Your Google Business Profile is often the first—and sometimes only—impression people have of your business. In 2025, with AI-powered search results and zero-click answers expanding, your GBP isn't just important. It might be your primary online presence.
This playbook covers what actually matters for GBP optimization, based on 25 years of local search experience and what's working right now.
The Foundation: Getting the Basics Right
Before we get to advanced tactics, most businesses have room to improve on fundamentals. These basics account for roughly 70% of your GBP performance.
Essential Profile Completeness
- Business name exactly matches your real-world signage
- Primary category is the most specific accurate option
- Secondary categories cover all your actual services
- Address is complete and formatted consistently
- Phone number is local and goes directly to your business
- Hours are accurate and include special hours for holidays
- Website URL goes to a relevant, mobile-friendly page
- Business description uses all 750 characters meaningfully
Categories Matter More Than You Think
Your primary category is one of the strongest ranking signals for local search. Yet most businesses choose categories carelessly or leave secondary categories empty.
The rule: Your primary category should be the most specific accurate description of your main business activity. "Mexican Restaurant" is better than "Restaurant" if you're a Mexican restaurant. "Emergency Plumber" is better than "Plumber" if that's your focus.
Secondary categories should cover your other legitimate services. A plumber who also does HVAC work should add both. But don't add categories for services you don't actually provide prominently—Google can tell when categories don't match your reviews and content.
Photos and Visual Content
Businesses with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more click-throughs to websites. Yet most businesses either ignore photos entirely or upload low-quality images.
What to Upload
- Cover photo: Your best single image representing your business
- Logo: Clean, recognizable, properly sized
- Exterior photos: Help people recognize your location
- Interior photos: Set expectations for the experience
- Team photos: Build trust and personal connection
- Work/product photos: Show what you actually do
Photo quality signals business quality. One excellent photo is worth ten mediocre ones. If you can't take good photos yourself, it's worth hiring a photographer for a few hours.
Photo Best Practices
- Minimum 720x720 pixels (larger is better)
- JPG or PNG format
- Well-lit, in-focus, no heavy filters
- Show real employees, real work, real spaces
- Update seasonally or when things change
- Add photos regularly—fresh content signals active business
Posts: Your Free Marketing Channel
Google Business Profile posts appear directly in search results and on your profile. They're free, they get visibility, and most of your competitors aren't using them consistently.
Post Types That Work
- Update posts: News, tips, behind-the-scenes content
- Offer posts: Promotions with clear CTAs
- Event posts: Upcoming events with dates and details
- Product posts: Feature specific products or services
Posting Strategy
Consistency beats volume. One thoughtful post per week is better than sporadic bursts of activity. Posts expire after 7 days (except events), so regular posting keeps your profile fresh.
What to post about:
- Seasonal services or promotions
- Local events you're participating in
- Tips related to your industry
- New services or products
- Team member spotlights
- Community involvement
Reviews: The Trust Engine
Reviews are both a ranking factor and a conversion factor. They affect where you show up and whether people choose you when they find you.
Getting More Reviews
The most effective approach is simple: ask. Businesses that systematically ask for reviews get more reviews. Those that don't, don't.
- Ask at the moment of satisfaction (right after successful service)
- Make it easy (provide a direct link to your review page)
- Ask everyone (not just people you think will leave 5 stars)
- Follow up once if they don't respond
Responding to Reviews
Respond to every review—positive and negative. This shows engagement and gives you another chance to include relevant information about your business.
For positive reviews: Thank them specifically, reference something from their review, reinforce what makes you good.
For negative reviews: Acknowledge the issue, take responsibility where appropriate, offer to make it right, take the conversation offline.
Your response to a negative review is more important than the negative review itself. Future customers are watching how you handle problems.
Attributes and Services
Google continuously adds new attributes—features, amenities, and service details that appear on your profile. Keep these updated.
Check your profile monthly for new attribute options. Google adds them without notification, and having complete attributes helps you show up in filtered searches ("restaurants with outdoor seating," "plumbers who offer emergency service").
Q&A: Control Your Narrative
The Q&A section on your profile is often neglected. Anyone can ask questions, and anyone can answer—including competitors.
Proactive approach: Seed your own Q&A with common questions and accurate answers. This ensures the information is correct and covers topics customers actually care about.
Monitoring: Check your Q&A regularly and answer new questions promptly. Upvote your own accurate answers so they appear first.
The 2026 Priority List
If you do nothing else, focus on these high-impact items:
- Verify your listing if you haven't already
- Optimize your primary category for specificity
- Complete all profile fields with accurate information
- Add quality photos (at least 10-15 good ones)
- Set up a review request system
- Respond to all reviews within 24-48 hours
- Post weekly
- Keep hours and info current
These fundamentals, executed consistently, will outperform any tricks or shortcuts. GBP rewards businesses that treat their profile like the important marketing asset it is.