February 4, 2025
by Krystal Taing / February 4, 2025
Let’s face it — if you want to attract customers, you’ve got to be on Google. And when your business has multiple locations, getting your Google Business Profile (GBP) is a must!
If you’re ready to unlock the full potential of your GBP, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll walk you through each step, from claiming your listings to optimizing them for maximum visibility. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know how to transform your GBP into a local SEO powerhouse that brings customers to your doorstep — literally!
Before diving into the details, let’s explore why a Google Business Profile is such a game-changer for your business. Think of your GBP (formerly Google My Business) as your digital storefront on Google Search and Maps. It’s not just a place to list your address or phone number but a complete digital presence where customers can find everything they need about your business.
You, on the other hand, will benefit from:
And the cherry on top? Setting up and maintaining a GBP is completely free and remarkably user-friendly.
Now that we’ve covered the value of GBP, let’s look at how it fits into the bigger picture of local SEO. Local search is more important than ever, with nearly 46% of all Google searches seeking local information. In fact, "near me" searches have skyrocketed by over 500% in recent years, driven by the rise of mobile and voice searches.
Optimizing your GBP and website for these searches ensures that when customers are ready to buy, your business is the first they find. And for businesses with multiple locations, your GBP is the golden ticket to reaching a wider audience, boosting visibility, and driving foot traffic to each of your stores.
Ready to learn more? Let’s get started on how to create or claim your GBP.
Getting started with GBP is pretty straightforward. But the real magic happens when it comes to optimization, which we’ll dive into later. For now, let’s focus on the basics and get you set up the right way.
Step 1: Go to business.google.com, the central hub for managing all your business listings. If you don’t already have a Google account associated with your business, you’ll need to create one. This is critical for security and keeping your profile linked to the right data.
Step 2: Search for your business by name and location to see if a profile exists. Google will check its database and show you if a GBP is already available.
Step 3: Fill in your business information, such as your business name, physical address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and business category. This will be your first chance to tell Google (and your customers) exactly what your business offers and where it’s located.
Step 4: Choose your verification method to prove that you’re the rightful owner of the business. Depending on your business type and location, you can verify your profile via postcard (most common), phone call, email, text message, or voice call. Verification typically takes up to 5 business days, with updates visible on Google in a few weeks.
Now, for multi-location businesses, creating a separate GBP for each physical location is essential. This will ensure that each store or office is represented individually in local search results. This is how you can do it:
Step 1: Go to "Manage Locations" in your GBP dashboard and find the "Manage Locations" option to add new addresses for each store or office location.
Step 2: Verify each location via a postcard sent to the physical address (though Google also offers alternate verification methods depending on your business type).
Sounds simple, right? And for the most part, it is — though you might encounter a few challenges along the way, particularly when it comes to the verification process.
Sometimes, things don’t go according to plan when setting up a GBP. Here’s how to handle common verification issues.
If you haven't received your verification postcard, don't worry — it can sometimes get delayed or lost in transit. In such cases, contact Google support for assistance. They can guide you through alternative verification methods or resend the postcard.
If your business shares an address with others, such as in office buildings or coworking spaces, using unique suite or floor numbers can help distinguish your profile and avoid verification issues.
Pro tip: Ensure your address is formatted according to Google’s guidelines, using standardized abbreviations, like St. for street and Ave. for avenue, which increases the likelihood of your profile passing verification.
Once your GBP is set up and verified, it’s time to optimize it for maximum impact.
Now that your business is verified, it’s time to get down to the real work: optimization. This will ensure your profile stands out and attracts the right customers. Let’s dive into the essential elements that will make your GBP shine.
The foundation of a high-performing GBP is accurate and consistent information, which helps build trust with both customers and search engines. Here’s the information you need:
Pro tip: Research competitors to ensure you're targeting the most relevant categories for each location. Regularly check for new attributes that Google introduces and update your profile accordingly.
Visual content is a powerful tool for boosting engagement, capturing attention, and making your business more memorable. Here's how to leverage it effectively:
Pro tip: Add subtitles to your videos to cater to a wider audience, including those watching without sound. Embed your virtual tour on your website and in social media posts to maximize exposure.
Customer reviews are one of the most influential factors in local SEO and customer decision-making. Responding to all reviews promptly demonstrates your commitment to customer service. For positive reviews, thank customers and highlight specific feedback. For negative reviews, address issues respectfully, offering solutions to resolve concerns.
While each response should feel personal, using standardized review templates can save time and ensure consistency across locations. This is especially helpful for large businesses with multiple locations.
Pro Tip: Set up automated review alerts so your team can respond to customer feedback promptly and ensure no review goes unanswered.
Exploiting all the features offered by a GBP is crucial for businesses looking to maximize their online presence, improve local SEO, and enhance customer engagement.
