How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile? – 9 simple rules!

March 16, 2024

Chris Bross

What is a Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is a tool that allows you to present your business in the local 3-pack and Google Maps.

Google My Business Local 3-pack and Google Maps local results.

When you create a GMB (Google My Business), you provide essential details about your company, such as:

Business name;
Physical location (mailing address);
Business hours (hours of operation);
Unique Business/Personal Phone number;
Website;
Business category (e.g., digital marketing agency);
Services offered;
Description;
Attributes (a.o., “wheelchair accessible,” “free Wi-Fi,” or “pet-friendly”);
Products (for some businesses);
Special hours or holiday hours;
Business photos;
Events (for some businesses).

The GMB profile also showcases customer reviews, photos, videos, and other relevant information.

By verifying your Google Business Profile, you prove its authenticity and gain more control over the details displayed. You can understand how customers interact with your profile using the “Insights” section.

Well-optimizing Google My Business Profile.

Good to know!

Google My Business optimization can increase your online visibility and attract more customers. Maintaining accurate information is crucial to ensure potential clients have the best connection experience with your business.

Why do you need to optimize your Google Business Profile?

Here are the essential advantages of Google Business Profile optimization:

Customers can leave you reviews

An optimized Google Business Profile provides customers with a platform to leave reviews, which can significantly influence the reputation of your business. These reviews contribute to the social proof that potential customers consider before purchasing. Moreover, consistent, positive reviews can improve your business’s visibility in search results, as Google’s algorithm favors businesses with higher ratings.

By actively managing your GMB and encouraging customers to leave reviews, you’re effectively endorsing transparency and customer engagement, which can lead to improved customer service and business practices.

Insights that give you many helpful data

Optimizing your Google Business Profile offers access to invaluable insights that can inform your marketing and operational strategies. The analytics provided include data on how customers are finding your business (whether through direct searches, discovery searches, or branded searches), what actions they are taking on your listing (such as requesting directions, visiting your website, or calling you), and where those customers are coming from.

These metrics allow you to understand your audience better, tailor your communications, and measure the impact of your digital presence. Additionally, by monitoring customer interaction trends, businesses can allocate resources more efficiently and improve ROI (Return On Investment).

Free visibility in local 3-pack

The coveted local 3-pack refers to the trio of businesses that appear at the top of Google’s search results for local queries, which can drive significant traffic and visibility. A well-maintained profile with accurate information, relevant keywords, high-quality images, and updated posts informs Google’s algorithm that your business is active and relevant to local searchers.

GMB optimization can boost your local search ranking, improve your online presence, and increase foot traffic, all without the expense of paid search advertising.

Google Business Profile helps you build trust and get a competitive advantage

Trust is the currency of the digital marketplace, and a fully optimized Google Business Profile fosters trust by presenting a professional and transparent image of your business. Accurate and detailed business information, alongside genuine customer reviews and high-quality images, conveys reliability and authenticity to potential customers.

By consistently updating and maintaining your GMB, you signal to both Google and your customers that your business is active and customer-centric. This can differentiate your business from competitors who may need to pay more attention to their online presence, thereby giving you a competitive edge in the eyes of consumers.

Well-optimized GMB boosts sales

A well-optimized Google Business Profile is a powerful tool for driving sales. By providing all the essential information at a glance—such as business hours, location, contact information, and services offered—potential customers are more likely to convert into actual customers. Local searchers are often ready to purchase, and a GMB that ranks well in search results positions your business right in their path.

Furthermore, features like Google’s ‘Product’ and ‘Services’ tabs allow businesses to showcase their offerings directly in the search results, which can shorten the customer’s journey from discovery to purchase. By capitalizing on the intent of searchers through a strategically optimized GBP, businesses can significantly enhance their sales potential.

Showcase business updates and offers

Maintaining an up-to-date Google Business Profile allows businesses to communicate timely updates and special offers directly to their audience. This real-time update capability is critical for keeping customers informed about the latest developments, such as new products, upcoming events, seasonal promotions, or changes in service offerings. By highlighting these updates, businesses can stimulate interest and re-engage customers looking for the latest deals or news.

It also demonstrates an active engagement in business operations, which can instill consumer confidence. Additionally, offers and updates can serve as a CTA (Call-To-Action) that prompts immediate interaction or purchase, leveraging urgency and exclusivity to drive traffic and sales.

Improves User Experience through a virtual tour

An optimized Google Business Profile can significantly enhance the user experience by incorporating features like a virtual tour of your premises. This immersive element allows potential customers to explore your business environment from the comfort of their own homes, providing a sense of familiarity and transparency before they even step foot in your establishment.

For businesses such as restaurants, retail stores, and hospitality services, a virtual tour can be a decisive factor in the customer’s journey. It adds a layer of interaction and personal touch, setting expectations and building a connection that static images cannot achieve. Ultimately, a virtual tour can differentiate your business and encourage customers to choose your services over competitors.

