Staking Your Digital Claim: Using Google Business Profile
If you run a local business and you haven’t claimed your Google Business Profile, you’re invisible to a huge chunk of potential customers. When someone searches “plumber near me” or “dentist in Chattanooga,” Google pulls results from Business Profiles first. No profile, no visibility. It’s that simple.
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is free, and setting it up takes less than 30 minutes. Here’s what you need to know.
What is Google Business Profile?
You’ve seen it a thousand times. Search for any local business and you’ll see a panel on the right side of the results (or at the top on mobile) with the business name, address, phone number, hours, reviews, photos, and a map. That panel is powered by Google Business Profile.
If your business doesn’t have one, or has one that hasn’t been claimed or updated, you’re handing that visibility to your competitors.
To get started, go to business.google.com and sign in with your Google account. Search for your business. If it already exists in Google’s system, claim it. If not, add it. Google will verify you own the business, usually by sending a postcard to your physical address or through a phone or email verification. Once verified, you’re live.
An Unclaimed Profile Signals an Unreliable Business
Claiming it is step one. An incomplete or outdated profile is almost worse than having none at all. If someone finds your business on Google and the hours are wrong, the phone number doesn’t work, or there are zero photos, they’re moving on to the next result.
Fill out everything. Business hours (including holiday hours), phone number, website URL, service area, business category, and a solid description of what you do. Add photos of your work, your team, your location. Respond to every review, good and bad. An active profile tells Google and potential customers that someone is running this business and paying attention.
Make It Work Harder For You
Most businesses claim their profile and forget about it. That’s a missed opportunity. Here’s how to get more out of it:
- Post updates regularly. Google Business Profile has a built-in posting feature. Share promotions, new services, blog posts, or seasonal updates. These posts show up in your business panel and signal to Google that your business is active.
- Watch for suggested edits. Google allows anyone to suggest changes to your business information. Competitors, random users, automated systems. Check your profile regularly for any edits you didn’t make and correct them immediately.
- Use the messaging feature. Customers can message you directly through your Business Profile. Turn this on and respond quickly. Response time matters for both customers and Google’s ranking algorithm.
- Add your products and services. Google lets you list specific services with descriptions and prices. This helps you show up for more specific searches and gives potential customers the information they need before they call.
- Ask for reviews and respond to every one. Reviews are one of the strongest local ranking factors. After a job well done, ask your customer to leave a Google review. When they do, respond with a thank you. When someone leaves a negative review, respond professionally and try to resolve it. How you handle criticism says as much about your business as the praise does.
Why This Matters For Local SEO
Google Business Profile is one of the top three ranking factors for local search results, alongside on-page SEO and backlinks. If you’re a service area business or a brick-and-mortar shop, this isn’t optional. It’s the foundation of your local visibility.
We optimize Google Business Profiles for our clients as part of every local SEO engagement. If yours needs work, or if you haven’t set one up yet, we can handle the whole thing.
Questions? Ready to Get Started?
If you have questions or would like to get started, please give us a call at (423) 708-2780 or visit our website to request a free quote and consultation.