Google Is Testing New GBP Layouts: What Law Firms Need to Know in 2026

How AI-powered profiles, AR tours, and story-style feeds are transforming local legal marketing

📋 Table of Contents

🎯 Key Takeaways

  • Story-style feeds: Google is testing vertical, swipeable review formats similar to Instagram Stories to capture younger users’ visual discovery habits
  • AI-powered Q&A: Gemini now auto-generates answers from reviews, websites, and photos, appearing prominently in profile headers to accelerate conversions
  • Visual search dominance: Google Vision AI now categorizes services by analyzing uploaded photos, prioritizing visual content over text-based optimization
  • AR integration: Augmented reality tours allow potential clients to explore law office interiors through 360° immersive views within Google Maps
  • Law firm impact: According to BrightLocal’s 2025 Local Consumer Review Survey (survey of 1,068 consumers, October 2025), 81% of consumers now use Google to find local businesses, with visual content influencing 67% of selection decisions

Google is testing AI-integrated, visually immersive Business Profile layouts that replace static listings with story-style feeds, automated Q&A, AR tours, and editorial-quality posts, fundamentally changing how potential clients discover and evaluate law firms through local search in 2026.

Google Is Testing New GBP Layouts 2026
Google Is Testing New GBP Layouts 2026

The Google Business Profile you optimized last year is not the same platform your potential clients are seeing today. Throughout 2025 and into early 2026, Google has been quietly rolling out experimental layouts that transform GBP from a static directory listing into a dynamic, AI-powered discovery experience. For law firms competing in local markets, these changes represent the most significant shift in local search since the introduction of the Google 3-pack itself.

These new layouts prioritize visual content, automate response mechanisms through AI, and create social-media-style engagement patterns that mirror how younger demographics discover services. According to Pew Research Center (survey of 5,123 U.S. adults, February 24–March 2, 2025; published June 25, 2025), 58% of adults under 30 now use AI platforms like ChatGPT, and Google is responding by integrating similar AI capabilities directly into Business Profiles. Understanding these changes is essential for law firms seeking to maintain visibility in an increasingly competitive local search environment.

This analysis examines five major layout experiments currently in testing, their implications for legal marketing strategies, and practical implementation frameworks for law firms across all practice areas. We’ll also explore how these GBP changes intersect with broader Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategies and what measurement frameworks can track effectiveness in this evolving landscape.

What Is Changing with Google Business Profiles

Google’s experimental GBP layouts represent a fundamental architectural shift from information retrieval to immersive discovery. Traditional profiles displayed business information in predictable sections: hours, address, phone, reviews, photos. The new layouts treat these elements as raw data to be processed by AI systems and presented through context-aware interfaces that adapt to user behavior patterns and device capabilities.

The changes fall into five distinct categories, each addressing different user needs and consumption patterns. Story-style feeds cater to visual learners who prefer scrolling through images and videos. AI-generated summaries serve users who want quick answers without reading full reviews. AR tours satisfy users who need spatial context before visiting. Editorial posts target users who value thought leadership and expertise signals. Visual search integration serves users who search by uploading photos rather than typing queries.

Not all users see all features simultaneously. Google deploys these experiments through a gradual rollout methodology that tests different combinations with different user cohorts. According to Search Engine Land’s tracking of Google Business Profile changes (data through December 2025), approximately 34% of mobile users now see at least one experimental feature, with the story-style feed being most widely deployed at 18% penetration among mobile searchers under age 35.

⚠️ Limitations:

Google does not publish official documentation on experimental features during testing phases. Feature availability varies by geographic market, user demographics, device type, and individual user behavior patterns. The penetration percentages cited represent third-party tracking estimates rather than Google-confirmed data.

The Core Design Philosophy Shift

Understanding why Google is making these changes helps law firms anticipate future developments. The traditional GBP design assumed users would read text descriptions, compare star ratings, and browse photos in a linear research process. The new design assumes users want immediate visual validation, AI-assisted decision-making, and social-proof mechanisms similar to platforms they already use daily.

This philosophy aligns with Google’s broader strategic shift toward generative AI integration across all search properties. Just as AI Overviews now appear for 15% of all Google searches (according to BrightEdge research tracking 5 million queries across 12 industries, Q4 2025), Business Profiles are becoming AI-enhanced discovery experiences rather than passive information repositories.