How to create a Google My Business Page?

Before starting GMB SEO, we recommend correctly creating a Google Business Page.

Firstly, go to google.com/business, log into your Google Business Account, and hit Manage now → Add business → Add single business.

Enter your business name and primary category for your business.

Building GMB profile.

In the next step, add your company location to allow potential customers to find your business in Google local searches.

Locations adding in GMB.

Then, determine whether you provide services outside your company. If so, add specific areas.

Contact details are significant for your clients. Enter your phone number, and add your website URL.

GMB contact details with website URL.

That’s all! You just have to verify your authenticity. Choose the business video, and hit Next. If you prefer another way to get verified, contact support.

The final step of GMB creation – business video verification.

Congratulations – you have pre-optimized your Google Business Profile!

To become visible in the local 3-pack for many search queries and get more traffic from local relevant searches, pay attention to the below 9 simple rules from EverEffect experts!

How to optimize Google Business Profile? – 9 simple rules!

Google Business Profile Optimization is entirely free and relatively easy. All you need is your commitment and some time (20 to 40 minutes). So, how to rank higher on Google Maps?

RULE 1: Complete all basic sections

Go to the GMB interface – verify and fill out crucial profile elements, a.o.:

Your business name,
Website URL,
Primary business category,
Address,
Business hours,
Phone.

GMB with all basic sections.

RULE 2: Present your standout attributes and prepare your business description

When choosing a category, Google will show you a list of attributes related to your industry, e.g.:

Wi-Fi,
Pet-friendly,
Family-friendly,
Takeout,
Delivery.

Attributes are fundamental to standing out your business and attracting customers. They show under the brief description of your company.

Google My Business attributes.

When optimizing the “from the business” section, Google automatically generates a well-crafted brief description.

RULE 3: Prepare a comprehensive business description

In the “from the business” segment, describe up to 750 characters long. Prioritize including vital information and keywords in the initial 250 characters. Consider pulling insights from the “About Us” page when formulating your business profile.

Remember!

Steer clear of using links or HTML code in the business description, and don’t duplicate content available in the other sections of your GMB profile.

Perfectly optimized business description.

RULE 4: Implement all your products, services, or dishes

Compose a listing with a minimum of three products. How to do it?

Open your local business profile,
Click Edit profile → Products.
Hit Add product,
Select products that you want to share with potential customers.

Product listing GMB.

Restaurant owners must find the Menu in the Business Profile and click Add (“+”). Next, you should add photos and names of your dishes (one by one). To finish, tap Done.

Greek restaurant menu in GMB Profile. Source: www.google.com

RULE 5: Include high-quality your company photos

Including high-quality photos can influence your business conversion rate, especially when you’re a restaurant owner. Add food pictures, but also take indoor and outdoor photos. Good practice is making a video that presents everything around.

GMB company photos.

RULE 6: Take care of reviews and high-quality visual User-Generated Content (UGC)

98% of consumers check reviews before buying. That’s why you need to take care of reviews. So, how can you get them?

Open www.google.com/maps,
Search your company,
Choose menu options in the top-left corner,
Hit “Share or Embed Map”.

The link that helps you give a review for EverEffect.

Copy the link and share it on your social media marketing. After clicking them, users can give you reviews.

We genuinely recommend answers for all signals from potential customers – negative and positive. To improve your company’s visibility in local search results, persuade users to give reviews with photos.

A comprehensive review with real-life photos.

Reviews with photos build a solid online presence and influence purchasing decisions.

One of the significant instances of user-generated content (UGC) is Top of The Rock, which has more than 115,000 photos from users.

Top of The Rock – GMB User-Generated Content.

RULE 7: Craft a comprehensive Answers & Questions business listing

The Answers & Questions section is an excellent addition to your business information.

Consider what your customers often ask, and create a comprehensive Q&A Google My Business list.

Google Business Profile Q&A.

As a business owner, trusted customer, or local guide, you can help users make an informed decision.

Q&A users’ answers in Google Business Profile.

RULE 8: Create special offers & events

Creating special offers and events is a fantastic way to engage customers and attract new ones through your Google My Business profile. These promotions can differentiate your business from competitors and incentivize potential customers to choose you.

Shared Big Ben events in Google Business Profile.

Additionally, consistently updating your profile with new offers and events can improve your visibility in Google search local ranking. Ensuring the offers are timely relevant, and provide genuine value to your target audience is essential.

Top of The Rock event to buy.

RULE 9: Use Google Business Profile like a social media

Sharing updates, news, and engaging content helps keep your audience informed and engaged. Not only does it boost visibility in Google search results, but it also establishes a dynamic relationship with your customers. Consistent posting portrays an active and attentive business, fostering trust among your audience.

Tattoo Studio’s latest updates.

