Google Business Profiles (formerly Google My Business) used to be a tool only for hyper-local businesses like cafes or beauty salons. But with the rise of mobile and “near me” searches in the last few years, creating a Google My Business account has become a foundational step for every business online.
If someone searches for your product or service on Google—whether on a mobile or with a location-specific keyword like “lawyer boston”—the Map Pack featuring top Google Business Profiles (GBPs) is going to show up at the top of the search results. If your GBP isn’t optimized to show up in this key search area you will miss out on a lot of customer traffic.
What is a Google Business Profile?
A Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows you to create a profile that shows your business information in Google Maps and search results.
Most businesses already have a GBP, whether created by the business owner or generated by Google based on information found online, forming a business listing that needs to be claimed and verified. Regardless of how the profile was created, you need to claim and verify your Google Business Profile and optimize it if you want to get the most out of this digital asset.
If you’re not sure if you have a GBP or you haven’t claimed and verified it yet, you’ll find a resource here.
Why You Need an Optimized GBP
The online marketplace is more competitive than ever and just having a Google Business Profile isn’t enough to stand out; an optimized Google Business Profile is essential. For businesses that want to show up in Google’s Map Pack rankings and get a lot of organic traffic, a fully optimized (and managed) GBP is key—and here’s why:
Huge Traffic Potential
For some of our clients, their GBP accounts for up to 50% of their organic website traffic, significantly enhancing their visibility in Google search. Click-through rates from Map Pack rankings can even outperform those from standard page-one listings—double the engagement.
Quicker Local Ranking Gains
Ranking in the Map Pack is often faster and less resource-intensive than ranking a website page. While ranking website pages can take months (or even years) of work, optimizing your GBP can deliver local search ranking results faster if other factors are consistent.
Not optimizing your GBP means you’ll miss out on a lot of organic local traffic and new leads. To help you claim and get the most out of these opportunities we’ve put together step-by-step instructions to help you optimize your profile.
How to Optimize Your GBP for Better Google Maps Rankings
Google evaluates three key factors when ranking businesses for local search results:
- Relevance: Does your business match what the user is searching for?
- Distance: Are you near the user?
- Prominence: How well-known and reputable is your business?
Understanding and leveraging these factors is key to getting your GBP to show up in local search results. Just like optimizing your website, investing time and effort into your Google Business Profile will give you measurable results in traffic and visibility.
Optimizing Your GBP – Step by Step
Business Name
Your business name on Google Business Profile (GBP) is important for two reasons. First it’s an optimization opportunity. Second it’s part of your NAP—Name, Address, and Phone number.
Make sure to keep your business name consistent across your GBP and your website and other listings. Consistency is key to Google knowing your business is reliable and to deliver accurate results. When creating your business name try to include your product or service and location if it fits. For example instead of “Jones & Partners” you might use “Jones & Partners NYC Accountants”. But don’t overdo it with the keywords as that won’t work for long.
Business Category
Choosing the right primary category for your GBP is the foundation of optimization. Choose 2-3 relevant categories that match your business and what your target audience is searching for.
Analyse your competitors in the Google map pack to see which categories are working or use tools like Pleper’s Category Helper for specific recommendations. Enter your business info and target search terms and the tool will assess competitors to suggest primary and secondary categories. Focus on the top 2-3 most used categories for best results.
Description
Your business description is another optimization opportunity. Use it to describe what you offer, including your primary search terms, location, and related keywords. Write a compelling and short description that explains your business’s value – why customers should choose you. Don’t keyword stuff but include enough relevant terms to get visibility while sounding natural and professional.
Opening Date
Adding your opening date shows how long your business has been around and completes your GBP. It’s a small but important detail that builds trust with potential customers.
Phone Number
Keep your phone number consistent across all platforms—your GBP, website, and citations. Make sure you use the exact same format (e.g. +1 123 456 7890) to avoid confusion. Consistency builds trust and improves your local SEO.
Website
Linking from your GBP to your website is a must. For businesses with one location use your homepage URL. For businesses with multiple locations link each GBP to the corresponding location page on your website.
Also adding UTM tracking to these links can give you insights into the traffic your GBP is driving to your site. For example, you can add ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gmb&utm_id=website to your URL to track traffic in Google Analytics.
Booking
Use the “Booking” option on your GBP to direct users to booking pages or forms and reduce customer effort and increase conversions. Add tracking to these links as well to measure their performance. For example ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gmb&utm_id=booking.
Social Profiles
Google now allows you to link your social media profiles to your GBP. Including these links completes your profile and allows potential customers to connect with your business on their preferred platform. It also boosts your online presence and engagement.
Shortname
The shortname makes it easy to share your GBP profile by turning the long Google URL into a memorable one. Choose a recognizable and short name that represents your business, e.g. g.page/GrapefruitSEO.
Business Location
For businesses with a physical address listing your location on GBP is essential for customers to find you. If you’re a Service Area Business (e.g. a plumber) you can define the areas you serve. Consistency of your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) is key to Google ranking your profile correctly.
