by The Computing Australia Group | Why Google Business Profile Optimisation Matters
Google My Business is now widely managed as Google Business Profile, but the goal remains the same: helping local customers find, trust and contact your business when they search on Google Search or Google Maps.
For local businesses, your Google Business Profile is often more visible than your website. It can appear when people search for your brand name, your services, your products, or location-based queries such as “SEO agency near me”, “emergency plumber Perth”, “best café in Fremantle” or “IT support company Perth”. When optimised properly, it becomes a high-intent conversion channel, not just a directory listing.
Google states that local results are mainly influenced by relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches the search, distance is how close your business is to the searcher, and prominence reflects how well-known and trusted your business appears online, including factors such as links, reviews and ratings.
That means optimisation is not about “tricking” Google. It is about making your business easier to understand, easier to verify and easier for customers to choose.
Why Google Business Profile Optimisation Matters
A complete and active Google Business Profile can improve your visibility in local search, increase customer engagement and drive more enquiries from people who are already looking for what you offer.
Many searchers now make decisions directly from the search results page. They may view your opening hours, read reviews, check photos, compare services, request directions, call your team or visit your website without scrolling through traditional organic results. This makes your profile one of your most important local SEO assets.
An optimised profile can help you:
- Appear for more relevant local searches
- Improve visibility in Google Maps and the local pack
- Build trust with reviews, photos and accurate business details
- Increase calls, website visits, direction requests and bookings
- Showcase your products, services, offers and updates
- Reduce customer confusion by keeping hours, contact details and FAQs current
- Strengthen your overall local SEO presence
However, simply creating a profile is not enough. A neglected profile with incomplete information, outdated hours, weak photos, poor category choices and no review strategy is unlikely to perform strongly. Like your website, your Google Business Profile needs regular optimisation and maintenance.
How to Optimise Your Google Business Profile
Before you begin, make sure your listing is claimed and verified. Google says verification helps confirm that you are authorised to represent the business, which can make the profile more likely to appear in search results.
Once verified, work through the following optimisation steps.
1. Complete Every Important Section of Your Profile
A complete profile gives Google more information about your business and gives customers more reasons to trust you. Google specifically recommends keeping business information complete and accurate, including your address, phone number, business type and other useful details such as parking or Wi-Fi availability where relevant.
Start with the essential information first:
- Business name
- Address or service area
- Phone number
- Website URL
- Opening hours
- Holiday and special hours
- Primary business category
- Logo
- Business description
Then complete the supporting sections:
- Services
- Products
- Secondary categories
- Attributes
- Photos
- FAQs
- Booking links, appointment links or menu links where relevant
- Social media links where available
- Business updates and posts
Finally, create a maintenance routine for the sections that change regularly:
- Photos
- Posts
- Offers
- Events
- Reviews
- Questions and answers
- Opening hours
- Seasonal services
- Product availability
A profile should never feel abandoned. Even if your core business details do not change often, regular activity signals that the business is open, responsive and engaged with customers.
2. Keep Your Contact Information Consistent
Your business name, address and phone number are often called your NAP details. These details should be consistent across your Google Business Profile, website, social media pages, directories and other local citations.
Use your real-world business name. Do not add extra keywords to the business name unless they are genuinely part of your official name. For example, “Perth Digital Marketing Experts – Best SEO Agency WA” may look tempting from an SEO perspective, but it can violate Google’s guidelines if that is not your actual business name.
Make sure your address is accurate and formatted consistently. If you serve customers at their location rather than at your premises, set up a service area instead of displaying an address that customers cannot visit.
Your phone number should be active and answered during business hours. If you use call tracking, ensure it is implemented carefully so it does not create inconsistent citations across the web.
Your opening hours also need regular attention. Google recommends updating regular and special hours so customers know when they can visit. This is especially important during public holidays, Christmas trading periods, long weekends and seasonal closures.
3. Choose the Most Accurate Business Categories
Categories are one of the most important relevance signals in your Google Business Profile. Your primary category tells Google what your business mainly does. Your secondary categories provide additional context.
Choose the most specific primary category available. For example, a business that mainly provides search engine optimisation should choose a category that closely reflects SEO or marketing services rather than a broad category such as “Consultant” if a more accurate option exists.
Avoid adding unrelated categories just because you want to appear in more searches. Irrelevant categories can confuse Google and reduce the quality of your profile. They may also lead to lower conversion rates if your profile appears for searches that do not match what you actually provide.
A good category strategy should answer three questions:
1. What is the main service or product customers know us for?
2. What category best matches our highest-value local search terms?
3. Which secondary categories accurately describe our other services?
Review your competitors as well. If the businesses ranking in the local pack all use a more specific category than you do, your category choice may be holding you back.
