Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free tool that helps local customers find you on Google Search and Maps. Managed correctly, it can significantly boost your local SEO.
Keep Your Business Information Current
Regularly audit your profile to ensure customers always find accurate information:
- Business name: Keep it consistent with your signage and other platforms
- Address and phone: NAP (Name-Address-Phone) consistency is critical for local SEO
- Hours: Update for special events and holidays
- Category: Your primary category should reflect your most important service
Respond to Reviews Promptly
Research shows review response rate directly impacts local ranking. Google prioritizes actively managed profiles.
For positive reviews: Thank the customer and naturally include your business name.
For negative reviews:
- Apologize without being defensive
- Express your desire to resolve the issue
- Move the conversation to a private channel
Add Photos and Videos
Profiles with photos receive 42% more direction requests than those without. Aim to add 2-3 new, high-quality photos every month.
Automate with Sentimaps
Manually tracking all of this is time-consuming. Sentimaps automatically analyzes your reviews, provides AI-powered response suggestions, and lets you manage all your locations from a single dashboard.