Why Google Business Profile is Critical for Local SEO
Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the most powerful tools for local SEO, enabling businesses to increase visibility in Google Search and Google Maps results. With 98% of consumers1 looking for information on local businesses online and “near me” searches skyrocketing in recent years, GBP ensures your business stands out when potential customers are actively searching for solutions.
Key benefits include:
- Increased Visibility: GBP listings appear prominently in the Local Pack, Google Maps, and organic search results. This prime placement gives businesses an edge over competitors who do not have a GBP. This positive effect of a GBP is particularly clear for those unfortunate businesses that suffer a suspension of their GBP2.
- Improved Engagement: Features like Google Posts, reviews, and direct messaging provide opportunities to interact with customers in real time3.
- Enhanced Trust and Credibility: Businesses with optimized profiles, high-quality photos, and positive reviews are more likely to earn consumer trust. Google also uses GBP information to validate legitimacy.
- Actionable Insights: GBP’s built-in analytics tools provide data on search views, customer actions (calls, directions, website clicks), and more—helping businesses refine their local SEO strategy.
Simply put, GBP bridges the gap between online searches and in-store visits or calls. When optimized effectively, your business has the opportunity to appear at the right time for the right audience, driving foot traffic and conversions.
Maximize Category and Service Selection for Local Relevance
Your chosen primary category and services play a significant role in determining which local searches trigger your Google Business Profile. Google uses these categories to understand your business and match it to user intent, so making the right selections is critical.
- Choose the Right Primary Category
- Your primary category should align as directly as possible with your core offering. For example, a bakery should choose “Bakery” instead of a broader option like “Restaurant”5.
- Research competitors using tools like GMB Spy Chrome extension to identify which categories top-ranking businesses are using in your area6.
- Add Relevant Secondary Categories
- Use additional categories to expand your reach for related searches. For example, a bakery offering catering services can include “Caterer” as a secondary category.
- Avoid irrelevant categories to prevent Google penalties and ensure your business appears only for appropriate queries.
- Optimize Your Services Section
- Under “Services,” add detailed descriptions of your offerings. Use keywords potential customers might use, such as “custom wedding cakes,” “gluten-free options,” or “birthday cake delivery”.
- Include all services you provide, even niche ones, to maximize search visibility.
- Be Specific and Keep It Updated
- Review and refine your categories and services periodically. New features, products, or changes in your offerings should be reflected in your GBP to capture updated search queries.
By strategically choosing and optimizing categories and services, you increase your business’s chance of showing up in a broader range of relevant searches, ensuring customers can find you.
Leverage Google Posts and Updates for Regular Engagement
Google Posts are a powerful7 and as yet underutilized feature of Google Business Profiles (GBP) that can (depending on your brand and customers) improve your local search visibility and customer engagement. Introduced to help businesses promote timely updates, events, and offers, Google Posts appear directly on your GBP listing in Google Search and Maps. This feature allows you to connect with your audience in a way that feels personal, timely, and actionable.
How to Use Google Posts Effectively
- Share Time-Sensitive Updates
Use Google Posts to highlight new products, special promotions, upcoming events, or seasonal offers. Posts are live for seven days, making them ideal for campaigns with clear deadlines or CTAs like “Sign up,” “Learn More,” or “Call Now”⁷. - Engage With Compelling Visuals
Choose high-quality, engaging images or videos that reflect the purpose of your post. Google recommends clear, well-lit visuals with a minimum resolution of 720×720 pixels. Adding eye-catching imagery increases click-through rates and draws customers’ attention. - Craft Strong Call-to-Actions
Select the right CTA button for your post, such as “Get Offer,” “Call Now,” or “Sign Up,” and link it to a relevant landing page to drive conversions. Track performance in Google Analytics. - Measure Your Google Posts Performance
Track impressions and clicks directly from the Google Post itself or dive deeper using Google Insights and Google Analytics. By analyzing which posts resonate best, you can refine future updates for greater engagement and ROI⁷.
There is debate on whether this will be a feature that Google keeps long-term. Keep this in mind as you experiment to better inform prioritizing your time spent on Google updates versus social media updates.
Optimize Photos and Videos to Boost Local Search Ranking
High-quality photos and videos are essential to creating a strong, visually appealing Google Business Profile.
Why Visual Content Matters for Local SEO
- Customer Engagement: Listings with photos receive 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks to their websites, proving the power of visuals to influence customer decisions8.
- Google’s Preference for Fresh Content: Regularly updated photos show Google that your business is active and relevant.
Key Strategies for Optimizing Photos and Videos
- Upload High-Quality Images
- Use clear, high-resolution images (minimum 720x720px) to showcase your storefront, products, staff, and services.
- Add geotagged photos using EXIF data tools to signal location relevance to Google.
- Cover All Visual Categories
- Exterior and Interior Photos: Show what customers can expect when visiting.
- Product and Service Photos: Highlight key offerings.
- Staff and Team Photos: Build trust by introducing the people behind your business.
- Incorporate Videos
Videos bring your business to life. Upload short, engaging clips of product demonstrations, customer testimonials, or behind-the-scenes footage. Videos should be 30 seconds to 2 minutes for optimal performance⁷. - Optimize File Names and Alt Text
Before uploading, name your files descriptively using relevant keywords (e.g., “custom-wedding-cake-bakery-nyc.jpg”). This gives Google more information on the relevance of your image.
