Google Business Profile (GBP) is the most important free marketing tool for local businesses. When someone searches for your type of business in their area, your GBP listing appears in Google Maps and local search results—often before any website links.

This guide covers everything you need to optimise your Google Business Profile for maximum visibility and customer engagement.

Why Google Business Profile Matters

Your GBP listing is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. It appears in:

Local pack: The map results showing 3 businesses at the top of local searches
Google Maps: When people search for directions or explore an area
Knowledge panel: The information box that appears when someone searches your business name
Google assistant: Voice search results for local queries

Setting Up Your Profile

Claiming and Verifying

If you haven’t already, claim your listing at business.google.com. Verification options include:

Postcard mailed to your business address
Phone verification
Email verification
Video verification (for some businesses)

Verification proves you’re the legitimate owner and gives you control over your listing.

Completing Your Profile

Complete every available field:

Business name: Exact legal name (no keyword stuffing)
Address: Precise location for accurate map placement
Phone number: Local number preferred over toll-free
Website: Your main business website
Hours: Accurate operating hours including special days
Categories: Primary category plus additional relevant categories
Attributes: All applicable attributes for your business type
Description: Compelling summary of your business (750 characters)

Choosing the Right Categories

Categories directly affect which searches you appear for:

Choose the most specific primary category that fits
Add secondary categories for additional services
Don’t add categories that don’t genuinely apply
Review categories periodically as Google adds new options

Adding Photos and Videos

Visual content significantly increases engagement:

Logo: Your business logo for brand recognition
Cover photo: Eye-catching image representing your business
Interior photos: What customers experience inside
Exterior photos: Help customers find you
Team photos: Show the people behind the business
Product/service photos: Showcase what you offer

Upload new photos regularly—businesses with recent photos appear more active and trustworthy.

Writing Your Business Description

Your description should:

Clearly explain what your business does
Highlight unique selling points
Include relevant keywords naturally
Mention service areas if applicable
Stay within the 750 character limit

Avoid promotional language, pricing, or special offers—these belong in posts instead.

Using Google Posts

Google local pack showing business listings

Google Posts let you share updates directly on your listing:

What’s new: General updates about your business
Events: Upcoming events with dates and details
Offers: Special promotions and discounts
Products: Featured products or services

Post at least weekly. Posts expire after 7 days (except events), so consistency matters.

Managing Reviews

Reviews directly impact both rankings and customer decisions.

Getting More Reviews

Ask satisfied customers directly
Send follow-up emails with review links
Create a short URL for easy sharing
Train staff to ask at appropriate moments
Make leaving reviews as easy as possible

Responding to Reviews

Thank every positive reviewer personally
Respond to negative reviews professionally
Address concerns and offer to resolve issues
Never argue or get defensive
Respond promptly—ideally within 24 hours

Q&A Section

The Q&A section lets anyone ask and answer questions. Take control:

Seed it with common questions and your answers
Monitor for new questions regularly
Upvote helpful questions and answers
Correct any inaccurate information

Products and Services

Add your products and services with:

Clear names and descriptions
Pricing information where appropriate
High-quality photos
Links to relevant website pages

Messaging

Enable messaging to let customers contact you directly through your listing. Set up:

Quick response expectations
Automated greeting messages
FAQs for common enquiries
Business hours for availability

Tracking Performance

GBP provides insights including:

Search queries that led to your listing
Views of your profile
Actions taken (calls, website clicks, directions)
Photo views and engagement
Comparison to similar businesses

Review these metrics monthly to understand what’s working and what needs improvement.

Common GBP Mistakes

Keyword-stuffed business name: Violates guidelines and risks suspension
Inconsistent information: Different details across platforms
Ignoring reviews: Unanswered reviews signal poor customer service
Outdated hours: Wrong hours frustrate customers
No photos: Listings without photos get less engagement
Inactive profile: No posts or updates suggests business may be closed

Advanced GBP Strategies

Once basics are covered, optimise further:

Add detailed service descriptions with keywords
Use booking buttons if available for your category
Create Google posts around trending local topics
Add special hours for holidays in advance
Use attributes to highlight unique features

GBP and Your Website

Your GBP and website should work together:

Ensure NAP (name, address, phone) matches exactly
Link GBP to location-specific landing pages
Use consistent service descriptions
Display the same photos where appropriate

Combined with strong local SEO, an optimised GBP drives significant local visibility.