Google My Business dashboard – what data does it provide?

Google Business Profiles provide many essential data. Using the GMB dashboard, you can see specific customer actions, views on maps, the most popular keywords that your local business is displayed for by potential customers, and crucial information about:

Direct searches,
Branded searches,
Discovery searches,
Total searches.

With a well-optimized Google Business Profile, you’ll also check reliable information regarding the photo views, photo quantity, and data when your business gets satisfied foot traffic.

Want to know more? Look at the below and learn the key metrics in the GMB dashboard and why you should track them.

What are the key metrics in the GMB dashboard, and why should you track them? – TOP 11

Important Google Business Profile metrics:

1. Customer actions

The customer actions graph includes a general overview of your customer behaviors after they find your business for the relevant keywords on the Google Business listing. Actions such as website visits, direction requests, and phone calls signify a higher level of interest, potentially leading to conversions.

By analyzing this data, local businesses can gauge the effectiveness of their listing’s appeal and adjust their CTA (Call-To-Action) strategies accordingly.

Understanding which actions are most frequent can also inform businesses about what customers value most, whether it’s easy to access to contact information or the ability to find directions to the physical location quickly.

2. Your business reviews & questions

Monitoring reviews and questions is vital for reputation management and customer engagement. Reviews serve as social proof, influencing potential customers’ perceptions and decisions. High ratings and positive feedback can significantly enhance a business’s credibility and attractiveness.

According to BrightLocal’s survey, 49% of consumers regard online reviews with the same level of trust as recommendations they receive from friends and family.

BrightLocal’s survey about reviews. Source: www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey

On the other hand, questions often represent direct customer engagement, providing an opportunity to display excellent customer service by responding promptly and helpfully. Furthermore, reviews and questions can offer insights into what customers appreciate or desire from your business, guiding improvements and service enhancements.

3. Direct, discovery, and branded searches

Direct, discovery, and branded searches help you understand how customers find your business on Google.

Direct searches typically indicate brand awareness, as these users directly type in your business name or address.

Discovery searches suggest visibility in broader categories or services, showing how well you capture the interest of potential customers who are less familiar with your brand.

Branded searches, where your brand is used along with other keywords, can indicate the strength of your brand’s association with specific products or services.

This data informs your search engine optimization and content marketing strategies, indicating where to focus your marketing efforts to improve visibility and brand recognition.

4. Total searches

The total searches metric provides an aggregate view of your visibility on Google, combining direct, discovery, and branded searches. This number reflects the overall reach of your GMB and can be a leading indicator of business growth potential.

Increasing total searches typically suggests higher brand visibility and growing interest in your products or services. Conversely, a decline may prompt a need to reevaluate and revamp your online presence. By tracking this metric, businesses can set benchmarks and goals for online performance and measure the impact of marketing campaigns and SEO efforts.

5. View on search

View on search offers information about potential customers that find your business through Google search. It indicates your business’s online visibility and is directly influenced by your SEO efforts. High views mean your business ranks well for relevant queries, while low views suggest a need for improved keyword optimization.

This metric helps understand which aspects of your online information attract attention. It can be leveraged to increase visibility, such as updating your business description posts or adding new photos to enhance engagement.

6. Views on maps

It’s about attracting customers via Google Maps. To find this metric, go to Maps views.

A high number of views can signal that your business is well-positioned to attract local customers searching for nearby services or products.

This metric can inform local SEO strategies and help you understand the importance of maintaining accurate and detailed geographical information, including business hours, to maximize local visibility and draw physical traffic to your location.

7. Total views

Total views mean combined views from both Google Maps & Google Search. This holistic view is essential for understanding the overall effectiveness of your listing and how well it captures user attention. If total views are high, your GMB is optimized well for online discovery.

Conversely, if they are low, it might signal that your information needs to be completed, updated, or engaging enough, prompting a need for optimization and updated content.

8. Photo views

Monitoring photo views is vital because visual content significantly impacts user engagement. Photos can capture the attention of potential customers and drive higher interaction rates. Elevated photo views may indicate that your visuals are appealing and resonate with users, potentially influencing their decision to visit your business.

This metric can also provide feedback on the quality and relevance of the photos you upload, guiding you to curate your visual content strategically to attract more views and, subsequently, more customers.

9. Photo quantity

The quantity of photos in your GMB is also worth tracking because it can affect user engagement and perceptions of your business’s activity and relevance. A higher number of quality photos can improve engagement, giving users a better understanding of your offerings and what to expect. It’s not just the quantity that matters but the diversity of photos that depict different aspects of your business, helping you to showcase your products, services, and the customer experience. A regularly updated photo gallery can also signal to potential customers that your business is active and attentive to providing current information.