The Story-Style Mobile Feed

Google’s most visually dramatic experiment replaces the traditional horizontal photo gallery with a vertical, full-screen Story format nearly identical to Instagram or TikTok’s interface. Users tap through customer-uploaded photos and videos in an immersive, distraction-free environment optimized for mobile consumption.

Interface Mechanics

When users tap the photos section of a Business Profile that has this feature enabled, the interface shifts to a full-screen vertical feed. Each photo or video occupies the entire screen with minimal UI chrome. Users swipe up to advance to the next item or tap the right side of the screen. Swiping down returns to the main profile view. The interface includes standard Story elements: progress bars across the top indicating position in the sequence, timestamp overlays, and attribution to the user who uploaded each piece of content.

For law firms, this format dramatically elevates the importance of visual content quality. A poorly lit photo of a conference room that might have been acceptable in a small thumbnail gallery now occupies a user’s entire screen. Conversely, high-quality images of your office environment, team interactions, or community involvement gain significantly more impact when displayed in this immersive format.

Content Strategy Implications

The Story format rewards businesses that publish content consistently rather than uploading bulk photos once. Google’s algorithm appears to prioritize recent uploads when constructing the Story sequence, meaning weekly photo additions maintain better visibility than a one-time upload of 50 images. For law firms, this suggests a content calendar approach: one high-quality office photo per week, supplemented by client testimonial videos, community event coverage, and attorney profile highlights.

Video content receives particular prioritization in this format. According to Wyzowl’s State of Video Marketing 2025 (survey of 1,094 businesses and consumers, conducted September-October 2025), 91% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool, and Google’s Story format appears designed to leverage this trend. For legal practices, this means investing in short-form video production: 15-30 second clips introducing attorneys, explaining common legal processes, or showcasing office accessibility features.

AI-Generated Quick Answers and Summaries

Perhaps the most significant functional change in the new GBP layouts is the prominent placement of AI-generated Q&A content. Powered by Google’s Gemini model, these automated answers appear in multiple profile sections: above the fold in the main header, within the “Questions & Answers” section, and as contextual callouts throughout the profile experience.

How Gemini Generates Answers

Google’s AI scans multiple data sources to construct these answers: your Business Profile description, website content linked from the profile, customer reviews, photos with captions, and previously answered Q&A pairs. The system identifies patterns in customer language, extracts factual claims, and synthesizes responses that mirror natural conversation patterns.

For example, if multiple reviews mention “easy parking” and your website includes a parking information page, Gemini might auto-generate a prominent callout stating “Reviewers mention convenient parking with dedicated client spaces.” This appears in the profile header alongside hours and phone number, functioning as an automated trust signal that requires no manual management.

The implications for AI platform optimization are significant. Just as GEO strategies focus on creating citable, fact-based content for ChatGPT and Perplexity, GBP optimization now requires ensuring your website and reviews contain clear, factual statements that AI can confidently extract and display. Vague marketing language like “industry-leading service” provides nothing for the AI to work with, while specific details like “24-hour response guarantee for accident cases” become extractable, displayable facts.

Optimizing for AI Extraction

Law firms can influence what Gemini extracts by structuring website content around frequently asked questions and including specific operational details. Your practice area pages should explicitly answer questions like: “Do you offer free consultations?” “What payment plans are available?” “How quickly do you respond to new inquiries?” “What languages does your staff speak?” These factual statements become fodder for AI extraction.

Reviews also feed the AI system, suggesting a shift in review generation strategy. Rather than asking clients for general positive reviews, consider prompting them to mention specific aspects of their experience: responsiveness, clarity of communication, office accessibility, staff professionalism. These concrete details give Gemini more material to work with when constructing automated answers.

⚠️ Limitations:

Google does not provide transparency into which specific content sources influence AI-generated answers or how confidence thresholds are calibrated. Businesses cannot directly edit or approve auto-generated content before it appears to users. The accuracy and appropriateness of AI-generated summaries depend entirely on the quality and clarity of source data.

AR-Powered Store Tours for Legal Offices

Augmented reality tours represent Google’s most technically ambitious GBP experiment. Currently limited to select markets and business categories, AR tours allow users to virtually explore business interiors through their smartphone cameras, overlaying navigation cues and information hotspots onto live camera feeds or pre-captured 360° imagery.

Implementation Requirements

Activating AR tour capability requires uploading high-resolution 360° photographs or video through Google’s Street View app or partnering with certified photographers. The imagery must meet specific technical standards: minimum 4K resolution, proper stitching with minimal distortion, adequate lighting throughout the captured space, and complete coverage of public areas without gaps.

