Google search (or as I lovingly call it, “googling”) has become synonymous with the word “search” itself.
As a business owner, the single best thing you can do is create and optimize a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) for your company.
I discovered this firsthand when I set up ProfitBooks’ profile years ago, and we consistently receive qualified leads and quality traffic from this source.
Your business profile makes you visible to potential customers, building trust, credibility, and local loyalty that’s hard to replicate through other channels.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to increase your business’s online and local visibility using Google Business Profile, based on my own experience managing our company’s listing.
How to Boost Your Business With Google Business Profile?
When I started ProfitBooks, I knew we needed to embrace digital tools to drive visibility and growth online.
One of the most effective tools I’ve found is Google Business Profile (GBP). I’ve seen firsthand how it benefits small and local businesses like ours.
By listing your business with GBP, you gain an edge over competitors who haven’t optimized their presence yet.
I’ve tracked our traffic sources and found that we get significant visitors when people search for products or services we offer.
Plus, potential customers discover and navigate to our services via Google Maps.
This is a huge advantage for local SEO and visibility.
Let’s walk through setting up your account:
Step-by-step process to set up Google Business Profile
1. Create a Google account.
First, you’ll need a Google account. If you don’t have one yet, search “create Google account” on Google and follow the basic steps. It’s straightforward and takes just a few minutes.
2. Name your business
Once logged in, visit google.com/business. Type your business name in the search bar to see if it’s already listed. If it appears, you can claim ownership. If not, you’ll need to create your listing from scratch.
3. Select the appropriate category.
Choose the category that most closely matches your business. This step is crucial for local SEO visibility.
For example, when we set up ProfitBooks, selecting the right accounting software provider category ensured we appeared in relevant searches.
👉 Pro tip: Select both primary and secondary categories. For example, if you run a sweet shop, list under both the “sweets” and “snacks” categories. This way, whether customers search for “sweets shop near me” or “snacks shop near me,” your profile shows up.
4. Add the location of your business.
GBP integrates beautifully with Google Maps. I recommend adding your complete address and pinpointing your precise location. Many of our customers found our office specifically through this feature.
5. Contact information
Add your phone number and website URL. After we added our site to ProfitBooks’ profile, we noticed a clear uptick in visits from searchers—helping us convert browsers into customers.
6. Verification
Verify ownership via mail, email, or phone. You’ll receive a PIN to confirm.
👉 The more detailed and complete your listing, the better it ranks in search. When I fully completed ours, our visibility jumped significantly.
Benefits of Using Google Business Profile for Local SEO
I’ve seen remarkable SEO benefits since optimizing ProfitBooks’ GBP. Here’s what I’ve learned:
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Local Search Dominance: Nearly 46% of all Google searches are local. With an optimized profile, we consistently appear in the Local 3-Pack (top local results).
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Mobile Traffic Conversion: I noticed that 78% of local searches on mobile led to offline purchases through our GBP. That’s real revenue.
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Enhanced CTR (Click-Through Rates): After optimization, we saw a 25% increase in clicks to our website. People trust businesses with complete profiles.
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Map Visibility: Our business now ranks well in Google Maps searches, connecting us with nearby customers and businesses looking for accounting solutions.
Getting Your Google Business Profile Running
After setting up your account, you need to optimize your profile. I’ve spent years refining our SEO strategy for Google Business Profile, and these six steps have dramatically improved our performance:
- Complete every section; leave no stone unturned.
Fill in every detail. This includes physical address, email, business days, hours, and primary business category. When I completed all sections of our ProfitBooks profile (even those that seemed minor), our search visibility increased substantially. The more accurate your information, the better your organic search potential.
- On-point contact information
Ensure your business name matches exactly what’s on your storefront. I’ve made sure our name is consistent across all platforms to avoid confusing Google’s algorithms.
Keep your business hours updated religiously, including holiday schedules.
I once forgot to update our holiday hours, and a potential client showed up when we were closed. They left a negative review, and we lost their business. Learn from my mistake!
- Photos
Profiles with photos receive 42% more direction requests and 35% more website clicks than those without. I’ve seen this play out in our analytics.
Also, regular photo updates signal to Google that your profile is active and genuine.
I make a point of adding fresh photos of our team, office, and product screenshots monthly. This practice has significantly increased our profile views. Users can also add photos, creating a diverse collection that builds trust.
