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Johnston Law

Law firm · Addington-Middleton, Christchurch

What your customers see when they look for you, and where that puts you among 216 Christchurch lawyers.

ReportLocal marketing report
Checked12 October 2026
Your marketChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
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Executive summaryExclusive Marketbase business report

Johnston Law

Law firm · Addington-Middleton, Christchurch

Where you stand#46of 216 lawyers
Overall health7.9/10across the eight areas

Going well

08Opening hours9.901Google listing9.205Facebook page8.404Listings and social7.707Google search and traffic7.102Reviews6.703Map positions6.4

Where we can help

06Your website-
How AI describes youMarketbase business report

What AI tells people about you

Johnston Law is a Christchurch-based law practice in Addington specialising in migrant and expat tax matters. The firm advises individuals, employers relocating staff and professional advisers on cross-border tax, property tax and Inland Revenue issues. Director Julia Johnston is cited as a leading tax specialist and was named NZ Tax Lawyer of the Year in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Johnston Law is a law practice located in Addington, Christchurch, that focuses on migrant, expat and cross-border tax law. The firm presents itself as a specialist resource for people relocating to New Zealand and for businesses and advisers managing international tax matters.

Services include advice on migrant and expatriate tax issues, property tax matters and dealings with Inland Revenue, along with tailored tax solutions for individuals and corporates. The practice also works with employers relocating staff and with professional advisors seeking specialist tax guidance.

Clients and referral sources consistently describe interactions with the firm as professional and technically strong. Review themes note prompt, succinct communication and a high level of specialist knowledge. Several reviewers single out director Julia Johnston for her technical clarity and reliability, while accountants and other advisers refer to the practice as an important source of expert tax input.

Locally, Johnston Law is distinguished by its niche focus on international and migrant tax within Christchurch and by the profile of its director, who was named NZ Tax Lawyer of the Year in 2022, 2023 and 2024 in Finance Monthly's annual tax awards. The firm targets clients needing focused tax advice on cross-border, property and Inland Revenue matters and positions itself as a specialist option for those needs in Addington and greater Christchurch.

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01Google listingMarketbase business report

Your Google listing

Johnston Law shows a very high overall health score for its Google Business Listing, indicating strong completeness and optimisation. The listing already highlights a claimed, live status, a visible phone number, and a linked website, with a solid set of photos and a robust description. The key findings point to room for ongoing photo updates, refining secondary categories, and maintaining the long description.

Strengths

  • ✓
    Open statusYour listing shows the business as trading, so customers see accurate availability and Google treats the listing as live.
  • ✓
    ClaimedYour listing is claimed, so you control what it says, you can reply to reviews, and edits suggested by the public come to you first.
  • ✓
    NameYour business name is showing on the listing, so a customer searching for you by name finds you, and everything else on the listing hangs off it.

Top three opportunities

  • 1
    Photos on the listingYou have more photos on your listing than half the businesses here, so a customer arriving has enough to look at that they stay on it.
  • 2
    Category fitYour categories cover this market better than the middle of the field, so you appear in most of the searches your competitors appear in.
  • 3
    Description lengthYour description is one of the fuller ones in this market, which means a customer comparing you side by side has more of your case in front of them than most.
11 checks on your Google listing. You're seeing 6 of them.
9.2Strong
What customers seeWhere you rank
9:41
Tiles © Esri
Johnston Law
1
Johnston Law✓✓
4.7 ★★★★★ (13)
Law firm · Addington-Middleton2
Open 5 days ✓
DirectionsCall Website
OverviewReviewsPhotosAbout
From the business

Johnston Law is your trusted partner through the complexities of migrant tax law. Whether you're relocating to New Zealand, managing cross-border interests, an employer relocating staff, or a professional advisor seeking expert guidance, we've got you covered. We also specialise in property tax, Inland Revenue matters, and tailored tax solutions for individuals and corporates. Director, Julia Johnston is high regarded as a leading tax specialist for international and migrant and expat tax issues and was named NZ Tax Lawyer of the year in 2022, 2023 and 2024 in the finance monthly's annual tax awards. Johnston Law is your trusted partner in navigating complex legal issues.

3
Google listingChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
You are #18 for your Google listing
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Google SearchGoogle MapsBusiness Profile
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02ReviewsMarketbase business report

Your reviews

Johnston Law's Google Business health score sits at 6.9 out of 10, which is above average for the market. The top findings show solid rating confidence and a respectable star rating, with room for growth in engagement. There is no review response activity yet, which could impact customer trust if left unaddressed.

Strengths

Your first one is close. Sort an opportunity below and it moves up here.