For law firms, this technology addresses a specific psychological barrier in the client acquisition process. Many potential clients feel intimidated by the prospect of visiting a law office, especially for practice areas like criminal defense or family law where stigma may be a factor. An AR tour that allows them to preview the office environment, see the conference rooms where they might meet with an attorney, and understand the office layout reduces uncertainty and builds comfort before the first contact.

Strategic Applications for Legal Practices

Beyond reducing intimidation, AR tours function as trust signals. An office willing to show its complete interior communicates transparency and confidence. For personal injury firms with impressive client conference rooms or estate planning practices with private meeting spaces, AR tours showcase physical assets that differentiate them from competitors operating from shared office spaces or remote-only arrangements.

The feature also serves accessibility purposes. Potential clients with mobility concerns can preview whether your office has elevator access, wide doorways, or accessible restrooms without needing to call and ask. This information, displayed visually rather than described textually, removes a potential barrier to initial contact for a significant demographic segment.

The Editorial Post Design

Google Business Profile posts, long treated as an afterthought by most businesses, have received a dramatic visual upgrade in the experimental layouts. The new card-based design elevates posts from small, easily-overlooked notifications to magazine-quality editorial content that occupies significant screen real estate.

Design Characteristics

Each post appears as a distinct card with prominent imagery, headline-style formatting, and visual hierarchy that guides the eye. The layout includes automatic text truncation with “read more” expansion, image aspect ratio optimization for different screen sizes, and improved typography that makes longer-form content actually readable on mobile devices.

Perhaps most significantly, Google has added a native post scheduler that allows businesses to plan content weeks or months in advance. This removes one of the primary friction points that prevented consistent posting: the need to manually publish in real-time. Law firms can now batch-create a month of posts covering personal injury safety tips, estate planning reminders, or local legal news updates and schedule them for optimal timing.

Content Strategy for Legal Practices

The elevated visual treatment makes posts viable for thought leadership content that was previously better suited to blog posts or social media. A 300-word explanation of a recent legal development, paired with a professional graphic, now receives treatment comparable to a LinkedIn article or Medium post. For law firms building authority in their practice areas, this creates a direct channel to prospective clients that requires no website traffic or social media following.

The multi-location management improvement is particularly relevant for firms with multiple offices. The new profile switcher allows rapid posting across all locations simultaneously or customizing content for specific markets. A firm with offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco can post state-level legal updates to all three profiles while customizing local event coverage or market-specific messaging for each individual location.

Implications for Law Firms

These experimental GBP layouts collectively represent a shift from text-based optimization to multi-modal content strategy. Law firms that continue treating their Business Profile as a static listing to be “set up once and forgotten” will find themselves increasingly invisible compared to competitors who adapt to these new discovery patterns.

Resource Allocation Shifts

Traditional local SEO focused resources on citation building, review generation, and basic profile completeness. The new layouts demand ongoing content production: weekly photo uploads for Story feeds, monthly video creation, quarterly AR tour updates, regular post scheduling, and continuous website optimization to feed AI extraction systems.

For solo practitioners and small firms, this resource intensity creates challenges. Producing professional-quality video content, maintaining consistent photo documentation, and managing multi-location post scheduling requires either significant internal time allocation or partnering with agencies that understand both legal marketing and AI optimization. The alternative—maintaining a static profile while competitors leverage these new features—means gradual visibility decline as Google’s algorithms increasingly favor engagement-rich profiles.

Integration with Broader AI Optimization

These GBP changes don’t exist in isolation. They parallel developments in Perplexity AI optimization, Claude AI optimization, and other generative AI platforms. The content strategies that make law firms citable by ChatGPT—factual accuracy, clear service descriptions, specific operational details—also feed Google’s Gemini-powered GBP features.

Law firms developing comprehensive GEO strategies should consider GBP optimization as one component of a multi-platform approach. The same attorney bio that helps you get cited by AI platforms can be repurposed for GBP posts. The same 360° office photography that enables AR tours can be featured in website virtual tours. The same client testimonial videos that populate Story feeds can be embedded in service pages to strengthen E-E-A-T signals.

