A restaurant owner showed me her Google Business Profile last week. Everything looked fine at first glance. Business name, address, hours. The basics were there.

Then I searched for “Italian restaurant near me” from her parking lot. Her restaurant didn’t show up. Not in the top three. Not in the map pack. Nowhere on the first page. Meanwhile, a place two miles away with worse reviews and older photos dominated the results.

The difference? That other restaurant had optimized their Google Business Profile. Not with tricks or hacks, just by consistently doing the things Google actually rewards. Posts every week. Fresh photos monthly. Responses to every review within a day. Accurate categories and attributes.

Here’s what frustrates me about most Google Business Profile advice: it focuses on checking boxes rather than understanding what Google is trying to do. Google wants to show users the best, most relevant, most current businesses. If your profile doesn’t communicate that you’re active, relevant, and worth recommending, you won’t show up when potential customers search.

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile

This article breaks down what actually works for getting found on Google, getting clicks, and turning those searchers into customers.

Start with the foundation that most people get wrong

Before anything else, your basic information needs to be perfect. Not good enough. Perfect.

Your business name should match what’s on your storefront and your website. Don’t stuff keywords into it. Google catches that and it looks unprofessional to customers. If you’re “Mike’s Pizza,” list yourself as “Mike’s Pizza,” not “Mike’s Pizza Best Italian Food Downtown.”

Get your address exactly right, formatted the way the postal service formats it. If Google can’t verify your address, you’re starting with a handicap. For service area businesses without a physical location customers visit, you can hide your address and just show your service area.

Your phone number should go directly to someone who can help customers, not to a voicemail that nobody checks. I’ve called businesses from their Google profiles and gotten disconnected numbers or full mailboxes. That’s a lost customer who won’t try again.

Hours need updating immediately when they change. Nothing irritates potential customers more than showing up to a business that Google said was open but is actually closed. Google tracks how often this happens and it hurts your visibility.

Pick your primary category carefully because it’s the single biggest factor in when Google shows you. Don’t choose based on what has less competition or what you wish you were. Choose based on what you actually are. You can add secondary categories for additional services, but that primary category needs to be spot-on.

Photos make a bigger difference than you think

Profiles with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks to their website. Those aren’t small numbers.

But most businesses upload a few photos when they set up their profile and never add more. That’s a mistake. Google wants to see fresh content, and photos count as content.

Take photos of your actual business. Your storefront from the street so people can recognize it when they arrive. Your interior so people know what to expect. Your products or services being used. Your team at work. Customers enjoying themselves if you have their permission.

Don’t use stock photos. Google can often detect them, and even if it can’t, customers can tell. Stock photos scream “we don’t care enough to take real pictures.”

Phone photos are fine if they’re clear and well-lit. You don’t need professional photography, though it doesn’t hurt. You need authentic images that show what your business actually looks like.

Add new photos at least monthly. When you get a new product, take a photo. When you rearrange your space, take a photo. Seasonal decorations, special events, new team members, all of these are opportunities for fresh photos.

Videos work even better than photos for engagement. A 30-second video showing your business in action, a product being made, or a customer testimonial can significantly increase how long people spend looking at your profile. The longer they look, the more Google sees your profile as engaging.

Reviews are the competitive advantage most businesses waste

Let’s be direct about this: reviews matter enormously. They affect whether you show up in results, whether people click on your profile, and whether they choose you over competitors.

The number of reviews matters. The recency of reviews matters. The rating matters. How you respond to reviews matters. All of it factors into Google’s algorithm and into customer decisions.

But most businesses approach reviews passively. They hope customers leave them and occasionally ask when they remember. That’s not enough in competitive markets.

Ask for reviews systematically. Not aggressively, but consistently. After every positive interaction, every completed project, every sale where the customer seemed happy. Make it part of your process.

The best time to ask is right after you’ve delivered value, when the positive experience is fresh. That moment in the checkout line after the customer says they love what they’re buying. The follow-up call after you’ve fixed their problem. The email you send when the project is complete.

Make it easy. Send them a direct link to your review page. Don’t make them search for your business and figure out where to leave a review. The more steps involved, the fewer people follow through.

Train your entire team to ask naturally. It shouldn’t feel like a script. It should feel like genuine interest in what customers think. “We’d love to hear about your experience. Would you mind leaving us a quick review?”

Never, ever buy fake reviews or offer incentives for positive reviews. Google detects this and will penalize you. But more importantly, it’s dishonest and it creates expectations you might not meet.

Respond to every review. Every single one. Positive reviews deserve thanks. Negative reviews deserve thoughtful responses that show you care about fixing problems. Google watches response rates and speed. Customers read your responses to other people’s reviews before deciding whether to trust you.

When responding to negative reviews, resist the urge to get defensive. Acknowledge the person’s experience, apologize if appropriate, and offer to make it right. Even if the reviewer never updates their review, other people reading it will see that you handle problems professionally.

