What's your experience with using Google My Business to improve your local SEO? Share a helpful tip or insight.

Question

Discover essential strategies to boost your local online presence with Google My Business and Local SEO. This comprehensive guide offers valuable insights from industry experts on optimizing your business profile, enhancing visibility, and dominating local search rankings. Learn how to leverage advanced techniques, from strategic post timing to building a systematic review process, that will set your business apart in the competitive digital landscape.

Peter Wootton · Answer

Using Google My Business (or Google Business Profile, as it's now called) has been one of the most effective tools I've used for improving local SEO - especially for businesses like law firms that rely heavily on location-based searches.
One thing that really stood out to me early on was how powerful the "Posts" feature can be when used consistently. Most people set up their profile, verify it, and maybe update their hours now and then - but then leave it. What I found worked really well was treating the profile almost like a mini blog or noticeboard. We'd post short updates about recent cases (nothing confidential), legal tips, community involvement, or changes in legislation that might affect local clients.
It sounds simple, but those posts help signal to Google that the business is active and engaged. We also made a habit of uploading fresh photos—of the office, the team, community events, even just day-to-day working life. It adds a personal touch and helps people feel more connected before they even make contact.
Another big win came from regularly requesting and responding to reviews. It's not just about getting five stars - it's the volume, recency, and how you respond. We always made sure replies were personal, not templated. That two-way interaction, visible right on your profile, can really influence someone who's choosing between two local firms.
So if I had to give one tip: don't treat your Google Business Profile as a one-time task. Keep it alive. Post updates, upload photos, and respond to questions and reviews. It's simple, it's free, and it sends all the right signals to both Google and potential clients.

Giselle Aguiar · Answer

The Google Business Profile (GBP) is essential for any local business. It's connected to Google Maps. This is an invaluable tool if you have a local brick-and-mortar business where customers visit your physical location.
Your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) need to be identical on your GBP, as well as your website, social media profiles, and any other local listings you may be in. You must be verified.
GBP allows you to include your services and/or products, how you wish to be contacted, and if you book appointments, you can link to your booking system.
However, it may be challenging if your business is located inside another business, and you don't have outside signage or a suite number. The original business in that location will own the GBP, and you cannot post to it unless the owner grants you access. Otherwise, Google will consider your listing as a duplicate and won't make it live. This recently happened to a client of mine. She needs to work something out with her landlord or add herself as a health and wellness practitioner.
Some big pluses of having a GBP are reviews, pictures, videos, and posting directly to it in updates. Also, make sure your branding is consistent throughout.
If you blog regularly, you can set up a tool like Dlvr.it to automatically post to GBP using your RSS feed.
If you are a home-based, local business or an e-commerce store, you can still have a GBP. You'll have to submit your physical address and wait to be verified. Just set your profile to not show your home address.
All in all, do not ignore your Google Business Profile!

Mei Ping Mak · Answer

My experience with using Google My Business has been great, and it helps improve my local SEO rankings and increase my clients' business visibility on Google Search and Maps. Here are some of the benefits and tips on optimizing it:
Firstly, it helps with confirming that your business is legitimate. The verification process itself signals to Google and users that you're an authentic operation. This foundational trust is crucial. Beyond legitimacy, GMB acts as a powerful information hub, directly feeding Google's Knowledge Panel and Local Pack results. This means potential customers get accurate, up-to-date information like business hours, services offered, your exact location, and contact details instantly, reducing friction and encouraging engagement. We've seen significant increases in calls, website visits, and direction requests directly attributable to well-optimized GMB profiles.
For optimizing, my top tip, beyond complete and accurate information (especially NAP - Name, Address, Phone), is to actively manage and leverage the Q&A section and customer reviews. Proactively populate the Q&A with common questions and provide clear, concise answers. This not only helps customers but also allows you to strategically include relevant keywords. When it comes to reviews, encourage happy customers to leave them, and always respond professionally to all reviews, positive or negative. This shows you value customer feedback and are engaged, which Google rewards and potential customers appreciate. Also, consistently use Google Posts to share updates, offers, or news; it keeps your listing fresh and engaging.