Competitive Dynamics

Early adoption of these experimental features creates temporary competitive advantages. Law firms in markets where Story feeds are being tested but most competitors haven’t adapted will capture disproportionate attention from visually-oriented searchers. Similarly, firms that implement AR tours in markets where this feature is available but rare gain differentiation that’s difficult for competitors to quickly replicate.

However, these advantages erode as features move from experimental to standard deployment. The long-term winners will be firms that build systematic content production processes capable of feeding these platforms consistently, not just those who execute one-time implementations. This suggests investing in content systems and workflows rather than individual campaigns: establishing monthly photo documentation protocols, creating standard operating procedures for post scheduling, and developing review generation processes that elicit specific, AI-extractable details.

Measurement Framework

Tracking the effectiveness of GBP optimization in these new layouts requires expanding beyond traditional metrics like profile views and direction requests. The experimental features introduce new user behaviors that demand new measurement approaches.

Example Measurement Framework

  1. Baseline documentation: Before implementing new features, document current performance: weekly profile views, direction requests, phone calls, website clicks, and review volume. Establish 3-month averages to account for seasonal variation.
  2. Feature deployment tracking: As you add Story-format photos, AR tours, or scheduled posts, track which features become available in your market through test accounts on different devices and user profiles.
  3. Engagement metric expansion: Monitor photo view rates (Story engagement), post interaction rates (clicks, expansions, shares), AI-generated answer appearances (search for your practice name and practice area to see what Gemini displays), and AR tour activation rates if available through Google Business Profile Insights.
  4. Conversion attribution: During intake calls, ask how clients found you and specifically whether they viewed office photos, watched videos, or used virtual tours before contacting. This qualitative feedback helps understand which features drive actual conversions versus just engagement.
  5. Competitive comparison: Monthly, review 3-5 direct competitor profiles using the same search queries. Document which experimental features they have access to and how they’re utilizing them. This competitive intelligence informs strategic decisions about where to allocate optimization resources.

⚠️ Limitations:

Google does not currently provide granular analytics for experimental features. Insights data may not distinguish between Story feed views and traditional photo views, making precise measurement of new feature impact challenging. Conversion attribution relies on client self-reporting, which is subject to recall bias and incomplete information.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my law firm’s GBP has access to the experimental features?

Feature availability varies by market, user demographics, and Google’s rollout schedule. To check your access, log in to your Google Business Profile dashboard and look for new interface elements: a “Schedule posts” option indicates access to the editorial post scheduler, a “360° photos” or “Virtual tour” section suggests AR tour capability, and modified photo upload interfaces with “Story” preview options indicate Story feed testing.

Additionally, test your profile from multiple devices and accounts. Have staff members or friends search for your practice and examine what they see. Users under 30 on mobile devices are most likely to see Story-style feeds, while desktop users may see traditional layouts. This discrepancy is normal during experimental phases and doesn’t indicate implementation errors on your part.

Should law firms invest in professional 360° photography for AR tours immediately?

Investment timing depends on three factors: current market availability, competitive positioning, and resource allocation priorities. If AR tours are already visible for competitors in your market, immediate investment creates parity. If you’re in an early-access market with few competitors using the feature, early investment creates temporary differentiation. If the feature hasn’t rolled out in your market, delay investment until availability is confirmed.

For most law firms, a middle-ground approach makes sense: identify certified photographers in your area, obtain preliminary quotes, and prepare office spaces for eventual photography (decluttering, professional staging) while monitoring feature availability. This positions you for rapid deployment when the feature becomes available without premature spending on capabilities users can’t yet access.

How does Google’s AI decide what “quick answers” to generate for my profile?

Gemini analyzes multiple data sources with different confidence weightings. Direct statements from your Business Profile description receive high confidence. Consistent patterns across multiple reviews receive medium-high confidence. Website content linked from your profile receives medium confidence. Single-mention details or contradictory information receives low confidence and typically won’t be surfaced.

To influence what gets extracted, ensure consistency across all sources. If your website states you offer free consultations, your Business Profile description should mention this, and you might encourage satisfied clients to mention it in reviews. This cross-source validation gives Gemini confidence to feature the claim prominently. Conversely, if your website contradicts your profile description or reviews mention details not appearing elsewhere, the AI may avoid generating answers from that topic area entirely.

Can law firms control which photos appear in the Story feed format?

Business owners maintain full control over business-uploaded photos through standard GBP management tools. You can delete, reorder, or update any photos you’ve uploaded. However, customer-uploaded photos cannot be deleted unless they violate Google’s content policies. You can flag inappropriate images for review, but Google makes the final determination on removal.

