Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is a free tool for listing and managing a business's information on Google Search and Google Maps; it was formerly named Google My Business. Businesses register details such as name, address, hours, category, reviews, and photos to optimize their visibility in local search.
- Google Business Profile is a free tool for surfacing and managing a business's information across Google Search and Google Maps; it was renamed from Google My Business in late 2021.
- Google's own documentation states that local search rankings are determined by three factors: relevance, distance, and prominence.
- Complete and accurate business information, an accurate category, and review count and ratings all directly affect placement in the local pack (the top three local results).
- Because Google states plainly that there is "no way to pay for or request a better local ranking," the key is to consistently maintain information accuracy and operational signals.
Overview
Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free tool for managing how a business appears on Google Search and Google Maps. You can add and edit details such as business name, address, phone number, hours, category, reviews, photos, and posts, and that registered information feeds directly into local search results and Maps results. In late 2021, Google renamed the existing Google My Business to Google Business Profile and moved most profile management out of a separate app and directly into Google Search and Maps.
GBP matters for local SEO because it is the core data source for the local pack: for searches with local intent ("cafe near me," "dentist in Gangnam," and the like), Google groups the top three businesses alongside a map. If profile information is inaccurate, a business may fail to appear at all for relevant searches.
Local Ranking Factors
According to the official Google Business Profile help documentation, Google determines local search results based on the following three factors.
| Factor | Meaning | How to optimize |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | How well a profile matches the search query | Enter complete, detailed business information and an accurate category |
| Distance | How far each business is from the searching user | Register an accurate address and location pin (the location itself cannot be changed) |
| Prominence | How well known a business is | Improve review count and ratings, and earn external links that point to the business |
Google explains that "prominence refers to how well known a business is, and more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking." Google also states clearly that "there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google" (source: Google Business Profile Help).
Key Optimization Signals
The signals that both the official help documentation and industry analysis consistently emphasize are as follows.
- Complete and accurate information: Google states that "businesses with complete and accurate information are easier to surface in local search results." Filling in address, phone, category, and hours without gaps is the starting point.
- NAP consistency: Business Name, Address, and Phone should be identical across the profile, the website, and external directories. Even small discrepancies work against visibility.
- Category: The primary category is a high-impact field that governs which searches the profile appears in. Choose the category that most accurately represents the core of the business.
- Reviews: Review count and positive ratings act as prominence signals. Responding to reviews also indicates that the profile is being actively managed.
- Verification: Verifying ownership of the business increases the likelihood of search visibility.
- Up-to-date hours: Keeping hours current, including special hours, helps both customer experience and the signal of active management.
Local Pack Impact
For searches with local intent, Google surfaces a local pack (map pack) that shows the top three businesses alongside a map. Most of the data in this area is pulled from Google Business Profile, so how well a profile is optimized directly determines its chances of entering the local pack. The three factors above (relevance, distance, and prominence) work in combination rather than in isolation to form the ranking, and because distance alone is not decisive, a more distant business can rank above a closer one if it has greater relevance and prominence.
Implementation Checklist
- Verify ownership of the business.
- Enter the business name, address, phone, website, and hours completely and accurately.
- Set the primary category to best match the core of the business, and add secondary categories as needed.
- Align NAP information with the website and external directories.
- Steadily earn reviews and respond to all of them.
- Regularly update photos of the actual storefront, products, and services.
- Keep hours current, including special hours such as holidays.
- Maintain profile activity with posts, offers, and updates.