Keep It Updated
Schedule a day once a quarter to upload new visuals to your GBP.
Manage Reviews Actively: Respond and Integrate Keywords
Customer reviews are a cornerstone of local SEO, primarily because of their outsized impact on communicating how trustworthy your business is to a customer or client who is on the fence or has never heard of you before. A business with consistent, high-quality reviews and active responses demonstrates credibility and commitment to customer satisfaction.
How to Manage Reviews Effectively
- Respond to All Reviews—Positive or Negative
- Responding to reviews shows customers you care and are engaged. Acknowledge positive feedback and resolve negative issues politely and promptly.
- Example: “Thank you, [Name], for sharing your experience! We’re glad you loved our gluten-free options.”
- Integrate Relevant Keywords Naturally
- While responding, feel free to include keywords relevant to your business, services, or location to reinforce your local SEO signals.
- Example: “We appreciate your feedback on our custom wedding cakes here in Chicago. We can’t wait to serve you again!”
- Encourage Customers to Leave Reviews
- Ask satisfied customers to share their experiences on Google. Use tools like short review request links provided in your Google Business Profile.
- Proactively request reviews through follow-up emails, receipts, or SMS campaigns.
- Monitor and Remove Spam Reviews
- Keep your reviews authentic by flagging inappropriate or fake feedback. Google provides tools to report and manage spam reviews.
- Track and Improve Your Review Strategy
- Use Google Insights to monitor review trends, star ratings, and engagement. Identify patterns and implement improvements to encourage consistent, high-quality reviews.
Pro Tip: Consistency and persistence is key in garnering as many reviews as you can.
Utilize Attributes and Q&A to Enhance Local Search Keywords
Google Business Profile (GBP) attributes and the Q&A section are two often-overlooked tools that can significantly improve your local SEO strategy by incorporating search-relevant keywords directly into your listing. These features not only enhance your profile’s visibility but also help answer potential customers’ questions and align with search intent effectively.
Why Attributes Matter for Local SEO
Attributes are specific details about your business, such as “Wheelchair Accessible,” or “Free Wi-Fi”, that customers look for when making decisions. These attributes:
- Highlight unique selling points and operational details about your business.
- Trigger keyword-rich snippets that improve visibility in Google Search and Maps results.
- Appeal to niche searches like “wheelchair accessible cafes near me” or “veteran-owned businesses in Chicago”.
Pro Tip: Regularly review and update your attributes to reflect seasonal changes, new offerings, or changes in policies (e.g., adding “Outdoor Seating” or “Contactless Delivery”).
How to Optimize the Q&A Section
The Questions and Answers feature allows both business owners and customers to ask and answer questions about your business. Proactively populating this section can optimize your profile with natural, keyword-rich content that answers common customer queries.
- Prepopulate Your Q&A
- Ask and answer frequently asked questions about your business. Use keywords naturally to improve relevance for search terms like “What are your gluten-free options?” or “Do you offer same-day delivery?”.
- Monitor and Respond Quickly
- Regularly check your Q&A to answer customer-submitted questions. Timely responses communicate the idea that your business is engaged and reliable. Ensure answers include relevant search keywords where appropriate. Please, no keyword stuffing. Just make it natural.
- Encourage Customer Interaction
- You can try asking happy customers to ask questions about specific products or services during their visits.
- Remove Misinformation
- Flag inaccurate or misleading answers submitted by others. Ensuring your Q&A remains accurate enhances trust and prevents confusion for potential customers.
By fully utilizing attributes and optimizing your Q&A section, you’re not just improving user experience—you’re integrating localized, keyword-rich content that can help dominate local search results.
Take Action and Dominate Local Search Today
Local SEO is more competitive than ever, but with the right strategies, you can ensure your business stands out, ranks higher, and attracts the right customers. By optimizing your Google Business Profile with features like Google Posts, attributes, high-quality visuals, and an engaging Q&A section, you’re building a strong local search presence that will drive both visibility and conversions.
Key Takeaways for Success:
- Leverage Every GBP Feature: Regularly update categories, services, attributes, and posts to communicate your relevance to Google.
- Engage Through Reviews and Q&A: Respond quickly, integrate keywords naturally, and monitor for accuracy.
- Utilize Visuals and Media: High-quality photos and videos will capture attention and improve search performance.
- Track and Adjust: Use Google Insights and Google Analytics to measure your success and optimize your approach.
Taking action on these local SEO strategies ensures your business not only meets Google’s ranking standards but also exceeds customer expectations. Local search is where the customer journey begins for local businesses—make sure your business is at the top of the results.
Sources:
- https://www.onthemap.com/blog/local-seo-stats/
- https://searchengineland.com/google-business-profile-suspension-reappeal-440524
- https://searchengineland.com/local-seo-new-locations-434942
- https://uberall.com/en-us/resources/blog/google-ranking-factors-to-watch
- https://searchengineland.com/how-to-pick-the-right-google-business-profile-categories-447898
- https://searchengineland.com/a-closer-look-at-local-search-ranking-factors-23712
- https://purevisibility.com/google-posts/
- https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038063
