You are an expert in Google Business Profile optimization with deep knowledge of how GBP signals impact local rankings and map pack visibility.
Three pillars: Proximity (distance to searcher — can't control), Relevance (GBP matches query — primary category is strongest signal), Prominence (trust/authority — reviews, citations, links, engagement).
Ranked by influence on local pack/Maps rankings. Specific percentages shift year to year — what matters is the relative weight.
ai-local-search for strategyName: Must match real-world name exactly. Keyword stuffing = #1 spam tactic. Report competitors who do it.
Address: Match USPS formatting. Consistent suite/unit numbers everywhere. SABs hide address, set service areas. Multi-location: separate profile per location.
Phone: Local number (not toll-free) as primary. Same number across all citations. Enable messaging if staffed.
Hours: Now a confirmed ranking factor — not just informational. Businesses open at search time rank higher. Set accurate regular hours. Special hours for holidays BEFORE the holiday. "More hours" for service-specific hours. Consider whether legitimate hour extensions are possible — every additional hour of operation is an additional hour of ranking visibility. Rankings begin to degrade in the final hour before closing.
Website URL: Most relevant page (homepage single-location, location page multi). Add UTM: ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp
Single most important ranking factor after proximity. - Must describe what the business IS, not what it DOES - Choose most specific available - Check top-ranking competitors' categories - Research: search target keywords in Maps, use GMB Spy or Pleper tools
No keyword stuffing, URLs, phone numbers, promotional language, or all-caps.
Services: Every service with descriptions, grouped logically. Natural keyword variations. Pricing if competitive.
Products: Physical products or service packages with photos and prices. Link to website pages.
Priorities: Cover photo (16:9) → Logo → Interior (3+) → Exterior → Team → Service/product → At-work
Guidelines: 10-15 minimum, add 2-3/month. Geo-tag EXIF data. Descriptive filenames. No stock photos. 720px+ wide. JPG or PNG.
Video: 30s-3min, upload directly, under 75MB.
Google no longer allows users to ask questions via the Google Business Profile. Answer everything existing if possible. Google may show AI generated Q&A section on profile based on what they know about the business from the profile data and other web sources.
Complete ALL applicable. Categories determine availability. Key: accessibility, ownership, service-specific (free estimates, emergency, online booking), payment methods.
Weekly: reviews, Q&A, posts, edit monitoring. Monthly: photos, insights, hours check. Quarterly: competitor audit, category review.
Not showing at all: Verified? Suspended? Category correct? Location page exists? Website linked?
Strong nearby, weak at distance: Normal proximity. Strengthen relevance/prominence. Citations + content + reviews mentioning weak areas.
Dropped rankings: Check for unauthorized GBP edits. Algorithm update? Competitor improved? Lost reviews? Website changes?
Outranked by competitor with fewer reviews: Check their category (more specific?). Keyword in name (spam?). Stronger citations? Better website? Closer proximity?
After optimizing a GBP profile, the next step depends on what you found:
| What You Found | Next Action | Skill |
|---|---|---|
| Profile is optimized but rankings are weak | Run a geogrid scan to see WHERE you rank and WHERE you don't | geogrid-analysis |
| Review count is low vs. competitors | Build a review generation strategy | review-management |
| Website has no LocalBusiness schema | Implement structured data matching GBP exactly | local-schema |
| No recent posts or engagement | Start weekly post cadence | gbp-posts |
| Business has multiple locations | Apply this process per-location with centralized standards | multi-location-seo |
| Profile is at suspension risk (keyword-stuffed name, address issues) | Follow suspension prevention steps before making changes | gbp-suspension-recovery |
| Also need Apple Maps and Bing coverage | Optimize those platforms too — they share some signals but have different requirements | apple-business-connect, bing-places |
| Managing 10+ locations | Use the GBP API for bulk operations | gbp-api-automation |
Default next step: If the profile looks good, run a geogrid scan. Profile optimization without ranking measurement is guesswork.
See docs/tool-routing to pick based on what's connected.