Francesca Bandini · Answer

Google My Business has been a powerful tool in our local SEO efforts, especially for helping clients stand out in saturated local markets. While the basics like keeping NAP details accurate, uploading photos, and collecting reviews are essential, we go a step further with tactics that most businesses overlook.
One unique method we use is treating the Q&A section as an extension of our content strategy. Instead of waiting for potential customers to ask questions, we seed the section with common queries using localised and service-related keywords. For example, for a client offering 24/7 emergency plumbing in Southend, we add a question like "Do you offer emergency plumbing services in Southend at night?" and follow up with a clear, keyword-optimised answer. This not only adds useful information for users but also helps the listing surface for long-tail and voice search queries. It is especially effective for service-based businesses where searchers often ask detailed, location-specific questions.
Another underused tip is geotagging images before uploading them to the listing. When we add photos of the office, staff, completed projects, or branded vehicles, we embed GPS coordinates relevant to the business's physical location. This gives Google stronger geographic signals, which can help listings appear more prominently in the local map pack. It is particularly helpful when trying to expand visibility just beyond the immediate area.
We also regularly post updates with calls to action, such as special offers or seasonal services, and format these posts in a way that matches trending local search intent. Over time, this consistent optimisation builds authority and engagement with the listing, helping to outperform competitors who let theirs go stale.
Combining these small but strategic optimisations with ongoing review management and category targeting has led to measurable gains in impressions, calls, and map actions for many of our local clients. Google My Business is more than just a directory listing. When used proactively, it becomes a high-impact local visibility tool.

Heinz Klemann · Answer

Google My Business is an absolute must-have for local SEO. In fact, it's one of the most valuable "backlinks" you can get - and one that Google itself gives a lot of weight to.
From my experience, the most important factor isn't just having a profile, but how well it's optimized. The business description, product or service listings, and the general text you include play a huge role in how you rank locally.
One tip that always works — even if it's not the prettiest - is what I'd call "reasonable keyword stuffing." In other words: include every relevant service or product keyword directly in your profile, especially in the description and product sections. Do it in a way that still sounds human, but don't hold back. Old-school SEO rules still apply here. If it's not in your Google Business profile, you probably won't rank well for it. It's as simple as that.

Haley Gallerani · Answer

One of the most overlooked advantages in real estate SEO is how prominently Google Business Profiles show up in search results. When someone types in "real estate agent in [city]," they don't see Zillow or Realtor.com first—they see the Google Map Pack. These profiles appear above the organic search results, which means that even if massive platforms like Zillow dominate the regular rankings, your local profile can outrank them visually and functionally.
At Real Estate Rankers, we've worked with agents across the U.S. to optimize their Google Business Profiles as part of their overall local SEO strategy, and the results have been dramatic.
The number of 5-star reviews and how frequently you receive them can make the difference between showing up in the top 3 or being buried below the fold. We recommend building a post-closing system that automatically asks satisfied clients to leave a review, ideally using language that includes your city and service. For example, "We loved working with [agent name] as our real estate agent in Charleston."
Photos also matter more than most realize. Regularly updating your profile with high-quality images of you, your listings, local landmarks, or community events gives Google more visual signals that your business is active and relevant to the area. Make sure your address, phone number, and hours are correct, and use your exact business name as it appears everywhere else online. That consistency supports your authority in Google's local algorithm.
If you're a real estate agent who wants to compete locally without relying on paid ads or national platforms, your Google Business Profile is where it starts.

Shubham Raj · Answer

At Machintel, we've seen firsthand how Google My Business (GMB) can significantly enhance local SEO, especially when paired with a structured content and data strategy. For one of our mid-sized clients in the hospitality sector, optimizing their GMB profile—by regularly updating business hours, adding high-quality images, and actively responding to reviews—led to a 38% increase in local search visibility within three months.
Our approach goes beyond listing management. We integrate GMB insights with first-party data to tailor hyperlocal content and retarget high-intent users. For example, by analyzing keyword trends from GMB's performance data, we adjusted the client's local content strategy to target "near me" and city-specific searches—boosting their local map pack presence.
What stands out is how GMB complements full-funnel marketing when used correctly. While it's often treated as a checklist item, we treat it as a dynamic local engagement tool—backed by data, media, and AI.