The Story feed algorithm appears to prioritize recent uploads and higher-quality images (based on resolution, lighting, and composition). Regular uploads of professional photography will naturally push older or lower-quality images further back in the sequence. For maximum control, maintain an active uploading schedule that ensures your professional content dominates the feed through recency and volume rather than relying on deletion of customer content.

How do these GBP changes interact with traditional local SEO factors like citations and backlinks?

Traditional local SEO ranking factors remain relevant for determining which Business Profiles appear in the Map Pack and local search results. Citations, backlinks, review quantity, and keyword optimization still influence whether users discover your profile initially. However, once users arrive at your profile, the new layout features determine engagement, conversion, and whether users choose you over competitors.

Think of it as a two-stage process: traditional SEO gets you discovered, new layout features get you selected. A law firm with perfect citations and strong backlinks but a sparse, outdated GBP may win visibility but lose conversions to competitors with engaging Story feeds, AR tours, and AI-generated trust signals. Conversely, a firm with rich GBP content but weak citation infrastructure may struggle to achieve initial visibility. Comprehensive local marketing requires optimizing both discovery mechanisms and selection features simultaneously.

What content calendar frequency should law firms target for GBP posts using the new scheduler?

Data from local SEO tracking studies suggests weekly posting maintains profile freshness signals without overwhelming followers or appearing spammy. For most law firms, a sustainable cadence is one substantial post weekly, supplemented by event-specific posts for significant developments (new attorney hires, office moves, major case results, community involvement).

Content should balance educational value, trust-building, and service awareness. A typical monthly calendar might include: one legal education post explaining a common question in your practice area, one community involvement post highlighting pro bono work or local partnerships, one client success story (anonymized and compliant with attorney advertising rules), and one service spotlight explaining a specific offering or process. This variety prevents repetitive messaging while maintaining consistent profile activity that feeds both algorithmic freshness signals and provides substance for Gemini to extract when generating automated answers.

Ready to Optimize Your GBP for AI-Powered Discovery?

InterCore Technologies specializes in comprehensive AI marketing strategies that integrate GBP optimization with broader GEO initiatives. Our team stays ahead of experimental feature rollouts and implements proven strategies that drive measurable results for law firms across all practice areas.

Schedule Your Free Strategy Session

Phone: (213) 282-3001

Email: sales@intercore.net

Address: 13428 Maxella Ave, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

References

  1. Sidoti, O. (2025, June 25). ChatGPT use among Americans roughly doubled since 2023. Pew Research Center. Survey of 5,123 U.S. adults conducted February 24–March 2, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
  2. BrightLocal. (2025, October). Local Consumer Review Survey 2025. Survey of 1,068 consumers conducted October 2025. https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
  3. Search Engine Land. (2025, December). Google Business Profile Feature Rollout Tracker. Analysis of feature availability across user cohorts through December 2025. https://searchengineland.com/
  4. BrightEdge. (2025, Q4). AI Overviews Impact Report. Analysis of 5 million search queries across 12 industries, Q4 2025. https://www.brightedge.com/
  5. Wyzowl. (2025, October). State of Video Marketing 2025. Survey of 1,094 businesses and consumers conducted September-October 2025. https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/
  6. Google Search Central. (2026). Structured Data General Guidelines. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data

Google’s experimental Business Profile layouts represent a fundamental transformation in how potential clients discover and evaluate law firms through local search. The shift from static information displays to AI-powered, visually immersive discovery experiences requires corresponding shifts in content strategy, resource allocation, and measurement frameworks.

Law firms that adapt to these changes by investing in consistent visual content production, optimizing for AI extraction systems, and leveraging features like AR tours and editorial posts will gain competitive advantages that compound over time. Those that maintain static profiles while competitors embrace these new capabilities will experience gradual visibility decline as Google’s algorithms increasingly reward engagement-rich, multi-modal content.

The intersection of these GBP changes with broader Generative Engine Optimization strategies creates opportunities for integrated approaches that maximize visibility across both traditional search and AI platforms. By understanding these experimental features, implementing measurement frameworks, and building sustainable content production systems, law firms can position themselves for success in an increasingly AI-mediated legal marketing landscape.

Scott Wiseman

CEO & Founder, InterCore Technologies

Published: February 4, 2026 | Last Updated: February 4, 2026 | Reading Time: 18 minutes