Google Business Profile – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

You may have seen it before. You do a search on Google for a local business and up pops a little box on the right-hand side of the screen with the business name, address, phone number, hours of operation, and even reviews. That little box is called a Google Business Profile (GBP) , and it can be a powerful tool for businesses if it’s used correctly, and there are a number of reasons why you should have one.

The Google Business Profile Good

Google My Business listings are free and easy to set up. All you need is a google account (which most people already have) and some basic information about your business. Once you’ve claimed your listing, you can add photos, post updates, respond to reviews, add products and more.

Imagine you own a nail salon. If your business has an optimised profile, when a potential customer or client searches for a business close by (e.g nail salon near me), your nail salon will likely be ranking near the top and will gain new business over a competitor nail salon who may not of optimised or claimed their listing.

The GBP Bad

While Google My Business listings are free and easy to set up, they’re not always accurate. That’s because anyone can edit or claim a listing—even if they’re not associated with the business. This can lead to wrong information being displayed on your listing, which can frustrate potential customers who are trying to reach you. There is nothing worse than searching a stores business hours in Google only to find out that they’re incorrect and the store is actually closed when you thought it was open. Negative customer experiences can lead to Google reviews that may harm your business too.

The Google Business Profile Ugly

Inaccurate GBP listings can actually hurt your business if they’re not updated or corrected in a timely manner. That’s because potential customers who see the wrong information or can’t see what they need are likely to go to one of your competitors instead. In addition, if you have duplicate listings (meaning there are two or more listings for your business), this can also confuse potential customers and hurt your chances of being found online.

Make sure your Google Business Listing is up to date

Having an accurate Google Business profile listing is essential for businesses that want to be found online – plain and simple. If you don’t have a GBP listing, now is the time to create one. And if you already have a listing but it’s inaccurate or out-of-date, take the time to claim or edit it. Post updates and information regularly. This is also important as Google makes updates frequently. So that said, you want to ensure potential customers will have the correct information about your business. Your future customers will thank you for it!

Updated 19 June 2024