How to Get to the Top of Google My Business

Want your business listed in that valuable Google Local Pack at the top of search results? Climbing the local rankings is all about making Google confident that you are the best answer for a potential customer's search. This guide shows you exactly how to optimize your Google Business Profile, step-by-step, to stand out from the competition and attract more local foot traffic.

Build a Rock-Solid Foundation: The Complete Profile

An incomplete profile is the fastest way to get ignored by Google. The algorithm favors businesses that provide the most complete and accurate information. Your first task is to fill out every single section available to you with an obsessive level of detail. Think of your profile as a digital storefront, you wouldn't leave shelves empty, so don't leave your profile blank.

Nail Your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP-W)

The single most important signal for local SEO is NAP-W consistency: Name, Address, Phone, and Website. The information you list on your Google Business Profile (GBP) must be a perfect match with the information on your website and across every other online directory (like Yelp, Apple Maps, etc.).

• Name: Use your actual, real-world business name. Do not stuff keywords here (e.g., "Main Street Cafe - Best Coffee and Lattes"). This is against Google's guidelines and can get your profile suspended.
• Address: Use the exact physical address that customers visit. Make sure formatting for "Street," "St.," "Suite," or "#" is identical everywhere. If you're a service-area business without a storefront, you can hide your address and set a service area radius instead.
• Phone: Use a local number if possible, as it sends a stronger location signal.
• Website: Link directly to your website's homepage or specific location page if you have multiple branches.

Choose Your Categories Wisely

Categories tell Google what your business is. This is a powerful ranking factor in your profile, so get it right.

• Primary Category: This is your most important choice. Select the one category that best describes your core business. If you’re a pizzeria that also serves pasta and sandwiches, your primary category is "Pizza restaurant," not just "Restaurant." Be specific.
• Secondary Categories: Add any other relevant categories that describe what you offer. Using our pizzeria example, you could add "Italian restaurant," "Sandwich shop," and "Food delivery service" as secondary categories. Add as many as are legitimately applicable.

Go into Detail with Services and Products

Don’t just tell Google you’re a “Hair Salon.” Use the ‘Services’ or ‘Products’ tab to list everything you offer in detail. Name each service (e.g., "Men's Haircut," "Balayage," "Bridal Updo") and write a short, keyword-rich description for each one. This helps you show up for highly specific searches, like “balayage specialist near me.” The same goes for products, if you sell physical goods, list your top items with high-quality photos and prices.

Show, Don't Just Tell: Photos and Videos

People want to see what they’re getting before they visit. Profiles with abundant, high-quality photos get more clicks and engagement. Don't rely on a couple of stock photos, use real images that show off your business.

• Exterior Photos: Help people recognize your storefront. Take shots from different angles and at different times of the day.
• Interior Photos: Show what it feels like to be inside. Showcase the ambiance, seating areas, and special features.
• Team Photos: Introduce your staff! It adds a human touch and builds trust.
• Photos of Your Work/Products: The most important category. If you're a restaurant, stunning food photography is a must. If you're a contractor, before-and-after shots are powerful.
• Video: Upload short (under 30 seconds) videos to give a virtual tour, showcase a process, or introduce your team. Video content captures attention and keeps people on your profile longer - a positive ranking signal.

Aim to add new photos every week to keep the profile fresh.

Become the Most-Reviewed Business in Town

Reviews are the lifeblood of a healthy Google Business Profile. They heavily influence your ranking and provide the social proof needed to turn a searcher into a customer. Google sees a steady stream of positive reviews as a strong signal that your business is legitimate, active, and valued by the community.

How to Get More Google Reviews (The Right Way)

First, what not to do: Never offer incentives in exchange for reviews (it's against Google's policies) and never gatekeep (meaning only sending review links to people you know had a great experience). Just ask everyone.

• Create and Share Your Review Link: Inside your GBP dashboard, Google provides a direct link you can share with customers to make leaving a review easy.
• Ask at The Right Time: The best time to ask is right after a positive interaction - when a customer pays a compliment, right after they complete a purchase, or in a follow-up email after a service.
• Subtle Physical Reminders: Place a small sign or QR code at your checkout counter or on your receipts that says, "We'd love your feedback on Google!"
• Email Signature: Add your Google review link to your team's email signatures.

