Google Business Profile: Are You Making the Most of It?

When someone searches for a business, service or product near them, Google is often the first place they turn.

Whether someone is looking for a restaurant for dinner, a local accountant, a hairdresser, a hotel or a business offering a particular service, your Google Business Profile can be one of the first things they see.

For local businesses, this makes your Google Business Profile an incredibly valuable marketing tool.

But simply claiming your profile and adding your opening hours isn’t enough.

Your Google Business Profile can help people discover your business, learn more about what you offer, read reviews, find your location and ultimately decide whether to contact you or choose you over a competitor.

So, are you making the most of yours?

 

What Is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is the business listing that can appear when people search for your business on Google Search and Google Maps.

It can include important information such as your:

• Business name
• Address
• Phone number
• Website
• Opening hours
• Business category
• Photos
• Reviews
• Services or products
• Business description

For a potential customer, it can provide a quick snapshot of your business before they even visit your website.

That means it’s important to make sure the information they see is accurate, useful and gives them a reason to find out more.

 

1. Make Sure Your Information Is Accurate

 

It sounds simple, but one of the most important things you can do is make sure the information on your profile is correct.

Check your:

Opening hours: Are they still accurate? Don’t forget to update them for bank holidays, Christmas, seasonal changes or special events.

Phone number: Can customers easily contact you?

Website: Does the link take people to the correct page?

Address: Is your location correct and easy to find?

Business category: Does it accurately describe what your business does?

Outdated information can create a poor customer experience and may mean potential customers give up before they ever reach you.

It’s worth making a habit of checking your profile regularly rather than assuming everything is still correct.

 

2. Choose the Right Business Category

 

Your primary business category helps Google understand what your business is and can influence the searches your profile appears for.

Choose the category that most accurately represents your main business.

You can also add relevant additional categories where appropriate, but don’t try to add every category you can think of just to appear in more searches.

The goal is to give Google — and your customers — a clear understanding of what your business actually does.

If your business has changed or expanded since you first created your profile, it’s worth checking whether your categories are still relevant.

 

3. Add High-Quality Photos

 

Photos are one of the easiest ways to make your Google Business Profile more engaging.

Think about what a potential customer would want to see before choosing your business.

Depending on what you do, this could include:

• Your premises
• Products
• Services
• Team members
• Your shopfront
• Facilities
• Food and drinks
• Events
• Work you’ve completed

Good photography can help potential customers get a feel for your business before they visit.

It also keeps your profile looking active and up to date.

If your photos are several years old, blurry or no longer represent your business, it’s time for a refresh.

Need fresh content for your business? Back Office Marketing can help you create engaging content and imagery that represents your business online.

 

4. Make the Most of Your Business Description

 

Your business description gives you an opportunity to explain what you do and what makes your business worth choosing.

Keep it clear and customer-focused.

Think about:

What do you offer?

Who do you help?

Where are you based?

What makes your business different?

Rather than filling your description with jargon or trying to cram in as many keywords as possible, focus on providing useful information that helps someone understand your business.

Your Google Business Profile should complement your website and wider marketing rather than simply repeating a list of keywords.

 

5. Keep Your Profile Active

 

Your Google Business Profile doesn’t have to be something you set up once and never look at again.

Depending on the features available to your business, you can use your profile to share updates, offers, events and other useful information.

This can be particularly useful for businesses with regular promotions, seasonal offers or upcoming events.

For example, a local restaurant could highlight a seasonal menu, while a hotel could promote a special offer or an upcoming event.

Keeping your profile up to date also means that someone discovering your business through Google is more likely to see current information rather than something that is months or years out of date.

 

6. Encourage and Respond to Reviews

 

Reviews can have a huge influence on potential customers.

Think about your own behaviour when choosing somewhere you’ve never been before. You might look at the rating, read what previous customers have said and pay attention to how the business responds.

Encourage genuine customers to leave reviews after they’ve used your product or service.

And don’t just collect reviews — respond to them.

Thank customers for positive feedback and respond professionally to genuine concerns.

A thoughtful response can show potential customers that you value feedback and care about the experience you provide.

Never be tempted to buy fake reviews or incentivise customers to leave misleading ones. Authentic feedback is far more valuable in the long term.

 

7. Add Your Products or Services

 

If the option is available and relevant to your business, make use of the products or services sections of your profile.

This gives potential customers another way to understand what you offer without having to search through your entire website.

Be clear about what each service or product is and use descriptions that are helpful to your customers.

For a local service business, for example, listing key services can help someone quickly determine whether you offer what they’re looking for.

 

8. Make It Easy for People to Take the Next Step

 

Your Google Business Profile isn’t just about providing information.

It’s about helping people take action.

Depending on your business, that could mean:

Call you

Visit your website

Request a quote

Book a table

Make a reservation

Get directions

Visit your premises

Make sure the relevant options are available and that the journey from discovering your business to contacting you is as straightforward as possible.

There’s little benefit in getting someone interested in your business if they can’t easily figure out what to do next.

 

9. Think About Local SEO

 

Your Google Business Profile is an important part of your local online presence.

For local businesses, it’s particularly important to make sure the information across your Google profile and website is accurate and consistent.

Think about the terms your potential customers might actually search for.

For example:

“accountant in Navan”

“hotel in Trim”

“hairdresser in Kilkenny”

“restaurant near me”

Your location, services and business information should be clearly communicated across your online presence.

However, don’t fall into the trap of keyword stuffing. Google’s goal is to provide useful results to people, so your focus should always be on creating accurate and helpful information.

 

10. Check What Your Customers Are Actually Seeing

 

One of the best things you can do is search for your own business.

Look at your profile as though you’re a potential customer.

Ask yourself:

Does it look professional?

Is the information accurate?

Do the photos represent my business?

Are my opening hours correct?

Are my latest reviews being responded to?

Is it obvious what I offer?

Can someone easily contact me or visit my website?

You may spot something that needs updating immediately.

It’s also worth searching for the services you provide alongside your location to see how your business appears in local search results.

 

Your Google Business Profile Is Part of Your Marketing

Your Google Business Profile might seem like a small part of your overall digital marketing, but for a local business, it can be an important first point of contact with potential customers.

The key is to think of it as an extension of your website and marketing — not a box you simply tick once.

Keep your information accurate. Add fresh photos. Encourage genuine reviews. Share relevant updates. Make it easy for customers to contact you. And regularly check how your business appears in search.

A few simple improvements could make a big difference to how your business is discovered online.

 

Need help with your online presence?

At Back Office Marketing, we help businesses improve their digital marketing through SEO, content creation, social media management, website content and marketing strategy.

If you’re not sure whether your Google Business Profile and wider online presence are working as hard as they could be, get in touch with Back Office Marketing today and let’s see how we can help.