Posts keep your profile active and visible

Google Posts are probably the most underutilized feature of Google Business Profiles. Most businesses don’t use them at all. That’s a missed opportunity.

Posts show up directly in your Google profile and in search results. They let you promote products, announce events, share updates, or highlight offers. They expire after seven days, which means Google sees them as fresh, timely content.

Businesses that post weekly tend to see better visibility than businesses that don’t post at all. It signals to Google that the business is active and engaged with customers.

What should you post about? New products or services. Seasonal specials. Events you’re hosting or attending. Behind-the-scenes looks at your business. Tips related to what you do. Customer success stories. Hiring announcements. Really anything that might interest potential customers.

Keep posts short and visual. Use a good photo or video. Write a concise description. Include a call to action when appropriate.

You don’t need to post daily. Weekly is enough to show consistent activity. The key is consistency, not frequency. Posting three times this week and then nothing for two months doesn’t help.

Use the different post types Google offers. Updates, offers, events, and products each serve different purposes and can help you show up for different searches.

The attributes nobody remembers to set

Google Business Profiles have dozens of attributes you can set depending on your business type. Things like “wheelchair accessible,” “outdoor seating,” “free Wi-Fi,” “accepts credit cards,” “good for kids.”

Most businesses skip these or fill them out incompletely. That’s leaving information on the table that customers are specifically searching for.

When someone searches “restaurants with outdoor seating near me,” Google looks at which restaurants have indicated they have outdoor seating. If you have outdoor seating but haven’t marked that attribute, you’re not showing up in that search.

Go through every available attribute for your business category and mark the ones that apply. Be honest. Customers who show up expecting something you don’t have won’t become happy customers.

These attributes also show up prominently in your profile, helping customers quickly determine if you’re what they’re looking for. The easier you make it for customers to see you’re a good fit, the more likely they are to choose you.

Questions and answers build trust before first contact

The Q&A section of your Google Business Profile is often ignored but surprisingly valuable. Customers can ask questions publicly, and you or other people can answer them.

If nobody’s asking questions yet, seed the section yourself. Ask common questions you get from customers and answer them. “Do you take reservations?” “What are your prices?” “Do you offer delivery?” Answer thoroughly and helpfully.

When real questions come in, answer them quickly. Within a day if possible. Your response shows up publicly, and other potential customers read these answers when deciding whether to contact you.

This section also helps with SEO because the questions and answers contain natural language that people use when searching. Someone asking “do you fix iPhone screens” creates content on your profile for that specific search term.

Monitor this section regularly because sometimes people ask questions, sometimes they leave comments disguised as questions, and occasionally trolls leave inappropriate content. You can report and remove content that violates Google’s policies.

Services and products show what you actually offer

If Google lets you add a services or products section to your profile, use it. Completely.

List everything you offer with descriptions and pricing when possible. Be specific. Don’t just list “plumbing services.” List “emergency plumbing repair,” “water heater installation,” “drain cleaning,” “pipe replacement.” Each service you list is another opportunity for your profile to show up in relevant searches.

Include pricing information when you can. “Starting at $X” or price ranges help set expectations and pre-qualify customers. Yes, some people will filter you out based on price, but you want to attract customers who can afford your services, not waste time on calls from people who can’t.

Add photos to each service or product. Show what the finished work looks like. Show your products in use. Visual information helps customers understand what they’re getting.

Update this section when your offerings change. Seasonal services, new products, discontinued items, all of these changes should be reflected promptly.

Booking and messaging make it easy to reach you

If your business takes appointments or reservations, enable booking directly through your Google profile. The less friction between “I want this” and “I’ve scheduled this,” the more conversions you’ll get.

Google integrates with several scheduling platforms. Set it up so customers can book appointments without leaving Google. Yes, you’ll pay fees to the booking platform, but you’ll also get customers who wouldn’t have bothered calling or visiting your website.

Enable messaging if it makes sense for your business. Some customers prefer texting over calling. If you can handle customer inquiries via message, turn this feature on.

The catch with messaging is you need to respond quickly. If messages sit unanswered for hours, you’ll frustrate potential customers and Google will note your slow response time. Only enable this if you can commit to checking messages regularly.

Both booking and messaging show up prominently in your profile, giving customers easy action buttons. The more ways you give people to contact you, the more likely someone will use one of them.

Monitor your insights to understand what’s working

Google provides analytics about how customers find and interact with your profile. Most business owners never look at this data. That’s like driving with your eyes closed.

Check your insights at least monthly. Look at how many people saw your profile, how many clicked for directions, how many visited your website, how many called. These numbers tell you if your optimization efforts are working.

Pay attention to which search terms brought people to your profile. Are they the terms you expect? If not, you might need to adjust your categories, services, or descriptions.

Notice which photos get the most views. That tells you what customers are interested in seeing. Take more photos like those.

Track changes over time. Are you getting more profile views this month than last? More calls? More direction requests? If numbers are going up, keep doing what you’re doing. If they’re flat or declining, something needs to change.