Master the Art of Replying to Reviews

You absolutely must respond to every review you receive - the good, the bad, and the neutral. Responding shows that you care about customer feedback. It also gives you another opportunity to use relevant keywords naturally.

• For Positive Reviews: Thank the customer by name. Mention the specific service or product they enjoyed (e.g., "Thanks, Jane! We're so glad you enjoyed the caramel latte. Hope to see you again soon!"). This reinforces your offerings for Google and future readers.
• For Negative Reviews: This is a chance to win back trust. Always start by apologizing for their negative experience and thanking them for the feedback. Never get defensive. Take the conversation offline by offering a way to connect directly ("We take this seriously. Please email us at contact@email.com so we can make this right."). This shows prospective customers you handle problems professionally. It's often more about how you respond than the initial bad review itself.

Keep Your Profile Fresh with Google Posts

Google loves fresh content, and Google Posts are your direct channel for feeding its algorithm. Posts are like mini-articles or social media updates that appear directly in your profile. They are a powerful way to announce promotions, highlight specific services, or share company news. Using them consistently signals to Google that your business is active and engaged.

Creating Posts That Get Clicks

Don't just post for the sake of posting. Create content that provides value and encourages action.

• Types of Posts: You can create Updates, Offers, and Events. An "Offer" post is great for a weekend sale, while an "Event" post is perfect for an upcoming workshop or open house. Most of the time, you'll use "Updates" to share news or highlight a product.
• Use a Strong Visual: A clear, bright photo or simple graphic will make your post stand out.
• Write an Engaging Headline: Make the first few words count. Instead of "New Product," try "Our New Fall Collection Just Arrived!"
• Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Every post needs a goal. Use the built-in CTA buttons like "Learn More," "Call Now," or "Shop" and link them directly to the relevant page on your website.

Try to publish at least one new post every week. It reminds Google that your business is active while giving potential customers a reason to choose you.

Proactively Manage your Q&A Section

The "Questions & Answers" section on your profile is often forgotten, but it’s a goldmine. Not only can potential customers ask questions, but anyone can answer them. If you're not paying attention, you risk having incorrect information posted about your business.

The best strategy is to take control of this feature yourself. Make a list of the top 10-15 questions you get from customers all the time. Questions about parking, hours for specific services, accessibility, or pricing policies are perfect.

Then, ask those questions on your own profile and immediately answer them. This process, known as "seeding Q&A," lets you control the conversation and provide immediate, accurate answers to common queries, improving the user experience and saving your team time.

Strengthen Your Local Authority Off-Google

Google doesn't just look at your profile, it looks for signals about your business from all across the web to verify who you are, what you do, and that you're a legitimate local entity. Two major ways to do this are through citations and local links.

The Power of Consistent Citations

A "citation" is any online mention of your business's Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP). These often appear in online directories like Yelp, Apple Maps, Foursquare, and industry-specific sites. Google uses these citations to verify your location data. Just like with your website, it's very important that your NAP is exactly the same across every directory where you're listed. Inconsistencies can confuse Google and hurt your rankings.

Building Local Links

A link from another website to yours is a vote of confidence. A link from another local website is even better. Look for opportunities to get links from other well-respected local sources. A few ideas include:

• Joining your local Chamber of Commerce and getting listed in their directory.
• Sponsoring a local charity event or youth sports team.
• Partnering with a local blogger or news publication for a feature.
• Getting listed on a "best of" list for your city or industry.

These links tell Google that you're a real, active part of the local community, which reinforces your right to rank for local searches.

Final Thoughts

Getting to the top of Google’s local results comes down to providing the most detailed information, building social proof through reviews, keeping your profile active with fresh content, and establishing your legitimacy across the web. Treat your Google Business Profile like a second website, give it the consistent attention and care it needs, and you’ll be rewarded with more visibility and more customers.

With so many platforms demanding your attention - from GMB to Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts - managing everything can feel overwhelming. We built Postbase to eliminate the chaos of modern social media management. By using our visual calendar and reliable scheduler for your social content, you can free up valuable time to personally handle the high-touch tasks that drive your Google ranking, like thoughtfully responding to reviews and engaging with customer questions.