Top three opportunities

  • 1
    Response rateNone of your reviews have a reply, which means a customer reading them sees your happiest and your angriest customers with nothing from you in between.
  • 2
    Review confidenceYour rating and your review count together sit ahead of half the field here, so a customer has enough to go on and no reason to hesitate.
  • 3
    Star ratingYour rating sits ahead of half the businesses here, so the number is not pushing anyone away.
4 checks on your reviews. You're seeing 3 of them.
6.7Good
What customers seeWhere you rank
9:41
Johnston Law
OverviewReviewsPhotosAbout
4.7★★★★★13 reviews
5
4
3
2
13
tax 5expertise 3negotiating 2contacts 2communication 2heart 2
2How far your rating and your review count together can be trusted
Google reviewsChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
You are #73 for your Google reviews
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Google reviewsBusiness Profile
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03Map positionsMarketbase business report

Where you show up on the map

Johnston Law shows an above-average health score of 6.2 out of 10 for Google Maps search visibility, indicating decent local presence with room to grow. The business already ranks in top results for multiple tax attorney queries in Addington and surrounding areas, highlighting strong performance in key boroughs. Opportunity lies in strengthening aggregate reach and building borough presence further.

Strengths

Your first one is close. Sort an opportunity below and it moves up here.

Top two opportunities

  • 1
    Maps visibility in your own suburbYou show up in local Maps searches less often than half your suburb, so on a search from nearby you sit below businesses a customer would otherwise treat as equal.
  • 2
    Maps visibility across the city groupYou turn up across more of the surrounding suburbs than nearly everyone here, so a customer searching well outside your own patch still sees you.
2 checks on your map positions. You're seeing both.
6.4Good
What customers seeWhere you rank
9:41
1234Tiles © Esri
tax attorney
2Top three for "tax attorney" in 73 suburbs, seen in 84
1
Johnston Law14.7 ★ (13) · Law firm
2
Addington Law Centre4.5 ★ (11) · Law firm
3
Tomlinson Law5.0 ★ (2) · Law firm
4
Shalom Law5.0 ★ (7) · Law firm
Map positionsChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
You are #79 for map positions
See how to fix both →
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Google Maps
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04Listings and socialMarketbase business report

Where customers find you

The overall health of Johnston Law's citations and social presence is good, with a health score of 7.7 out of 10. The business has strong Facebook and LinkedIn presence, but opportunities exist to expand on Instagram, TikTok and Neighbourly listings to improve local trust and discoverability among clients and partners.

Strengths

  • ✓
    Having a Facebook page at allWe found your Facebook Profile page, and the trail is strong enough that nobody would question it is yours - it is linked from something you own, or it dominates a search for your name.
  • ✓
    LinkedIn CompanyWe can see your LinkedIn Company listing (https://linkedin.com/company/johnstonlaw) found via: Google search results.
  • ✓
    Infobel ListingWe can see your Infobel Listing listing (https://infobel.com/johnston_law) found via: Google search results.

Top three opportunities

  • 1
    Instagram ProfileWe could not find an active Instagram Profile profile for your business, so a customer who looks for you there finds nothing.
  • 2
    Tiktok ProfileWe could not find an active TikTok account for your business, so anyone who looks for you there finds nothing.
  • 3
    Yellow ProfileWe could not find an active Yellow Profile listing for your business, which means anyone checking you there finds nothing and moves on to whoever is listed.
16 checks on your listings and social. You're seeing 6 of them.
7.7Good
What customers seeWhere you rank
9:41
Gjohnston law addington-middleton
AllImagesMapsNews
Infobeljohnston_lawJohnston Law | Infobel✓
LinkedInjohnstonlawJohnston Law | LinkedIn✓
Facebookjohnstonlaw.nzJohnston Law | Facebook✓
InstagramNo account found1
TiktokNo account found2
YellowNo listing found3
Listings and socialChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
You are #51 for listings and social
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GoogleFacebookInstagramTikTokInfobelLinkedInYour website
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05Facebook pageMarketbase business report

Your Facebook page

Strengths

  • ✓
    Where your page link pointsThe link on your page goes to a domain that is yours, so a visitor who came for the photos leaves on your terms and the enquiry lands in your inbox rather than someone else's.
  • ✓
    A page address you choseThe address on your page carries your business name, so a customer told about you at a barbecue can find the page by typing what they heard.
  • ✓
    A phone numberA phone number shows on your page, so the person who found you on Facebook before they found your website can ring straight from it.

