The Small Business Guide to Google Business Profile Optimization

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first impression potential customers have of your local business. This guide will help you optimize your profile to attract more local customers.

Claim and Verify Your Profile

The first step is ensuring you have control of your business listing:

• Search for your business on Google to see if a listing already exists
• Claim your listing through Google Business Profile Manager
• Complete the verification process (usually via postcard, phone, or email)
• If you have multiple locations, use bulk verification

Complete Every Section of Your Profile

Profiles with complete information are more likely to appear in local searches:

• Business name (use your exact legal business name)
• Primary category (be as specific as possible)
• Secondary categories (add all relevant options)
• Address (if you have a physical location)
• Service area (if you serve customers at their location)
• Hours of operation (including special hours for holidays)
• Phone number (preferably a local number)
• Website URL (ideally a location-specific page if you have multiple locations)
• Products and services (be comprehensive)
• Business description (use all 750 characters)
• Opening date (builds credibility for established businesses)
• Attributes (payment methods, accessibility features, etc.)

Add High-Quality Photos and Videos

Businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for directions and 35% more website clicks:

• Cover photo (your primary image)
• Logo (for brand recognition)
• Exterior photos (from different angles and at different times of day)
• Interior photos (showcasing your space)
• Product photos (highlighting what you sell)
• Team photos (building trust and connection)
• At work photos (showing your services in action)
• Short videos (15-30 seconds) demonstrating your products or services

Aim to add at least 10 photos initially and update with new photos monthly.

Manage and Respond to Reviews

Reviews significantly impact both your ranking and customers' decisions:

• Respond to all reviews, positive and negative, within 24 hours
• Thank positive reviewers and address concerns in negative reviews
• When responding to negative reviews, be professional and offer solutions
• Develop a strategy to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews
• Never offer incentives for reviews (violates Google's policies)

Create Google Posts

Google Posts allow you to share updates directly on your Business Profile:

• What's New posts (general updates, blog posts, news)
• Offer posts (promotions with start/end dates)
• Event posts (upcoming events with date/time)
• Product posts (showcase specific products)

Posts expire after 7 days (except events and offers), so post weekly for best results.

Use the Q&A Feature Proactively

The Q&A section appears prominently in your profile:

• Add your own FAQs and answer them
• Monitor for new questions and answer quickly
• Upvote helpful questions and answers
• Flag inappropriate questions or answers

Set Up Messaging

The messaging feature allows customers to contact you directly:

• Enable messaging in your profile settings
• Set up automated welcome messages
• Ensure someone monitors messages during business hours
• Aim to respond within 24 hours

Add Products and Services

Showcase what you offer directly in your profile:

• Add your full product/service catalog
• Include prices if they're fixed
• Add high-quality images for each item
• Organize products into collections

Monitor Insights and Make Adjustments

Use the data Google provides to refine your strategy:

• Track how customers find your listing (direct searches vs. discovery)
• Monitor which actions customers take (calls, website visits, direction requests)
• Analyze photo views compared to competitors
• Identify peak days and times for customer interactions

A well-optimized Google Business Profile is one of the most powerful tools for local businesses. By implementing these strategies, you'll improve your visibility in local search results and provide potential customers with the information they need to choose your business.