Google+ is gone. If you’ve been putting off dealing with that, now’s the time to sort it out, because what replaced it matters more for your firm’s visibility than the old platform ever did.
Google shut down Google+ for consumers back in 2019, and with it went a lot of the profile and review infrastructure that law firms had quietly built up over the years. What emerged from the rubble is Google My Business (now officially called Google Business Profile), and it operates very differently. Understanding the shift isn’t just useful background information, it’s the difference between showing up when potential clients search for you and effectively being invisible.
What Happened to Google+
For a while, Google+ sat at the centre of Google’s social ambitions. Law firms were encouraged to create profiles, gather followers, and post updates. It tied into local search results in ways that weren’t always obvious, and many firms had accumulated reviews and profile data through the platform without fully realising how connected everything was.
When Google pulled the plug on the consumer version, a lot of that content disappeared. Reviews that had been posted through Google+ were migrated, with varying degrees of success, into what became Google My Business. Some firms lost reviews entirely. Others found their business information scattered or outdated with no clear path to correcting it.
The transition was messy, and Google’s communication around it left a lot to be desired. If your firm hasn’t actively managed its Google presence since 2019, there’s a reasonable chance something is out of date or missing entirely.
What Google Business Profile Actually Is
Google Business Profile (GBP) is the system that controls what appears when someone searches for your firm directly or finds you through a local search. It powers the information panel that appears on the right side of desktop search results, the map listings that show up when someone searches “family lawyer near me,” and the review summary that many people look at before they even visit your website.
Think of it as your firm’s public-facing file on Google. It contains your address, phone number, opening hours, photos, service descriptions, and client reviews. Google pulls from this profile to decide when and where to show your firm in local results. If the profile is incomplete, inconsistent, or unclaimed, you lose ground to compeititors who’ve taken the time to set theirs up properly.
Unlike Google+, which functioned more like a social network, GBP is primarily a local search tool. The goal isn’t to build followers or post thought leadership content. It’s to make sure that when someone in your area needs legal help, your firm comes up and looks credible.
Why This Matters for Law Firms Specifically
Legal services are among the most searched categories in local SEO. People facing legal problems tend to search urgently, often on mobile, and they’re making high-stakes decisions. The firms that appear prominently in local results, particularly in the “map pack” that shows three businesses at the top of a local search, capture a disproportionate share of that traffic.
Reviews carry significant weight here. Potential clients searching for a solicitor or lawyer are going to read what others have written before picking up the phone. A firm with a well-maintained profile and a steady stream of genuine reviews will consistently outperform one with an older, neglected presence, even if the latter has been in business longer or has better-known practitioners.
There’s also the issue of trust signals. Profiles with up-to-date photos, accurate information, and responses to reviews read as active and attentive. That perception carries over to how people think about the firm before they’ve even made contact.
What You Should Do Now
The first step is to claim and verify your Google Business Profile if you haven’t done so already. Go to business.google.com and search for your firm. If a profile exists but hasn’t been claimed, you’ll be able to request ownership. If nothing comes up, you can create one from scratch. Google will typically verify ownership by sending a postcard to your business address, though phone and email verification are sometimes available for established businesses.
Once you have access, work through the profile methodically. Make sure your firm name, address, and phone number are exactly consistent with what appears on your website and other directories. Inconsistencies confuse Google’s local algorithms and can quietly drag down your rankings. Set your business hours accurately, including any variations for public holidays. Choose the right primary category for your practice, since Google uses this to match your profile to relevant searches.
Photos are worth the time. Firms with photos on their profiles receive considerably more clicks and direction requests than those without. You don’t need anything elaborate: a few external shots of your office, some internal photos, and professional headshots of your key people are enough to make a meaningful difference.
Managing Reviews Going Forward
Reviews are the part of your GBP that requires ongoing attention. Encourage satisfied clients to leave a review, ideally by making it easy for them with a direct link. Don’t offer incentives or selectively solicit reviews only from clients you know had positive experiences, as both practices violate Google’s guidelines and can result in penalties.
When reviews come in, respond to them. Thank clients who leave positive feedback. For negative reviews, keep your response measured and factual. Remember that your response is public and will be read by future potential clients, so it reflects on your professionalism. Acknowledge the concern without disclosing any client details or getting defensive, and where appropriate, invite the person to contact your office directly to resolve the matter.
Keeping Your Profile Active
Google rewards profiles that are kept up to date. Use the Posts feature to share relevant updates, recent case outcomes where appropriate, changes to your services, or firm news. These don’t need to be lengthy or particularly polished, just current and informative.
Where Things Stand Now
Google+ served its purpose for a few years and then disappeared. What replaced it is more directly tied to how clients actually find legal services today. A well-maintained Google Business Profile won’t transform your firm overnight, but neglecting it while competitors invest in theirs is a slow way to lose ground. The mechanics aren’t complicated, and the returns on a bit of consistant attention are genuinely worth it.