Getting Professional Help

Managing GBP effectively takes ongoing effort. Our SEO services team handles Google Business Profile optimisation as part of comprehensive local SEO campaigns.

We ensure your profile is fully optimised, actively maintained, and working hard to attract local customers. Contact us to discuss how we can help maximise your local search visibility through GBP and broader local SEO strategies.

Your Google Business Profile is your most visible local marketing asset. Invest the time to optimise it properly and maintain it consistently. The returns in local visibility and customer enquiries are well worth the effort.

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GBP for Multi-Location Businesses

Businesses with multiple locations need separate GBP listings for each:

Create unique profiles for each physical location
Use location-specific photos and content
Ensure each listing has accurate, unique information
Consider a location group for easier management
Monitor reviews and messages for each location separately

Service Area Businesses

If you serve customers at their locations (like plumbers or mobile services):

Choose “Service area business” in settings
Define your service areas by suburb or radius
You can hide your physical address if you don’t serve customers there
Ensure your service area is realistic and accurate

Dealing with GBP Issues

Common problems and solutions:

Suspended listing: Review guidelines, submit reinstatement request
Duplicate listings: Request merger through support
Incorrect information: Report edits through GBP dashboard
Fake reviews: Report for violation of guidelines
Hijacked listing: Contact Google support immediately

GBP and the Future of Local Search

Google continues evolving GBP with new features. Stay informed about updates and implement new features early for competitive advantage. The businesses that master GBP dominate local search results and win the customers searching for services in their area.

Don’t leave your local visibility to chance. Optimise your Google Business Profile today and start attracting more local customers tomorrow.

Local SEO Beyond GBP

While GBP is essential, it’s part of a broader local SEO strategy:

Website optimisation: Location pages targeting local keywords
Local citations: Consistent listings across directories
Reviews: Building reputation across multiple platforms
Local content: Community-focused content marketing
Local links: Building authority from local sources

GBP works best as the foundation of comprehensive local SEO. When your profile, website, and citations all work together, you dominate local search results.

Measuring GBP Success

Track these key metrics to measure your GBP performance:

Discovery searches: People who found you searching for categories
Direct searches: People who searched for your business name
Website clicks: Visits driven from your listing
Direction requests: People looking for your location
Phone calls: Calls made directly from your listing
Photo views: Engagement with your visual content

Compare performance month over month. Look for trends and correlate changes with your optimisation efforts.

Seasonal GBP Strategies

Adjust your GBP throughout the year:

Update hours for holidays well in advance
Create seasonal posts and offers
Add seasonal photos showing your business year-round
Promote relevant seasonal services
Engage with seasonal events in your community

Businesses that keep their profiles current and relevant throughout the year build stronger connections with their local community and appear more active to potential customers.

Your Google Business Profile represents your business in one of the most important places online: local search results. The effort you invest in optimising and maintaining it directly impacts how many potential customers find you, trust you, and ultimately choose you over competitors. Start optimising today.

Taking the First Step

If you haven’t yet claimed your Google Business Profile, do it today. It’s free, and the potential impact on your local visibility is enormous. If you already have a profile, audit it against this guide and identify opportunities for improvement.

Every day without an optimised GBP is a day your competitors have an advantage in local search. Every missing photo, unanswered review, or outdated hour listing is a missed opportunity to connect with potential customers.

Local customers are searching right now. Make sure they find you. Your Google Business Profile is the gateway—optimise it to welcome them in and turn searches into customers.

Ready to maximise your local search presence? Contact our team to discuss comprehensive GBP optimisation and local SEO strategies tailored to your business and service areas.

The businesses winning local search invest in their Google Business Profile consistently. Make that investment today and watch your local visibility grow.

Google Business Profile Optimisation: Complete Guide