Matt Bowman · Answer

My experience with Google My Business (GMB) has been very positive—especially when it comes to strengthening local visibility in map packs and organic search.
The standout benefit: the ability to directly influence how and when a business appears for "near me" or geo-specific search queries. GMB gives businesses a front-row seat on Google's real estate, and when optimized, it consistently drives qualified local traffic with strong intent.
A unique tactic that's worked well for us is what I call "Geo-Intent Layering." Instead of just stuffing location keywords into the business description or posts, we align every update—photos, Q&A, posts, and even service area selections—with real local user behavior data from Google Search Console and Maps insights. It's hyper-relevant content, published natively on the GMB profile, that's rooted in real local demand.
I've learned that consistency in review cadence beats volume bursts. Businesses that earn reviews steadily—even if fewer—tend to maintain stronger visibility than those that receive them in sudden spikes.

Daniel Reparat Bort · Answer

Google My Business has been a core part of our local SEO strategy, and one of the most effective elements we've consistently leveraged is reviews.
We've seen firsthand that businesses with a steady stream of recent, high-quality reviews tend to rank better in the Local Pack, especially in competitive industries like law, healthcare, or home services.
One tip that works incredibly well: build a review collection system into your customer journey. For our clients, we identify the key moment when a customer is happiest (for example, right after a legal case closes or a service visit is completed), and that's when we ask for a review.
To make it easy, we recommend they use:
• A direct review link
• A QR code they can place at their reception or include on invoices
• Email/SMS templates to follow up with the client
We've had clients go from 5 to 50+ reviews in a few months, and the results were clear: better local rankings, more clicks, and most importantly, increased calls from potential customers.

Roshan Singh · Answer

One particularly successful Google My Business optimization involved a family-owned plumbing service that dramatically improved local visibility through strategic post timing and content strategy.
The breakthrough came through data-driven post optimization:First, we analyzed their existing GMB performance and discovered that while they maintained accurate business information and collected reviews regularly, their sporadic posting schedule and generic content weren't driving engagement or visibility improvements.Our strategic GMB posting approach included:
1. Implementing weekly posts timed 2-3 hours before peak local search times (identified through Search Console data)2. Creating service-specific posts highlighting emergency availability during high-demand periods3. Adding compelling calls-to-action with phone numbers directly in post descriptions4. Including high-quality before/after photos showing completed work5. Posting customer success stories with permission, focusing on problem resolution6. Creating seasonal content addressing common plumbing issues during weather changes
The results were remarkable:
- Local search visibility improved by 73% within 4 months- Phone calls directly from GMB increased by 127%- Direction requests to their location grew by 84%- Average response time to customer inquiries decreased as they appeared more active- Overall local ranking improved from position 8 to position 2 for "emergency plumber [city]"
My key insight: The most overlooked GMB optimization is strategic post timing combined with service-specific content. While most businesses post randomly or not at all, consistent posting during peak local search hours signals active business engagement to Google's algorithm.
The critical tip: Use GMB posts as mini-landing pages for specific services rather than general business updates. Each post should address a specific customer need with clear next steps, essentially creating multiple touchpoints for different service offerings within your GMB profile.
This approach transforms GMB from a static directory listing into an active lead generation tool that consistently outperforms competitors with basic optimization.

Kristiyan Yankov · Answer

In the early days of AboveApex, we utilized Google My Business to build trust and establish legitimacy online. Although most of our clients were remote, having a verified business profile provided credibility and helped us appear in local search results for SEO-related terms. This visibility, even on a small scale, made a significant impact when we were just starting out.
We encouraged a few early clients to leave honest reviews, which greatly helped build social proof. In the beginning, when you haven't established much of an online presence, having a properly set up GMB gives potential clients confidence that they're contacting a real, active business. While it didn't generate a large number of leads, it definitely helped tip the scale in our favor during those initial conversations. If you're just starting out, don't underestimate the value of GMB—it's a simple way to boost your local SEO and makes a substantial difference in how people perceive your business.

Justin Staples · Answer

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is where I have been generating the majority of leads for my business in the competitive Austin, TX area.
I am currently in the top 3 positions for 'digital marketing agency Austin' and 'SEO agency Austin'.
If I have any advice to offer, it's to commit to your campaign and invest in quality tools to achieve the most effective results. Remain consistent in implementing the best strategies, and adopt tools and AI solutions that assist in efficiently maximizing your time on your campaign.

