Yelp. Yelp tends to appear very high in search results.  Claiming your firm’s business page is a vital first step. If Yelp hasn’t created a page for you yet, you’ll want to add your business to their directory. Make sure all your information—firm name, address, phone number, email address, and practice area—is correct. Claiming your business means you can access the Yelp dashboard, which will give you a ton of information about your local reach, including user views.

People also use Yelp to reach businesses, which means your Yelp dashboard can provide you with information about the success of your local marketing efforts. An activity feed will show you things like phone calls, website clicks, and requests for directions to your firm that originate from someone finding you through Yelp. You can also get information about customer leads and a very loose estimate of the impact of Yelp users on your firm’s revenue.

As Google, Yelp, and other search tools continue to refine their local search results, knowing how to maximize the potential of those tools will help ensure that you stay highly visible to potential clients.

VIEWS AND CONCLUSIONS EXPRESSED IN ARTICLES HEREIN ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF FLORIDA BAR STAFF, OFFICIALS, OR BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FLORIDA BAR.