Top three opportunities

  • 1
    Recommendations on your pageA couple of recommendations have landed on the page, fewer than most here.
  • 2
    People following your pageFewer people follow your page than follow half the pages here.
  • 3
    What your page says about youYour intro carries more detail than most pages in this market and is doing the work of a short landing page for the visitors who never reach your website.
9 checks on your Facebook page. You're seeing 6 of them.
8.4Strong
What customers seeWhere you rank
9:41
facebook
johnstonlaw.nz✓
238 followers 2
Award-winning tax lawyers based in Christchurch, serving clients globally. Experts in migration tax for new migrants, returning Kiwis, and globally mobile individuals. Trusted advice, wherever life ta...3
FollowMessage
★ 1 reviews · recommended 1
🌐 Johnstonlaw.nz✓
☎ +64 3-421 4530✓
PostsAboutPhotosReviews
Facebook pageChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
You are #35 for your Facebook page
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Facebook
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06Your websiteMarketbase business report

Your website

Johnston Law shows an average on-page SEO health score of 5.3 out of 10, with two notable strengths and clear areas to improve. The page has a valid favicon, an H1 tag and a relevant title tag, plus a meta description that is relevant. Key improvements are needed in meta description length, overall on-page SEO score, and page size efficiency.

Strengths

  • ✓
    Domain HealthYour site answers cleanly over a secure connection, so a customer clicking through from Google lands where they expect with nothing in the way.
  • ✓
    Domain UniquenessYour web address is yours alone, so everything your site earns - links, mentions, search standing - accumulates under your name and stays with the business.
  • ✓
    FaviconThe tab your site opens in carries your own icon, so a customer with a dozen tabs going can find their way back to you by sight.

Top three opportunities

  • 1
    Meta descriptionThe summary under your name in search results is either too brief to say anything or long enough that Google cuts it mid-sentence.
  • 2
    On-page scoreThe basics on your home page are half in place: it opens and it reads, but enough checks still fail that a customer on a phone away from wifi notices the wait before they notice the business.
  • 3
    Separate sites linking to youFewer separate websites link to you than half the businesses here, which means when someone searches for what you do, the businesses with a longer list of vouchers are the ones on the page they actually read.
23 checks on your website. You're seeing 6 of them.
-Room to grow
What customers seeWhere you rank
9:41
🔒johnstonlaw.nz✓✓
✓Favicon
1Meta description
2On-page score
3Separate sites linking to you
Your websiteChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
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Your websiteGoogle Search
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07Google search and trafficMarketbase business report

How people find you on Google

Johnston Law's Website Traffic health is 6.4 out of 10, indicating above-average performance with room to improve. The strongest finding is organic traffic value in the 50-75% range, suggesting ongoing content and backlinks help growth. Paid activity is currently unclear, and paid traffic metrics are in early stages, warranting small, targeted experiments.

Strengths

Your first one is close. Sort an opportunity below and it moves up here.

Top three opportunities

  • 1
    What you spend on adsWe can see no paid search activity for your site, which in most local markets is the norm rather than a gap.
  • 2
    Monthly ad visitsYour site receives no visitors from paid search, which for most local businesses in this market is the norm rather than a problem.
  • 3
    Search terms you advertise onYou are not covering any search terms with ads, which for most local businesses here is normal.
6 checks on your search and traffic. You're seeing 3 of them.
7.1Good
What customers seeWhere you rank
9:41
G
AllMapsImagesShopping
321No ads from you on any search
Johnston LawNot in these results
About 363 visits a month from search, across 35 searches
Google search and trafficChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
You are #63 for Google search and traffic
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08Opening hoursMarketbase business report

Your hours against demand

Johnston Law's published hours largely match Christchurch demand around midweek lunches and Thursday mornings, with strong alignment at Tuesday 12pm-1pm, Wednesday 12pm and Thursday 10am-11am. The practice is closed during several popular windows-Saturday morning, Sunday early afternoon and Wednesday late afternoon-creating missed client access. With no low-demand open hours, small targeted hour adjustments could increase availability without added inefficiency.

Strengths

Your first one is close. Sort an opportunity below and it moves up here.

Top opportunity

  • 1
    Hours aligned with demandYour hours line up with demand better than nearly every business here, so most of the time you are open, people are actually looking.
1 check on your opening hours. You're seeing it.
9.9Strong
What customers seeWhere you rank
9:41
Johnston Law
OverviewReviewsPhotosAbout
Hours 1
Monday8am-4:30pm
Tuesday8am-4:30pm
Wednesday8am-4:30pm
Thursday8am-4:30pm
Friday8am-4:30pm
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed
Opening hoursChristchurch lawyers · 216 businesses
You are #3 for opening hours
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Your listed hoursWhen people search
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The next step

Your top opportunities, in one place.

These are your top 21 opportunities, from the 72 checks we run on every business. Tick any of them to see where it takes you.

01Google listing3 opportunities

02Reviews3 opportunities

03Map positions2 opportunities

04Listings and social3 opportunities

05Facebook page3 opportunities

06Your website3 opportunities

07Google search and traffic3 opportunities

08Opening hours1 opportunity

Where you'd stand#46of 216 Christchurch lawyers
9:41
Christchurch lawyersOverall · 216 businesses
You are #46 overall
Open my free 7 days →
The how for every one of these, and everything else we found, in the order that moves you fastest.
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  • Built and run in Christchurch.A Kiwi business, not an offshore call centre.
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