Why Is Your Google Business Profile So Important?
You have a website. You have social media. Maybe you even show up pretty well when someone Googles your business name.
So why do I spend so much time talking about your Google Business Profile?
Because for a local business, it may be one of the most visible parts of your entire digital footprint.
When someone searches for your business — or searches for a service you provide nearby — your Google Business Profile can show your hours, phone number, website, location or service area, photos, services, reviews and more.
And your potential customer may use all of that information to make a decision before they ever visit your website.
Your Google Business Profile Is Often Your First Impression
Think about the last time you searched for a local business.
You probably didn't start by carefully reading five websites. You Googled something.
Maybe it was:
→ custom home builder near me
→ therapist in Lake Oswego
→ event venue in Portland
→ luxury realtor in First Edition
Then you looked at the businesses Google showed you.
That's where your Google Business Profile becomes incredibly important.
A potential customer can quickly see who you are, what you do, where you're located, when you're open, what other customers say about you and how to contact you.
Your website is still important. But your website isn't always the first place someone meets your business.
Sometimes Google is.
Your Google Business Profile Helps You Get Found Locally
Google looks at factors including relevance, distance and prominence when determining local search results.
In much simpler terms:
Does your business match what the person is looking for?
Are you reasonably close to the person or area they're searching?
Does Google have enough information to understand your business and what you do?
You can't control all of those things. You certainly can't move your business closer to every person searching!
But you can make sure your profile gives Google accurate information about your business.
And local doesn't just mean putting your city somewhere in your description. Your services, reviews, photos, website and the rest of your online presence can all help reinforce where you work and who you serve.
I have 5 ways to keep your Google Business Profile local if you want a few practical places to start.
Reviews Are a Big Part of Your Profile
Your Google Business Profile is also home to one of your most valuable forms of social proof: your Google reviews.
Someone comparing local businesses can quickly see your star rating, number of reviews, recent customer experiences and how you respond to customers.
Getting reviews doesn't need to be awkward or complicated. Start by making it easy for customers to leave one. Here's how to find your Google review link or QR code, along with some ideas for how to ask for Google reviews without feeling pushy.
And don't forget the other half of the equation: responding.
I have a simple guide to responding to Google reviews, plus a separate guide on how to handle negative Google reviews the right way.
Your Google Business Profile Connects Your Online Presence
I don't think of a Google Business Profile as a standalone marketing account.
It's one part of your larger digital footprint.
Your website says what you do. Your Google Business Profile says what you do. Your reviews talk about what you do. Other websites may mention what you do.
Ideally, those things make sense together.
If your website says you're in Lake Oswego, an old Google profile says Portland and another listing has an old phone number, you've made it harder for both people and search engines to understand your business.
That's why I care about the profile itself and how it connects to the rest of your online presence.
Your Profile Can Send Someone Straight to the Next Step
Someone who finds your business on Google doesn't necessarily need to visit your homepage first.
They may call you.
Get directions.
Read your reviews.
Look through your photos.
Visit your website.
Or book an appointment.
That's a pretty short path from:
“I need someone who does this."
to:
“This business looks like the right one."
to:
click. call. book. visit.
You want everything they see along that path to be accurate.
And sometimes adding something as simple as useful photos or video can help someone understand your business before they ever contact you. If you haven't used video on your profile yet, here's how to create a short video for your Google Business Profile.
You Should Actually Own Your Google Business Profile
Here's the less exciting — but very important — part.
You should know who owns your Google Business Profile.
I regularly find profiles that were created years ago using an old Gmail account, an employee's email address, a previous marketing company or another account the business owner rarely uses.
Everything can look perfectly fine from the outside until you need to make an important change or contact Google for support.
Take a few minutes to check who the Primary Owner of your Google Business Profile is.
If someone else helps manage your profile, you don't need to hand over your password. You can add a manager to your Google Business Profile instead.
And if you're working with Neat Freak Tech, here's how to give Neat Freak Tech access to your Google Business Profile.
Google May Ask You to Verify Your Business
At some point, Google may ask you to verify — or reverify — your business.
Don't panic when this happens, and don't start changing a bunch of information trying to get around it.
Google may give you different verification options depending on the business. Video verification is increasingly something business owners run into, and it helps to know what Google is trying to confirm before you start.
I put together a step-by-step guide to verifying your Google Business Profile to walk you through it.
Your Google Business Profile Isn't “Set It and Forget It”
Businesses change.
You move. Your hours change. You add services. You rebrand. You get new photos. Employees come and go. Someone creates another profile without realizing one already exists.
So every once in a while, actually look at your profile as a customer would.
Search for your business.
Check the information.
Read your reviews.
Click your website button.
Look at your photos.
And make sure the business Google is presenting still looks like your business today.
Start With the Basics
If you haven't paid much attention to your Google Business Profile lately, you don't need to overhaul everything today.
Start by finding your profile and checking your business information, ownership, categories, services, website, photos and recent reviews.
Then you can start improving it.
Because your Google Business Profile isn't just another account you had to create for your business.
For a local business, it's one of the places where Google, your customers and your digital footprint all meet.
Not Sure What Google Is Showing About Your Business?
That's exactly the kind of thing I look at.
I help local businesses sort out their Google Business Profiles, local search presence and the technology behind their digital footprint — including the account and ownership pieces that tend to get forgotten along the way.
