How to Get More Calls from Google My Business

Getting your phone to ring is often the number one goal for a local business, and your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is one of the most powerful tools to make that happen. If your profile is feeling more like a static business listing than a lead-generating machine, this guide will fix that. We'll walk through actionable strategies to turn those profile views into actual, paying customers on the phone.

Start with a Flawless Foundation: Nailing the Basics

You can't get calls if your information is wrong or incomplete. Before moving on to more advanced strategies, double-check that your profile's foundation is rock-solid. This is the low-hanging fruit that many businesses surprisingly miss.

Lock Down Your Core Information

This sounds obvious, but a tiny mistake here can make your call button useless. Go through your profile's "Edit profile" section with a fine-toothed comb.

• Verified Phone Number: Is your primary phone number correct, formatted properly, and without any typos? This number is THE call button, so treat it like gold. Use a local number if possible, as it builds more trust with local searchers.
• Business Name &, Address: Make certain your business name and address are identical to how they appear on your website and other major directories. Consistency in your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) across the web is a huge trust signal for Google.
• Business Hours: Incorrect hours are a major source of customer frustration. If someone calls during your listed "open" hours and gets no answer, you've lost them. Update your hours for holidays, special events, or any other changes to avoid this.

Choose the Right Categories

Your business category tells Google what kind of searches your business is relevant for. If you're categorized incorrectly, you won't even show up for the people who need to call you.

• Primary Category: This is the most important one. It should be the most specific and accurate description of your core business. Think "Plumber" instead of "Home Services," or "Italian Restaurant" instead of just "Restaurant."
• Secondary Categories: Don't skip these. Add any other relevant categories that describe other facets of your business. A plumber might add "Water Heater Repair Service" or "Drain Cleaning Service." This helps you appear in more specific searches from people ready to take action.

Make Your "Call" Button the Star of the Show

Once your foundation is solid, it's time to make the action of calling you as easy and appealing as possible. Google gives you several tools right within your profile to encourage and direct clicks to the call button.

Use Google Posts to Create a Reason to Call Now

Think of Google Posts as free mini-ads that appear right on your profile in search results. They are perfect for driving immediate action. Don't just post updates, create compelling offers that encourage a phone call.

• Create an "Offer" Post: Run a special promotion with an explicit call-to-action (CTA). For example, a landscaping company could post: "Limited Time Offer! Get 15% off spring clean-up services. Mention this ad when you call to book your spot!" Then, be sure to add the "Call" button to the post.
• Create a "What's New" Post: Announce something new and tie it to a phone call. A fitness studio could post: "Our new yoga class schedule is live! Give us a call now to reserve your mat for the 6 PM class - spots are filling up fast!"
• Pro Tip: Posts expire, so make a habit of refreshing them at least once a week. An active post feed signals to both Google and customers that your business is active and open.

Enable Messaging (and Use It to Funnel to a Call)

Some potential customers are hesitant to pick up the phone right away. They might have a quick question first. Enabling Google's messaging feature lets them start a conversation with you via text. This is a low-friction way to start a conversation that you can then guide toward a phone call.

When a person messages with a complex question like, "I'm looking for a new patio design, what are my options?" you can respond with: "That's a great question! There are several options depending on your space and budget. The easiest way to walk you through them is over a quick 5-minute call. Is now a good time?"

Build Unshakeable Trust That Leads to Calls

People don't call businesses they don't trust. A complete but empty profile feels sketchy. Your next job is to fill it with social proof - reviews, photos, and answers - that makes a potential customer feel confident dialing your number.

Aggressively Pursue and Respond to Reviews

Reviews are perhaps the single most important trust factor on your profile. A steady stream of recent, positive reviews is often the deciding factor between a prospect calling you or your competitor.

• Make it Easy: Don't just hope for reviews, ask for them. After a successful job or happy customer interaction, send them a direct link to your GMB review page. You can find this by searching your business, clicking on your GMB listing, and hitting the "Get more reviews" button.
• Respond to Every Review: This is non-negotiable. Thank customers for positive reviews. For negative reviews, respond professionally, acknowledge their concern, and offer to resolve the issue offline. Seeing a business owner engage with feedback shows you care and that there's a real person on the other side. This builds immense trust even for people just browsing.

Use the Q&A Section Proactively

The Question &, Answer section is often underutilized. Don't wait for people to ask questions, seed this section yourself with common queries you get from customers. This not only preemptively answers their questions but also gives you another opportunity to guide them to a call.

Example of a pre-seeded Q&,A:

Question: "What's the best way to get a quote for a new roof?"
Answer (from you, the owner): "Thanks for asking! We provide free, no-obligation quotes. The best way to get started is to give our office a call at 555-123-4567. We can usually get someone out to you within 24 hours to take a look."

By controlling the questions and answers, you control the narrative and can direct users to the exact next step you want them to take.

Showcase Your Value with Services, Products, and Visuals

Why should someone call you? A generic profile doesn’t give them much to go on. Use GMB's features to show off exactly what you do and how well you do it, giving them a compelling reason to pick up the phone.

Detail Your Services and Products

A bare-bones profile makes you look like every other competitor. Filling out the "Services" or "Products" section in glorious detail sets you apart and gives customers the confidence that they're calling the right person for the job.

• Add All Services/Products: Go deep. An HVAC company shouldn't just list "AC Repair." They should list "Emergency AC Repair," "AC Tune-Up," "Ductless Mini-Split Installation," and every other specific service they offer.
• Include Descriptions and Prices: For each service, write a short, clear description of what's included. If you have set prices, add them. Price transparency can build instant trust and encourage a call from someone who is tired of vague estimates.

Upload High-Quality Photos and Videos

People are visual. A profile filled with compelling, recent imagery builds immediate credibility. Photos show, they don't just tell.

• Photos of Your Work: Before-and-after shots are golden for contractors, salons, and designers. Restaurants should have professional-quality photos of their dishes.
• Photos of Your Team: Showcasing friendly, smiling team members makes your business feel more human and approachable.
• Photos of Your Location/Vehicle: A clean, professional storefront or a branded work vehicle signals legitimacy. A photo of your truck with your phone number on the side reinforces the call-to-action!
• Consistency is a must here. Aim to add new photos every week or two. GMB favors active profiles, and a steady stream of new images is a strong signal of activity.

Track Your Clicks to Measure Success

How do you know if any of this is working? Google gives you the data. Inside your Google Business Profile Manager, click on "Performance" to see valuable insights.

In this section, you'll find a breakdown of how customers interact with your profile, including key metrics like:

• Calls: The total number of clicks on your call button.
• Website clicks: Clicks to your site.
• Directions: Requests for directions to your business.

Pay close attention to the "Calls" metric. Keep a simple spreadsheet tracking your calls month over month. As you implement the strategies in this guide - publishing more posts, adding services, getting new reviews - you should see that call number start to climb. If it's not, revisit the different sections of your profile that might still have gaps.

Final Thoughts

Turning your Google Business Profile into a call-generating powerhouse isn't about some secret trick, it's about being thorough, active, and trustworthy. A fully optimized profile that clearly communicates your value, backed by social proof, gives potential customers every reason to stop searching and start dialing.

Optimizing your GMB profile is a powerful way to make your phone ring, but it works best as part of a complete online presence. The same customer who finds you on Google will often glance at your social media to see if you're a real, active business. Staying consistent and engaged on those platforms builds the trust that turns a search into a phone call. Because we know that juggling multiple social channels can be a job in itself, we built Postbase to help you manage all that content in one simple place - from planning an entire campaign in a visual calendar to replying to your community in a unified inbox.