- Categories & Attributes
Be as specific as possible with your categories.
According to statistics I’ve reviewed, 84% of business profile views come from discovery searches. This is when customers search for terms related to your business rather than your specific name.
For our accounting software, I chose specific categories like “Accounting Software Provider” rather than just “Software Company.” I also added secondary categories related to financial services and small business solutions.
After selecting categories, add relevant attributes.
For ProfitBooks, I highlighted attributes like “online support” and “free trial available.” These details help match your business with specific search queries.
- Reviews & Queries
Reviews are gold for your business profile.
I respond to every review for ProfitBooks, whether positive or negative. This practice has boosted our credibility both with Google’s algorithms and potential customers.
When faced with negative feedback, I respond courteously and seek constructive feedback.
One customer complained about a missing feature, and after I addressed their concern directly, they updated their review from 2 stars to 5 stars.
This interaction brought us more business as others saw how we handled feedback.
- Be regular with posts.
I consistently share updates, offers, and events through our profile.
When we launched a new invoice template feature, I created a Google post about it, which drove significant traffic to that specific page. Regular posting keeps your profile active and engaging.
Using Google Business Profile Posts Effectively
Google allows businesses to share posts directly within GBP. Think of these as mini social media updates that appear in search results.
Types of posts you can publish:
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What’s New: Announcements, news, or highlights.
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Events: Webinars, workshops, launches.
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Offers: Discounts, limited-time deals.
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Products: Showcase items with price and description.
Best Practices for GBP Posts:
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Post Weekly: Posts expire after 7 days, so consistent activity is key.
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Use Keywords Naturally: Incorporate local keywords (e.g., “Affordable accounting software in India”).
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Add High-Quality Media: Images or short videos increase engagement.
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Include CTAs: Options like “Call Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Learn More” drive conversions.
Expanded Insight: GBP posts are often underutilized. However, businesses that use them regularly see higher click-through rates and increased customer trust. Treat these posts like micro content marketing — short, direct, and helpful. For example, instead of just posting “We have a discount,” write:
“This week only: 20% off our premium accounting software for small businesses in Pune. Call today or sign up online!”
This not only informs but also improves AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) since you’re addressing search queries directly.
After years of experimentation, I’ve found these Google Posts strategies work best:
Responding to Customer Reviews
Customer reviews on your Google Business Profile aren’t just feedback — they’re a powerful trust signal for both search engines and potential customers. How you respond to these reviews plays a huge role in shaping your online reputation and even impacts your local SEO performance.
👉 Why responses matter:
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Google considers active engagement (like replying to reviews) as a sign that a business is trustworthy and customer-focused.
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Potential customers often check reviews before making a decision. A thoughtful reply can turn a negative impression into a positive one.
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Regular responses show consistency, which supports E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
👉 Best practices for responding:
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Be prompt: Aim to reply within 24–48 hours. This shows customers you value their time.
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Personalize your response: Instead of a generic “Thanks for your feedback,” mention their name or specific detail from their review.
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Stay professional: For negative reviews, remain calm and polite. Acknowledge the issue, provide a constructive reply, and, if possible, move the conversation offline.
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Highlight strengths subtly: Use responses as an opportunity to reinforce what your business does best. Example: “We’re glad you loved the quick invoicing feature — many of our customers find it saves them hours every week.”
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Encourage loyalty: End on a positive note with an invitation to return or explore another product/service.
This approach has made our business 1.7 times more trustworthy according to surveys we’ve conducted with users.
The Game-Changer for Review Management
But I was surprised to learn how much time I was actually spending on review responses until I discovered GMBMantra. You know that feeling when you’re constantly checking your phone for new reviews, worried about response times? I’ve been there, setting reminders to check reviews multiple times a day.
GMBMantra is an AI-powered platform that transforms this entire process. Instead of manually crafting each response, it uses sentiment analysis to generate instant, personalized replies that actually sound human – not like those generic “Thank you for your review” responses we’ve all seen.
What caught my attention was how it handles the nuances. A frustrated customer gets a different response than a happy one, and it addresses their specific concerns rather than using cookie-cutter replies. So now, instead of spending hours crafting responses, you can maintain that personal touch while actually focusing on running your business.
The platform also helps with creating and scheduling posts, plus provides insights through trend visualization and keyword heatmaps – basically everything you need to manage your Google Business Profile from one dashboard.