Service Areas
Even if customers visit your physical location specifying the areas you serve increases your chances of showing up for searches in those areas. Cover all relevant locations, starting with your local area and expanding outwards to reflect your reach.
Opening Hours
Provide accurate and up-to-date business hours to build credibility so customers know when to contact you. Don’t forget to add Special Hours for holidays or temporary changes (e.g. training days or short-term closures).
More
The “More” section allows you to add business attributes such as wheelchair accessibility, women-owned business, or LGBTQ+ friendly. Completing these fields makes your profile more informative and attractive to customers who value these attributes.
Services
List the services your business offers. Include detailed descriptions and where applicable pricing. This helps customers understand what you offer and gives Google more data to match your profile to search queries.
Products
Retail businesses can feature their products, and food and drink businesses can feature detailed menus with images. This will improve rankings, and customer conversion rates and make your business stand out on visual search listings.
Photos
A strong visual presence sets your GBP apart. Include a good selection of professional images of your business space, team, products, or completed projects. Optimize these images with descriptive file names (e.g. jones-partners-nyc-office-logo.png) and consider geotagging them for better results. Additionally, regularly publishing Google Posts can enhance your business visibility and attract user interactions.
Website Updates
Once you’ve optimized all the elements of your Google Business Profile (GBP) the final step to get better map pack rankings is to refine your website.
If your site is already optimized much of the information on your website will already match what you’ve put in your GBP. But to get the best results ensure consistency between your profile details and the page it links to.
Start by putting your GBP title in the meta title of the linked page. Optimize the page’s headings, meta descriptions, and on-page content to match your target keywords and locations. Also make sure the business name, address, and phone number (NAP) in your page footer or other areas match the information in your GBP. Embedding a Google Map or direct link to your GBP on the page can also be useful.
From our experience profiles that match the content on their corresponding web pages perform much better in search.
Quick Summary
Here’s a quick checklist to optimise your Google Business Profile:
- NAP: Match name, address and phone number across your GBP, website and third-party citations.
- Business Name: Optimise for your product/service and target location.
- Business Category: Choose the most relevant and accurate industry category.
- Description: Write a compelling sales pitch for your product/service and location.
- Opening Date: Include your business’s opening date to build credibility.
- Phone Number: Match the phone number listed with the number on your website.
- Website Link: Use a location specific URL with UTM tracking.
- Booking Options: Add links for booking services with UTM tracking.
- Social Profiles: Link your active social media profiles to increase engagement.
- Shortname: Use a memorable shortname to reinforce your branding.
- Business Location: Add the physical address for customer visits.
- Service Areas: Add service areas for businesses with or without a storefront.
- Hours: Include standard hours and special opening times.
- Attributes: Add any relevant business features or amenities.
- Services: Write detailed descriptions for main services.
- Products: Share product details, menus for food and drink where applicable.
- Photos: Upload high-quality images, logo, header and other visuals with descriptive file names.
- Website Updates: Ensure consistency between your webpage and GBP details.
Ongoing Optimisation
Optimizing a Google Business Profile isn’t a one-off task – it’s an ongoing process. While following this checklist will get you noticeable results for your profile in the map pack, continued effort is required for long-term results.
Reviews
Reviews are a key factor in map pack rankings. It’s not just about getting 5-star reviews but about getting a steady stream of positive reviews over time. Businesses in competitive markets may need 20, 50, or 100+ reviews to stay competitive and profiles with a history of consistent reviews tend to rank higher.
To increase your review count:
- Set up systems to ask customers for reviews.
- Use the review request link in the GBP editing section.
- Respond to all reviews left for your business, including the negative ones. Responding shows you care about your service or product.
Updates
Active profiles tend to rank higher and get more user engagement, so it’s crucial to manage your Google Business Profile correctly. Consistent updates keep your profile fresh and current. You can post updates about what’s new, special offers, or other news to keep your audience interested in your business.
Q&A
Check the Questions & Answers section of your GBP. Respond to any questions as soon as possible, timely and accurate answers can convert enquirers into customers.
Offers & Events
Got a special offer or an event coming up? Use the Offers and Events feature to promote discounts, sales or occasions to drive more traffic to your business or website.
Citations
Building business listings and citations is another way to boost your profile’s performance. List your business on industry-relevant directories and ensure your NAP is the same across all platforms. This will increase your visibility and business prominence – a key factor in local SEO.
GBP Optimisation Can Be A Big Win
The map pack in Google’s search results is a big opportunity for businesses to get organic traffic. With optimization, GBP rankings can improve quickly and drive both digital and foot traffic.
Follow the optimization steps in this guide and you’ll get your profile in the map pack. Consistent optimization, regular updates, engaging with customers, and positive reviews will keep this source of leads and traffic coming in over time.
Ready to get the most out of a fully optimized business profile? Get in touch today!