4. Add Relevant Attributes
Attributes help customers understand specific features of your business. Depending on your category, Google may allow you to add attributes such as accessibility, payment options, amenities, service features or business identity details.
For example, a restaurant may be able to show outdoor seating, takeaway, delivery or dine-in options. A hotel may be able to show amenities. A service business may be able to highlight online appointments or on-site services.
Only choose attributes that genuinely apply. Incorrect attributes can create a poor customer experience and may lead to negative reviews if customers arrive expecting something you do not offer.
5. Write a Strong “From the Business” Description
Your business description should be clear, specific and customer-focused. It is not the place for keyword stuffing, exaggerated claims or sales hype. You have limited space, so use it carefully.
A strong description should include:
- Who you help
- What you offer
- Where you operate
- What makes your business different
- Natural mentions of your core services
- A trust signal, such as experience, specialisation or local expertise
Example:
We help Perth businesses improve their online visibility through SEO, Google Business Profile optimisation, website content, digital marketing strategy and local search campaigns. Our team works with service-based businesses, trades, professional firms and growing brands that want more qualified enquiries from Google Search and Maps.
This is much stronger than a generic description such as:
We are the best marketing company offering high-quality services at affordable prices. Contact us today for all your digital needs.
The first version is specific, locally relevant and keyword-aware without feeling forced.
6. Add Products and Services
Products and services give Google and customers more detail about what your business offers. They can also help your profile appear for more relevant searches.
For service-based businesses, add each core service individually. For example, an SEO agency might include:
- Local SEO
- Google Business Profile optimisation
- Technical SEO audits
- Website content writing
- SEO strategy
- Link building
- Google Ads management
- Website design
Each service should have a concise description written in plain language. Explain what the service includes, who it is for and what outcome the customer can expect.
For retailers, product listings can help customers understand what is available before they visit. Google notes that eligible retail businesses can show in-store products on their profile, and those products may appear in local search results.
Where appropriate, add prices or price ranges. This can improve lead quality by helping customers self-select before contacting you.
7. Upload High-Quality Photos and Videos
Photos are a trust signal. They show customers that your business is real, active and worth visiting or contacting. Google recommends using photos and videos to show customers what you offer and tell the story of your business.
Use real images wherever possible. Avoid generic stock photos, heavy filters or images that do not accurately represent your business.
Useful photo ideas include:
- Exterior photos, so customers can recognise your location
- Interior photos, so customers know what to expect
- Team photos
- Product photos
- Service-in-action photos
- Before-and-after project photos
- Branded vehicles
- Menu, display or showroom images
- Event or community involvement photos
Your logo and cover image should be clear, professional and correctly sized. If you operate across multiple locations, use location-specific photos for each profile.
Videos can also be useful, especially for businesses where trust and visual proof matter. A short walkthrough, introduction from the owner, product demonstration or project showcase can make the profile more engaging.
8. Use Google Business Profile Posts Strategically
Posts allow you to share updates, offers, events and announcements directly on your Business Profile. Google says posts can appear on Search and Maps, including in areas such as the Updates or Overview tabs on mobile and the “From the owner” section on desktop.
Use posts to promote:
- Special offers
- New services
- Seasonal campaigns
- Events
- Business updates
- New products
- Helpful tips
- Case studies
- Blog content
- Appointment availability
Google supports different post types, including updates, offers and events. Offers can include dates, coupon codes, links and terms, while events can include start and end dates and times.
For best results, post consistently. A weekly post is a practical rhythm for most businesses. Keep the copy concise, add a strong image and include a clear call to action such as “Book now”, “Call today”, “Learn more” or “Get a quote”.
Avoid low-quality posts. Google advises businesses to keep posts professional, avoid spelling errors, avoid distracting content and only link to trusted websites.
9. Build a Review Strategy
Reviews are one of the strongest trust signals on your profile. They influence both customer decisions and local visibility. Google states that more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking, and that responding to reviews shows you value customer feedback.
Ask happy customers for reviews as part of your normal customer journey. The best time to ask is usually soon after a positive experience, successful project, completed appointment or product delivery.
Make the process easy. Share your review link in follow-up emails, invoices, SMS messages or thank-you pages. However, do not offer incentives, discounts, gifts or rewards in exchange for reviews. Reviews should reflect genuine customer experiences.
Respond to every review where possible. For positive reviews, thank the customer and mention the service naturally. For example:
Thanks for your kind words, Sarah. We’re glad the local SEO campaign helped improve your visibility in Perth search results.
For negative reviews, stay calm and professional. A good response should:
- Acknowledge the concern
- Avoid arguing publicly
- Offer to resolve the issue offline
- Show future customers that you take feedback seriously
A negative review is not always disastrous. A thoughtful response can actually increase trust because it shows your business is accountable and responsive.
