How to Use Google My Business for SEO

Your Google Business Profile is a free, powerful tool that acts like a mini-website right inside Google Search and Maps, and mastering it is one of the quickest ways to improve your local SEO. It’s often the very first thing a potential customer sees about your business. This guide will walk you through exactly how to optimize your profile to attract more customers, stand out from competitors, and drive real business growth directly from Google searches.

What is a Google Business Profile (and Why Does it Matter SO Much)?

You probably know it as Google My Business, but Google rebranded it to Google Business Profile (GBP). Semantics aside, it’s the profile box that appears in Google Search and on Google Maps when someone looks up your business name or searches for services you offer in your area (e.g., "plumber near me").

This isn't just a simple directory listing. It's a dynamic profile that feeds Google critical information about who you are, what you do, and where you're located. A well-optimized profile tells Google you're a legitimate, active, and trustworthy business. In return, Google is more likely to show your profile to people searching for your services - a digital handshake that puts you directly in front of ready-to-buy customers.

Think of it this way: ranking higher in the local "map pack" (the block of three business listings that appear for local searches) can generate more direct phone calls, website clicks, and foot traffic than a traditional top-ranking webpage.

Setting the Foundation: How to Create or Claim Your Profile

Before you can optimize anything, you need to have full control of your profile. Start by going to google.com/business.

• If you haven't created a profile yet: Follow the prompts to enter your business name, address, and other basic details.
• If a profile already exists for your business: You'll see an option to "Own this business?" Click it to claim the profile.

In both cases, you’ll need to complete a verification process. Google wants to confirm your business is legitimate and that you're an authorized representative. The most common method is receiving a postcard by mail with a verification code, though some businesses may be eligible for phone or email verification. Do not skip this step! An unverified profile has limited visibility and can't be fully optimized.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Optimizing Your Google Business Profile

Once you're verified, it's time to build out your profile. Every field you complete provides Google with more context about your business, helping it understand when and where to show you in search results. Think of your GBP dashboard as a checklist for success.

1. Get Your Core Information (NAP) Perfect

Your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) are the bedrock of local SEO. This information must be identical everywhere it appears online - on your website, on social media profiles, and in other directories like Yelp or Yellow Pages.

• Name: Use your actual business name. Do not stuff keywords here (e.g., "Joe's Plumbing - NYC Best Plumber"). Google considers this spammy and can penalize your profile.
• Address: Use your physical address. If you're a service-area business (you travel to customers), you can hide your address and set a service area instead.
• Phone Number: Use a local number if possible. Consistency is everything.

Any inconsistencies can confuse Google and hurt your rankings. A quick audit of your online presence will tell you if your NAP information needs correcting.

2. Pinpoint Your Categories

Categories tell Google what your business *is*. This is one of the most significant local ranking factors.

• Primary Category: This is the most important one. It should precisely describe the core service of your business. Choose the most specific option available from Google’s list. If you're a restaurant, don't just pick "Restaurant", pick "Italian Restaurant," "Mexican Restaurant," or whatever fits best.
• Secondary Categories: You can add up to nine additional categories. Use these to describe other services you offer. An "Italian Restaurant" might add "Pizza Delivery" and "Caterer" as secondary categories. Don't go overboard, add only what’s relevant.

3. Write a Keyword-Rich Business Description

You have 750 characters to tell your story in the business description field. While the first 250 characters are what users see before having to click "more," use the full space to your advantage.

Naturally weave in keywords a potential customer might use to find you. Don't just list them. Tell people what makes you unique. For example, instead of "We fix leaky pipes, clogged drains, water heaters," try something more engaging like: "For over 20 years, our family-owned business has provided friendly and reliable plumbing services across the city. From fixing frustrating leaky pipes and clogged drains to installing new energy-efficient water heaters, our team is here to help."

4. Bring Your Business to Life with Photos and Videos

Customers want to see who they're doing business with. Profiles with plenty of high-quality photos get more clicks, more calls, and are seen as more trustworthy. Aim to upload new photos regularly.

Types of Images to Include:

• Exterior Shots: Help customers recognize your storefront. Take photos from different angles and at different times of day.
• Interior Shots: Show off your space, your decor, and the overall atmosphere.
• Product/Service Shots: If you sell physical products, showcase them. If you offer a service, show your team at work. A painter can show before-and-after photos, a consultant can show a picture of them speaking at an event.
• Team Photos: Put a face to your brand. Professional headshots or a candid team photo can build a personal connection.

For videos, keep them short (under 30 seconds is ideal). A quick virtual tour, a customer testimonial, or a clip of your team at work can be very effective.

5. Use Special Features like Products, Services, and Menus

Depending on your business category, Google gives you specific sections to list what you sell. Use them! It's another chance to feed Google specific, keyword-rich information. Instead of burying these details in your description, you can create dedicated listings for each service or product, complete with pricing and a description. This makes your profile much more useful for customers and easier for Google to understand.

Ongoing Engagement: Putting Your Profile To Work

A "set it and forget it" approach won't cut it. Top-ranking Google Business Profiles are active and engaged. Google favors businesses that show they're responsive to their customers.

1. Create Instant Trust with Customer Reviews

Reviews are immensely important for social proof and local SEO rankings. Google wants to recommend businesses that people love.

• Actively Ask for Reviews: Don't be shy. The easiest way to get reviews is simply to ask satisfied customers. You can share your review link (found in your GBP dashboard) via email, on receipts, or through text message follow-ups.
• Reply to Every Review: This is non-negotiable. Thank customers for positive reviews. For negative reviews, stay professional, acknowledge their issue, and offer to resolve it offline. A thoughtful reply to a bad review can often win over more potential customers than a five-star rating alone. It shows you care.

2. Post Regularly with Google Posts

Google Posts are like mini-updates that appear directly in your business profile. You can use them to announce sales, showcase new products, share news, or link to a recent blog post. Posts are live for seven days (unless they're for an event), so you need a steady stream to stay current.

Posting consistently sends a strong signal to Google that your business is active. Use these posts to highlight what's happening *right now*. A bakery could post a picture of a fresh batch of morning croissants. A marketing agency could promote an upcoming webinar. Think of it as a small social feed built specifically for your local customers.

3. Manage Your Q&A Proactively

The Question & Answer section allows anyone to ask a question about your business - and anyone to answer it. This can be fantastic, but it can also be a source of misinformation if left unmonitored.

Take control by seeding your own Q&A section. Brainstorm the most common questions customers ask (About parking? Your return policy? Dietary options?) and post those questions yourself. Then, log in as the business owner and answer them thoroughly. This builds a helpful FAQ directly on your profile, saving you and your customers time.

4. Turn on the Messaging Feature

The messaging feature allows customers to send you a text message directly from your business profile. It's a low-friction way for someone to get in touch. If you enable this, be prepared to respond quickly. Google tracks "typical response time," and a fast response time can be a positive signal for your rankings and is an excellent customer service experience.

Final Thoughts

Your Google Business Profile isn’t just a listing, it's one of your most valuable assets for attracting local customers. By setting it up correctly, filling out every relevant section, and actively managing reviews, posts, and questions, you create a powerful flywheel for your local SEO that drives tangible results.

Just like keeping your Google Business Profile updated requires a steady rhythm of content, so do your social media channels. We originally built Postbase to solve this very problem for our own projects after getting frustrated with platforms built for a different era. Our simple, visual content calendar helps you plan and schedule all your social content for Instagram, TikTok, Reels, and more, all from one place. It helps you keep that momentum going without the headache.