One of the most effective tools is GBP posts, which appear directly in the search results and on the business profile. By regularly posting updates, promotions, upcoming events, and news, businesses can keep their customers informed, showcase their latest offerings, and maintain visibility in search results.
Another powerful feature is the FAQ section, which allows businesses to proactively answer common customer questions. By addressing frequently asked questions directly on their GBP, businesses not only improve the profile's overall usefulness but also provide potential customers with quick, accurate information.
Both GBP posts and the FAQ section can be optimized for SEO through relevant keywords, helping businesses show up in more searches related to their products or services.
GBP insights provide valuable data to measure and refine your profile’s performance. Key metrics include profile views, search queries, calls, direction requests, and photo engagement. Use these insights to identify patterns, such as which locations generate the most engagement or which services are most in demand.
Regularly reviewing analytics allows you to adapt strategies, such as adjusting hours for high-traffic locations or promoting underperforming ones, ensuring optimal visibility and customer satisfaction.
Pro tip: Use A/B testing to experiment with different business descriptions or photos to see what drives more engagement and optimize your GBP strategy.
Apart from all of these steps, consistency is crucial when managing multiple locations. Here’s how to keep everything aligned.
Maintaining consistency across all profiles is essential to building a strong, trustworthy online presence for businesses with multiple locations.
Consistency isn’t just about uniformity; it’s also about accuracy. Regularly updating your profiles with current hours of operation, services, and contact details ensures customers always have the right information. For businesses with seasonal or promotional offerings, timely updates can make the difference in capturing local demand. Frequent updates also signal to Google that your profiles are active and relevant, boosting visibility.
Your GBP should reflect a cohesive brand identity across all locations. This includes consistent logos, images, and tone of voice in descriptions and responses to reviews. Brand consistency builds trust with customers and reinforces your brand’s professionalism. Even as you tailor profiles to reflect the unique offerings of each location, maintaining a consistent overarching identity ensures your business remains recognizable and credible.
For multi-location businesses, managing multiple GBPs can quickly become overwhelming without the right tools. A centralized platform can streamline profile management, allowing you to update information across all locations simultaneously. It ensures consistency and saves time while minimizing the risk of errors or discrepancies.
Finally, let’s explore the challenges you might face in local SEO and how to overcome them.
Local SEO is in a constant state of evolution, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer behavior. It’s crucial to keep up with the latest trends and adapt your strategy accordingly. Here are some challenges you need to look out for:
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly pivotal role in shaping how search engines like Google understand and rank businesses.
Google’s algorithms are using AI to evaluate not just the relevance of your business but also its alignment with user intent. This means that in addition to focusing on traditional SEO best practices like NAP consistency and reviews, businesses need to consider signals that resonate with AI algorithms.
Specifically, Google now values contextual relevance more than ever, which can include things like user behavior, engagement metrics, and content that appeals to AI-driven systems. Businesses that understand how AI prioritizes content and interaction will have a better chance of ranking higher in local search results.
Today’s users don’t just search for vague terms; they have specific, goal-driven needs. They might be looking for a “24-hour plumber near me” or “best bakery for vegan cakes.” With this shift in search intent, optimizing your GBP for a broader range of search queries is essential.
The more specific your listing is, the better your chances of showing up in the search results for relevant queries. This means targeting local keywords that align with your services and business offerings and adding rich content like videos, images, and 360° virtual tours to give users a better understanding of what you provide. By doing so, you improve the likelihood of being discovered by users who are actively searching for exactly what you offer.
As local search competition grows, businesses with limited resources often feel pressured to spend on paid advertising to remain visible. However, a strong local SEO strategy can still yield significant returns without breaking the bank.
A GBP offers a cost-effective way to improve your local presence, without the need for hefty budgets. By optimizing your GBP, you can organically increase your visibility, attract local customers, and improve your ranking in local search results. This can lead to higher ROI by targeting customers who are already searching for your services, driving foot traffic, and ultimately increasing conversions at a fraction of the cost of paid ads.
Whether you’re a single-location business or managing multiple sites, GBP helps you stay competitive, boost foot traffic, and build stronger connections with your audience. And even though the landscape of local SEO is shifting, businesses that adapt to AI trends, understand the nuances of user intent, and leverage cost-effective tools like GBP will be well-positioned to thrive in an increasingly competitive local market.
Stand out in local searches by mastering these critical GBP (formerly Google My Business) features!
Edited by Supanna Das
Krystal Taing has over a decade of expertise in local search, specializing in helping multi-location businesses strengthen their online presence. As a Google Business Profile Platinum Product Expert, she combines deep industry insights with hands-on experience – as VP Solutions at Uberall.
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