GMB various types of photos. Source: www.google.com

10. Popular times

Going to the Popular times option, you’ll see when your business gets the most foot traffic. This information can help in business operations, including staff scheduling, inventory preparation, and promotional planning. It allows you to tailor your customer service and operations to handle peak times efficiently. Furthermore, by understanding foot traffic patterns, you can create targeted marketing campaigns to boost visits during typically slower periods, optimizing your business’s performance across all hours of operation.

11. Search queries

You can check here what are the most popular keywords that people use to search for your GMB. This data is invaluable for refining your SEO strategy and ensuring that your business information is aligned with the search terms that potential customers are using.

Understanding search queries can help you adjust your business’s listing to include relevant keywords, improving your search ranking and visibility. It can also shed light on emerging trends or shifts in consumer behavior, allowing you to adapt your marketing efforts to capitalize on new opportunities or address gaps in your current strategy.

Google Business Profile Insights or Google Analytics 4? – what to choose, and what’s the difference?

When determining whether to utilize Google Business Profile Insights or Google Analytics 4 for your business, it is imperative to understand that each tool serves distinct purposes and offers different insights into your digital presence. Your choice hinges on what aspects of your business’s online activity you aim to track and analyze.

Google Business Profile Insights:

You leverage Google Business Profile Insights primarily to glean information on how customers interact with your local business listing on Google. This includes data such as search queries to find your business, whether customers found you via Google Maps or Search, and what actions they took on your listing (e.g., website clicks, direction requests, or phone calls).
You assess performance metrics specific to your business’s visibility and customer engagement within the Google local search ecosystem. This will show how effectively your local SEO efforts are performing.
You obtain insights tailored for businesses with a physical location or local service area. These insights are crucial to enhancing local search performance and attracting foot traffic.
You track metrics over time, but you’ll notice that this tool offers a less comprehensive historical data view than Google Analytics 4. You typically can only go back up to a quarter in the past.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4):

You employ GA4 to analyze comprehensive user behavior across your websites and apps. This includes detailed reports on user acquisition, engagement, monetization, and retention.
You scrutinize user interactions to very granular events. GA4 is event-based and allows for more customized tracking of user actions beyond simple page views.
You can integrate data from web and mobile app properties to understand the entire customer journey across platforms. If cross-platform insights are what you’re after, GA4 is the more powerful choice.
You have access to predictive analytics using machine learning. GA4 can forecast user behavior, a significant advantage for advanced data analysis.
You benefit from a more robust privacy control environment. GA4 is designed to be more compliant with current and future privacy laws, and it provides more options for data collection without cookies.

Your decision should align with your business objectives:

If your goal is to optimize your local search presence, and you primarily rely on Google My Business to attract local traffic, Google Business Profile Insights is you are go-to.
If, however, you’re looking to obtain a deep understanding of user behavior across your digital properties, implement complex tracking, and perform predictive analytics, then Google Analytics 4 will better serve your needs.

In many scenarios, you’ll find that employing both in tandem gives you the most comprehensive view: Google Business Profile Insights for local search performance and Google Analytics 4 for overarching digital analytics.

Maximize Your Local Search Results with a Strong Google Business Profile

A comprehensive Google Business Profile Management Service will maximize local visibility and help you acquire new customers. Keeping GMB optimization rules from our article and regularly up-to-date information about your business is a great way to:

Scaling your company in the local market,
Getting ahead of the competition,
Winning new hot leads.

It’s time to optimize your Google Business Profile! Need help? Call us now at 888-506-2183. Develop a competitive advantage. With our help, you’ll earn more.

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile? – FAQ

What are the most common questions and answers about optimizing Google Business Profile?

1. What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is a free tool provided by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across the search engine and its maps. When optimized, it helps in enhancing visibility and connecting with customers.

2. Why are customer reviews important?

Positive reviews can boost credibility, while negative reviews offer improvement opportunities. You should regularly engage with reviews – responding professionally and addressing concerns.

3. How can I improve my business’s visibility?

Ensure your business information is complete and up-to-date. Add high-quality images, promote Google reviews, and utilize Google Posts to highlight promotions or events. Regularly check insights to analyze and adapt to customer behaviors.

4. Is it essential to add photos to my profile?

Yes, adding photos can significantly enhance your profile’s appeal. High-quality images give potential customers a visual representation of your business, helping them better understand what to expect.

5. Can I analyze the traffic to my Google Business Profile?

Yes. Google provides “Insights” within your profile dashboard. This tool shows how customers found you, which queries were used, and how they interacted with your profile. Use GMB data to refine your strategies.

6. What happens if my business relocates?

If your business relocates, promptly update your address in your Google Business Profile. This ensures customers get accurate directions. If they change, remember to update other contact details like phone numbers or operational hours.

7. Can promotions or offers be highlighted on my profile?

Use Google Posts to showcase promotions, events, or offers directly on your profile. This feature can help drive traffic and sales by drawing attention to timely and unique offerings.