While most law firms focus on Google for their online marketing efforts, optimizing your law firm’s presence on Bing should not be overlooked. Bing Places is Microsoft’s version of Google Business Profile, allowing businesses—including law firms—to manage their local listings and improve visibility in Bing search results and on Bing Maps. With Bing powering nearly 10% of U.S. search engine traffic and its integration into services like Windows, Cortana, and Microsoft Office, having a well-optimized Bing Places listing can help law firms attract more local clients and diversify their online reach.
This article explores what Bing Places is, why it’s important for law firms, and how to set up and optimize your listing to drive more local leads.
What is Bing Places for Business?
Bing Places for Business is a free platform that allows businesses to create and manage their listings on Bing Search and Bing Maps. Similar to Google Business Profile, a Bing Places listing includes key information about your law firm, such as:
- Business name
- Address and phone number (NAP)
- Website link
- Hours of operation
- Photos and videos
- Practice areas and services
- Reviews
By claiming and optimizing your Bing Places listing, your law firm can appear in Bing’s local search results when users search for legal services in your area.
Why Bing Places is Important for Law Firms
While Bing may have a smaller market share compared to Google, there are several reasons why law firms should invest in optimizing their presence on Bing:
1. Bing’s Growing Market Share
Although Google dominates the search engine landscape, Bing still holds a significant portion of the market, especially in the U.S. As of 2024, Bing powers nearly 10% of desktop searches and is the default search engine for Microsoft products like Windows and Microsoft Edge. With millions of users relying on Bing, having a well-optimized listing on Bing Places ensures your law firm reaches this audience.
2. Integration with Microsoft Products
Bing is integrated into various Microsoft products, including Windows, Cortana (Microsoft’s voice assistant), Microsoft Office, and the Xbox platform. Users who interact with these products often rely on Bing for search queries. This gives law firms an opportunity to reach potential clients who may not be using Google but are searching for legal services on Microsoft-powered devices.
3. Improved Local Search Visibility
Local search is critical for law firms, and Bing Places helps law firms improve their visibility in Bing’s local search results and Bing Maps. By optimizing your listing, your law firm can appear in local search results when potential clients search for terms like “divorce lawyer near me” or “estate planning attorney in Phoenix.”
4. Lower Competition
While many law firms prioritize Google, fewer businesses focus on Bing, which means there is less competition. This gives law firms a unique opportunity to stand out on Bing’s platform and potentially rank higher in search results with less effort.
5. Diversifying Your Traffic Sources
Relying solely on one search engine—such as Google—can be risky, especially if algorithm changes impact your rankings. By optimizing your presence on Bing, you can diversify your online traffic sources, reduce your reliance on a single platform, and capture a different segment of users.
How to Set Up Bing Places for Your Law Firm
Setting up your Bing Places listing is a straightforward process, and the platform even allows you to import your Google Business Profile information to speed up the process. Here’s how to get started:
1. Create a Bing Places Account
Visit the Bing Places for Business website and sign in with your Microsoft account. If you don’t have a Microsoft account, you’ll need to create one.
2. Claim or Add Your Business
After signing in, search for your law firm to see if Bing has already listed it. If it’s already listed, you can claim it and verify your ownership. If your firm is not listed, you’ll need to create a new listing by entering your business details manually.
3. Import from Google Business Profile (Optional)
Bing Places offers the option to import your Google Business Profile information directly into Bing. If your law firm already has a fully optimized Google Business Profile, this can save you time by automatically transferring your business name, address, phone number, hours, and other details.
4. Add Key Business Information
Make sure to enter accurate and detailed information about your law firm, including:
- Business name (as it should appear in search results)
- Address and phone number (ensure consistency with other platforms)
- Website URL (direct potential clients to your firm’s website)
- Hours of operation (including special hours, if applicable)
- Practice areas (list the types of law you practice, such as personal injury, family law, criminal defense, etc.)
5. Verify Your Business
Bing will require you to verify your business, either by mail, phone, or email. Once verified, your listing will go live, and you can begin optimizing it for local search visibility.
Optimizing Your Bing Places Listing
Once your Bing Places listing is set up, it’s important to optimize it to increase your visibility and attract more clients. Here are key strategies for optimizing your Bing Places listing:
1. NAP Consistency
Ensure that your law firm’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across your Bing Places listing, website, and other online directories. Inconsistent information can confuse search engines and hurt your local rankings.
2. Add Photos and Videos
Visual content is crucial for building trust with potential clients. Upload high-quality photos of your law firm’s office, team members, and branding elements. Consider adding a short introductory video that explains your practice areas and highlights what makes your law firm unique.
3. Optimize for Local Keywords
Use relevant local keywords in your Bing Places listing. For example, if you’re a family lawyer in Chicago, include phrases like “Chicago family law firm” or “divorce attorney in Chicago” in your business description. These keywords help Bing understand the services you offer and improve your chances of ranking for relevant local searches.
4. Encourage Client Reviews
Client reviews play a major role in how well your law firm ranks in Bing’s local search results. Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on your Bing Places listing. Responding to reviews—both positive and negative—demonstrates that you value client feedback and are engaged with your audience.
5. Keep Your Information Updated
Regularly update your Bing Places listing to reflect any changes in your law firm, such as new practice areas, updated office hours, or a new phone number. Keeping your listing current ensures that potential clients have accurate information and helps you stay competitive in local search rankings.
6. Use Bing Ads to Amplify Your Reach
While Bing Places is a free tool, you can boost your visibility even further by using Bing Ads. Running paid ads on Bing can help your law firm appear at the top of search results for highly competitive keywords. This is especially useful for targeting high-intent users who are actively searching for legal services.
Measuring the Success of Your Bing Places Listing
After optimizing your Bing Places listing, it’s important to track its performance to see how it’s impacting your law firm’s local visibility and lead generation. Here’s how to monitor your listing’s performance:
- Bing Places Dashboard: Use the Bing Places dashboard to track how many views and clicks your listing is receiving. This will give you insight into how many people are finding your law firm through Bing searches.
- Website Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to track the traffic coming to your website from Bing. This can help you measure how much of your online traffic is generated from your Bing Places listing.
- Lead Tracking: If you’ve included call tracking numbers or unique landing pages in your Bing Places listing, monitor how many leads are coming from Bing searches. This will help you determine the ROI of your Bing optimization efforts.
Conclusion
Bing Places for Business is a valuable tool for law firms looking to increase their visibility in local search results and attract more clients. By setting up and optimizing your Bing Places listing, your law firm can tap into a different segment of search engine users, improve local SEO, and diversify your traffic sources.
For law firms that need assistance with Bing Places optimization, Legally Innovative is the ideal partner to help you boost your online presence across multiple platforms. With expertise in both Bing and Google optimization, they can ensure that your law firm captures more local leads and stands out in a competitive market.