Compare your performance to similar businesses in your area. Google shows you this comparison. If competitors are getting more engagement, look at their profiles to see what they’re doing differently.

The mistakes that hurt you more than you realize

Let me tell you what I see businesses doing wrong constantly.

They claim they’re open 24/7 when they’re not because they think it helps them show up more. It doesn’t. It leads to angry customers and Google penalties when people show up and you’re closed.

They stuff keywords into their business name. “Joe’s Plumbing Best Emergency Plumber 24 Hour Service Dallas.” Google sees this, customers see through it, and it makes you look desperate.

They create multiple profiles for the same location thinking more profiles mean more visibility. It actually confuses Google, splits your reviews across profiles, and gets you flagged for violating guidelines.

They ignore negative reviews hoping they’ll go away. They don’t. They sit there like warning signs to potential customers. Respond to them professionally and they become opportunities to show how you handle problems.

They let other people manage their profile without checking on it. Employees who leave without removing their access. Marketing agencies that set it up then forget about it. You need to know who has access and what they’re doing with it.

They verify their profile but never actually optimize it. Verification just proves you own the business. It doesn’t make you visible. Optimization is the ongoing work that drives results.

How to maintain your profile without it becoming a full-time job

I know what you’re thinking. This sounds like a lot of work. You’re running a business, not managing a social media profile all day.

Here’s how to make it manageable.

Set aside 30 minutes every Monday morning. Check for new reviews and respond to them. Upload any new photos from the previous week. Write one post for the week ahead. Check your insights to see how you’re performing.

That’s it. Thirty minutes weekly is enough to keep your profile active and optimized.

Set reminders for monthly tasks. First Monday of each month, review all your business information for accuracy. Check that your hours are correct, your services are up to date, your photos are current.

Train one person on your team to handle reviews and messages. It doesn’t have to be you personally, but it needs to be someone who understands your business and can respond appropriately.

Use your phone to capture photos as you go about your day. See something worth photographing? Take 30 seconds to capture it. Keep a folder of business photos on your phone that you can upload when you have time.

The key is consistency, not perfection. A profile that gets regular attention every week will outperform a profile that gets hours of attention once then nothing for months.

What actually happens when you optimize properly

Let me tell you what changes when you take this seriously.

First, you show up more often in local searches. Not just for your business name, but for the services you offer and the problems you solve. That’s new customers who never heard of you before.

Second, more of the people who see your profile actually click through to get directions, visit your website, or call. Your profile looks active, professional, and trustworthy compared to competitors who haven’t optimized.

Third, you build momentum with reviews. When potential customers see recent reviews, detailed responses, and active engagement, they’re more likely to leave their own reviews after they visit. Positive reviews attract more positive reviews.

Fourth, you get better data about your customers. You learn what they’re searching for, what photos they look at, what times they try to visit. That information helps you improve your actual business operations, not just your online presence.

The restaurant owner I mentioned at the start? We spent about two hours optimizing her profile, then she committed to 30 minutes weekly for maintenance. Within a month, she was showing up in the map pack for relevant searches. Within two months, she could track a measurable increase in first-time customers who mentioned finding her on Google.

That’s not unusual. Most businesses see results within 4-6 weeks of consistent optimization. Not overnight, but not years either.

Common questions about optimizing Google Business Profile

How often should I update my Google Business Profile?

Post at least once a week to show Google your profile is active. Update photos monthly or whenever you have new ones. Check and respond to reviews within 24-48 hours. Update your hours immediately when they change, especially for holidays. The more active your profile, the more Google trusts and shows it.

What photos should I add to my Google Business Profile?

Add photos of your actual location exterior and interior, your products or services in action, your team at work, and happy customers if you have permission. Profiles with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks to their website. Use real photos, not stock images. Update your photos monthly to keep your profile fresh.

How do I get more Google reviews?

Ask customers right after they’ve had a positive experience, make it easy with a direct review link, train your team to ask naturally, send follow-up emails with review requests, and never buy fake reviews. Focus on genuine requests to satisfied customers rather than aggressive campaigns. Respond to every review you get to encourage more.

Does my business category really matter that much?

Yes, enormously. Your primary category is one of the biggest factors in when Google shows you. Choose based on what you actually are, not what you wish you were or what has less competition. You can add secondary categories for additional services, but get that primary category exactly right.

Should I respond to negative reviews?

Absolutely. Acknowledge the person’s experience, apologize if appropriate, and offer to make it right. Don’t get defensive. Other potential customers read these responses and judge you based on how professionally you handle criticism. Responding shows you care about customer satisfaction.

Can I optimize my profile if I don’t have a physical location?

Yes. Service area businesses can hide their address and just show their service area. You can still optimize everything else: photos, services, reviews, posts, attributes. The same strategies work whether you have a storefront or go to customers’ locations.

How long before I see results from optimization?

Most businesses see noticeable improvements within 4-6 weeks of consistent optimization. You won’t jump to the top of results overnight, but you should see increased visibility, more profile views, and more customer actions within a couple of months. Track your insights monthly to measure progress.