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Google Business Profile (GBP)


    Pie Chart of Whitespark 2023 Local Search Ranking Factors--Google Business Profile: 20.5% Overall

    Whitespark:   Local Pack/Finder (32%)   Organic (9%)
    Since Google is the search engine that matters, what could be more important than Google's own local business products for establishing your location and business category with Google? And according to the Whitespark local ranking survey, a Google listing is the foremost group of factors (36 percent) that determine how you rank in Google's local pack/finder results.

    We can help make sure that your local business is properly listed and fully optimized with Google.

    Or you can do it yourself, as it's now fairly easy to do, unless you run into complications, such as duplicate listings. Google keeps changing its system for enabling businesses to update their information.

    In 2014 Google created Google My Business (GMB) for business accounts, providing a dashboard, a single place for business owners to manage their Google listing. They recently changed the name to Google Business Profile (GBP), and now they're transitioning to having businesses do everythrough a Google Maps or Search account.

    Whether you do it or we do, it's important to make sure your listing is accurate and filled out as completely as possible, including images and even video. Especially important are:

      • Having the correct business category. This is critical, the #1 factor in the GBP group of local search ranking factors. Yet we see so many businesses that have the wrong category, as though they got it wrong and didn't think it important enough to correct.
      • Full NAP info (name, address, phone), e.g., include the full street address, not just the city. And make sure it's in a form consistent with what's on your website and other web directories.
      • Include the company website URL.
      • Mark sure the marker is in the correct location on maps. Even though the address is correct, sometimes the map marker is wrong.

      Your GBP listing is not one of those things that you can do and forget about. Google wants to see ongoing updates, such as adjusting operating hours for holidays, adding new photos, and perhaps responding to reviews.