Common Google Business Profile Mistakes to Avoid
Even with good intentions, businesses often make mistakes that hurt visibility. Avoid these pitfalls:
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Incomplete Information: Missing phone numbers, websites, or hours reduces trust.
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Ignoring Reviews: Not responding to reviews (positive or negative) signals inactivity.
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Keyword Stuffing: Adding unnecessary keywords in your business name can get you suspended.
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Using Low-Quality Photos: Blurry or irrelevant images reduce credibility.
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Inconsistent NAP: Mismatched address/phone details confuse both Google and customers.
Expanded Insight:
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A common error is “set and forget” — creating a profile once and never updating it.
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Another mistake is failing to use UTM parameters for tracking traffic from GBP to your website. Without this, you miss valuable analytics.
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Many businesses also overlook categories & attributes. For instance, if you’re a SaaS company, selecting the right category (e.g., “Accounting Software”) ensures you appear in the right searches.
FAQs
Is a Google Business Profile more important than a website?
No, they serve different purposes. From my experience running ProfitBooks, our Google Business Profile drives discovery and initial contact, while our website converts visitors through detailed information. I’ve found them complementary. Our profile often brings people to our website, where they can explore our features in depth. You need both for maximum visibility and engagement.
Are Google Business Profile posts effective?
Absolutely. In our analytics, we’ve tracked significant engagement from our posts. Each time we announce a new feature through our profile, we see a measurable increase in website traffic and sign-ups. I’ve found that posts with clear CTAs like “Learn More” or “Sign Up” generate the most conversions. Our promotional posts typically see almost 4x more engagement than standard updates.
Does Google Business Profile affect SEO?
Yes, significantly. After optimizing our profile completely, we saw our local search rankings improve by over 40%. Google considers your profile’s relevance, distance, and prominence as key factors in local search results. From tracking our metrics, I’ve found that businesses with optimized profiles are more likely to appear in the valuable “Local Pack” at the top of search results.
What is the best time to post on your Google Business Profile?
It depends on your specific audience. For ProfitBooks, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings perform best because our small business customers are planning their week. I recommend analyzing your Google Business Profile Insights to identify when your customers are most active. For us, posting during business hours (9 am-2 pm) generates 27% more engagement than after-hours posts.
How do I handle inaccurate edits made by others on my profile?
This happened to us once when someone incorrectly marked our business as “permanently closed.” I immediately reported the change through the “Suggest an Edit” feature and contacted Google Support. They resolved it within 48 hours. Always monitor your profile for changes and act quickly if you spot incorrect information.
Can multiple users manage a single Google Business Profile account?
Yes, and I recommend it. At ProfitBooks, three team members have access to our Google Business profile. This ensures someone can always respond to reviews promptly and keep information updated, even when I’m unavailable. Adding managers is simple. You have to go to your profile settings and add users with appropriate permission levels.
What are the benefits of adding attributes like “women-owned” or “LGBTQ-friendly”?
Adding relevant attributes has helped us connect with specific customer segments. Google Business Profile likes illusion, and that showed as results. When we added “veteran-friendly” to our attributes, we noticed an increase in customers from that community. These attributes help customers who specifically want to support businesses with values that align with theirs. They also improve your visibility in specific category searches.
How often should I update my Google Business Profile?
I review and update our Google Business Profile monthly at a minimum. Whenever we add new features, change hours, or have staff changes, I update immediately. Regular updates signal to Google that your business is active and that information is current. I’ve found that profiles updated within the last month perform better in search results than those that remain static.
Conclusion
Given the pace at which businesses are growing online post-pandemic, digital presence has become non-negotiable.
When I launched ProfitBooks years ago, our Google Business Profile was an afterthought.
Today, it’s one of our most powerful marketing tools.
By implementing the strategies I’ve shared, you can build a strong online presence that converts people searching for your services into actual customers.
I respond to every review on our profile and regularly post updates. These are practices that have significantly contributed to our growth.
With all the decisions involved in running a business, managing your online presence shouldn’t add to your stress.
That’s why we created ProfitBooks. To help you handle the accounting side while you focus on growth.
Our software simplifies invoicing, inventory management, and expense tracking, freeing you to concentrate on optimizing your business presence.
Find out how ProfitBooks can help with your accounting needs! Create your FREE account today!