Gatis Viskers · Answer

One of the best tips for improving local SEO with Google My Business is to reply to your reviews to show that you're an active business. This will not only show your customers that you're engaged and responsive but also send signals to search engines indicating the same. You can also include relevant keywords in your review responses, which will provide search engines with additional context about your business and help you show up more in local search results.

Mark Poter · Answer

Google My Business is one of our most important marketing channels as we're a brick-and-mortar business. If optimized and performing correctly, it can bring you the most valuable leads as users are located close to your shop and queries are commercial (meaning ready to convert). We noticed a significant increase in calls and foot traffic as we reached the map pack for our most important keywords, and vice versa whenever we were losing positions.
I definitely recommend business owners focus on that channel specifically, as it doesn't require too much technical expertise or time to get significant results.

Vidyadhar Garapati · Answer

Implementing a systematic Google My Business update schedule around moving seasonality dramatically improved our local visibility during peak demand periods. Rather than posting sporadically, we developed a content calendar that aligns GMB updates with actual moving patterns—sharing packing tips in spring, storage solutions during summer peak season, and winterization advice as moving volume decreases.
The most effective strategy involved posting location-specific moving insights rather than generic business updates. For example, sharing "Chicago High-Rise Moving Tips" or "Austin Parking Permit Requirements" during relevant seasons. This hyper-local approach increased our GMB engagement by 67% while positioning us as the neighborhood moving authority rather than just another service provider competing on generic keywords.
The breakthrough insight was discovering how customer questions in GMB reviews became our most valuable content sources. When customers mentioned specific challenges like "moving during Chicago winter" or "navigating Boston's narrow streets," we created targeted posts addressing these exact concerns before others experienced them. This proactive approach improved our local search rankings while demonstrating expertise in solving location-specific moving challenges.
Tip: Use your GMB Q&A section strategically by seeding it with questions your target customers actually ask, then providing comprehensive answers that showcase your local expertise—Google rewards detailed, helpful responses with improved local visibility.

Hannah Millist · Answer

When asking for reviews, don't just send the link in your email. Instead, when reaching out, aim to use prompts to guide clients. For example, you could say, "We'd love it if you left a review. As you know, reviews really matter to small businesses such as ours. Many clients think that we're responsive and deliver a high-quality [insert keyword] service. We'd love to hear about your experience." This approach prompts people to develop a full response (i.e., not just click the stars and leave), but also nudges them towards the services that you're aiming to rank for. While not a primary ranking signal, reviews containing relevant keywords can indirectly boost your profile by providing a more comprehensive picture of your business to potential clients and Google's search algorithm.

Dan Taylor · Answer

Here's your expert quote as Dan Taylor:
---
One of the most underrated features of Google My Business is the insights dashboard—it gives you real data on how people are discovering your profile, right down to the search queries they're using. For local SEO, that's gold. You can see whether those impressions are turning into website visits, direction requests, or phone calls, which helps you understand what's actually driving engagement.
A practical tip: monitor the "Queries used to find your business" section regularly. If you notice people are finding you through unexpected keywords, you can adapt your website content or GMB description to align better with that intent. It's a simple way to make sure your local SEO isn't just visible, but relevant and actionable.

17 Tips and Insights for Google My Business & Local SEO

17 Tips and Insights for Google My Business & Local SEO

Leverage Posts for Active Engagement

Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Enhance Visibility with Strategic GMB Management

Implement Advanced Local SEO Techniques

Maximize Local Rankings with Keyword Strategy

Dominate Real Estate Search with GBP

Integrate GMB with Full-Funnel Marketing

Align GMB Content with Local User Behavior

Build a Systematic Review Collection Process

Time GMB Posts for Peak Search Hours

Establish Credibility with GMB for Startups

Commit to Consistent GMB Campaign Strategies

Engage Customers Through Review Responses

Focus on GMB for Brick-and-Mortar Success

Tailor GMB Content to Seasonal Trends

Guide Clients to Write Keyword-Rich Reviews

Utilize GMB Insights for SEO Optimization