10. Optimise the Q&A Section
The Q&A section is often overlooked, but it can influence customer decisions. Anyone may be able to ask questions, and in some cases other users may answer them. That creates a risk of incomplete or inaccurate information.
Monitor questions regularly and answer them quickly. You can also seed the section with genuine frequently asked questions that customers commonly ask.
Useful Q&A topics include:
- Service areas
- Pricing process
- Appointment requirements
- Parking
- Delivery options
- Emergency availability
- Payment methods
- Turnaround times
- Warranty or guarantee details
- Booking process
Use natural language and include relevant keywords where appropriate. Do not force keywords into every answer. The main goal is to help customers make a confident decision.
11. Connect Your Profile to a Strong Local Landing Page
Your Google Business Profile should link to the most relevant page on your website. For single-location businesses, this is often the homepage or a dedicated local landing page. For multi-location businesses, each profile should link to the corresponding location page.
The linked page should reinforce the same information as your profile:
- Business name
- Address or service area
- Phone number
- Opening hours
- Services
- Reviews or testimonials
- Local content
- Reviews or testimonials
- Calls to action
- Embedded map where appropriate
If your profile says you offer “Google Business Profile optimisation in Perth”, your website should have a page or section that clearly supports that service and location. This consistency improves customer experience and helps search engines understand your relevance.
12. Track Performance and Improve Over Time
Optimisation is not a one-time task. Review your profile performance regularly and look for trends in:
- Calls
- Website clicks
- Direction requests
- Searches
- Profile views
- Photo views
- Popular times
- Booking actions
- Messaging enquiries
Use this data to improve your strategy. If calls are low, your offer or phone visibility may need work. If direction requests are strong but reviews are weak, customer experience may need attention. If impressions are high but conversions are low, photos, reviews or service descriptions may need improvement.
Also check your profile manually from time to time. Google allows edits and updates to business information, and incorrect changes can occasionally appear. Regular monitoring helps protect your listing from outdated or inaccurate information.
13. Follow Google’s Policies
Google Business Profile optimisation must stay within Google’s rules. Google’s Business Profile policies cover areas such as eligibility, ownership, representing your business, prohibited content, photos, videos, posts and business links. Google also notes that violations may lead to content restrictions or restricted access to the profile or merchant account.
Avoid shortcuts such as
- Keyword stuffing your business name
- Creating fake locations
- Using virtual offices that are not eligible
- Buying reviews
- Offering incentives for reviews
- Uploading misleading photos
- Adding irrelevant categories
- Publishing spammy posts
- Using inaccurate opening hours
Good local SEO is built on accuracy, trust and consistency. Risky tactics may create short-term movement, but they can damage your visibility and credibility long term.
Final Thoughts
Your Google Business Profile is one of the most powerful tools available for local SEO. It helps customers discover your business, compare you with competitors and take action directly from Google Search or Maps.
The most successful profiles are complete, accurate, active and customer-focused. They use the right categories, strong service descriptions, genuine photos, regular posts, helpful FAQs and a consistent review strategy. They are also connected to a strong website and maintained over time.
If your Google Business Profile is not generating calls, clicks or enquiries, the issue may not be that local SEO does not work. The issue may be that your profile has not been properly optimised.
A professional local SEO strategy can help you improve visibility, attract better-quality leads and turn your Business Profile into a reliable source of new customers.
The Computing Australia Group can help you on how to optimise your Google My Business listing. We’ll make sure your profile is at its best, right from account creation, optimisation to regular maintenance. Contact us today or email at sales@computingaustralia.group and speak to our SEO experts.
Jargon Buster
Local SEO – Optimising online presence to attract relevant local searches.
Google Local Pack– A section of Google’s SERPs which shows local business relevant to the query.
Rich Snippets– Information in addition to the title, meta description, and URL that gets displayed in the search results.
Chris Karapetcoff
FAQ
What is Google Business Profile optimisation?
Is Google My Business the same as Google Business Profile?
Yes. Google My Business was renamed Google Business Profile. Many people still search for “Google My Business”, but Google now uses the name Google Business Profile for managing business listings on Search and Maps.
Why is my Google Business Profile not showing in local search?
Your profile may not be showing because it is incomplete, unverified, using the wrong category, lacking reviews, missing local relevance, or competing against stronger businesses nearby. Google local rankings are influenced by relevance, distance and prominence, so your profile needs to clearly show what you do, where you operate and why customers trust you.
How often should I update my Google Business Profile?
You should review your profile at least once a month and update it whenever your business details change. Posts, photos, offers, opening hours and reviews should be managed more frequently. For most businesses, posting once a week and responding to reviews quickly is a good routine.
Do Google reviews help local SEO?
Yes. Reviews can help improve trust, click-through rates and local visibility. A steady flow of genuine positive reviews can make your business more appealing to potential customers and may support stronger local rankings. Always ask for reviews ethically and never buy or incentivise them.
