Why your Google Business Profile is more powerful than your website (and how to make it work for you)
If you’re a local business owner, here’s a bold truth: your Google Business Profile (GBP) isn’t just a directory listing, it could be your most valuable piece of digital real estate.
“What’s that??” you cry in disbelief? “Important-er than my website?” (pretty sure that’s a word…)
Yep. More important than your website.
There. I said it!
It’s not time to turf out the old SEO playbook just yet, but today, more and more people are making buying decisions on the search results page, without ever clicking through to your website. And if your GBP isn’t optimised, you’re basically handing customers to your competitors.
Here’s what you need to know, and what to do about it.
Local SEO starts (and often ends) with your GBP
Google’s evolving landscape means your profile is now the front door to your business. In fact, fully verified and complete GBPs appear more often in local search results and outperform unverified listings across the board. No surprises there. Google is certainly focusing more on transparency and credibility, so they’re rewarding businesses that have complete and up to date profile info.
Here’s what verified businesses saw in 2024:
- 4x more website visits
- 12% more phone calls
- 10% more direction requests
These are not vanity metrics. These are real people taking action. Calling, visiting, and most importantly, buying. You might not think these are massive numbers but when they compound, and you haven’t had to spend an extra cent on ads, these are stats that make a direct contribution to your bottom line.
The new local search game: Visibility comes from action
Over 86% of all Google Business Profile impressions now come from category-based searches like “plumber near me” or “best dentist in [suburb]”. That means your business is being found by what you do, not who you are.
Let that sink in for a minute. 86% of impressions are from people who are still undecided about WHO they want to buy from. That’s unprecedented.
To rank, your profile needs:
- Accurate info (business name, hours, services, location)
- High-volume, recent, and authentic reviews
- Fresh visual content (yes, people are judging your photos!)
- Fully completed features like service lists, attributes, and booking options
Local SEO and paid ads are besties.
Just because 86% of impressions are from people who are undecided about WHO they want to buy from, doesn’t mean they don’t have preferred brands in mind. In fact, if you’re not one of the top 3 brands in the consumer’s mind, it’s an uphill battle even if you DO appear in their search.
But picture this.
Your prospective client goes to Google, looks for a ‘Laundromat near me’ and gets a list of possible matches. You’re one of them. And because they’ve seen your Meta ads, and your Google display ads, your name stands out to them like a beacon.
This is where real, sustainable, robust growth marketing enters the chat. Words that make marketers like me all giddy like ‘touchpoints’ and ‘consideration set’ and ‘awareness’. We don’t use these words because we like to sound fancy. We use them because they’re the backbone of campaigns that actually get results.
So yeah, paid ads and Local SEO go together like hot chocolate and marshmallows!
Reviews are the new SEO fuel
Customer reviews aren’t just trust signals, they’re a direct ranking factor.
According to the report:
- Each new review can result in 80+ website visits, 63 direction requests, and 16 more calls
- Google now accounts for 80–90% of all online reviews in most industries
If your review strategy isn’t consistent and authentic, you’re losing visibility, trust, and customers. Most business owners I speak with are reluctant to ask for reviews, but it’s an important part of your overall marketing strategy. Make sure you’re aware of the rules around asking for reviews, and don’t incentivise people or put words in their mouth, but asking is 100% OK.
Visuals are your secret weapon
Most local businesses treat photos like an afterthought. Big mistake.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Verified GBPs with high-quality, recent photos saw significantly higher engagement
- The average number of photos per profile ranged from 8 to 55, depending on industry
- Short-form video content is rising fast, especially on mobile
If you’re not showing off your team, your space, your work—you’re invisible to the people who care.
GBP features you’re probably not using (But Should Be)
There’s a goldmine of underused tools inside GBP. Most businesses don’t touch them.
- Posts & Offers: Google boosts fresh content in the new “What’s Happening” search carousel
- Reserve with Google: Only 5% of businesses have enabled bookings, even in service-heavy industries like beauty and healthcare
- Service Lists, Products, Attributes: These boost discoverability in both Maps and Search
Early adopters are getting the visibility edge. Don’t be the business left behind.
How to supercharge your GBP in 2025
Want to get more leads, calls, and bookings from your Google Business Profile? Here’s the cheat sheet:
✅ Verify and complete your profile. Every field matters
✅ Get reviews regularly. Ask, respond, and showcase them
✅ Upload fresh photos and videos every month. Your team. Your products. Your workspace. Help people get to know you.
✅ Enable “Reserve with Google” if you take bookings
✅ Post regular offers, updates, and events
✅ Use all available features (products, services, Q&A, attributes)
✅ Integrate your GBP with your website, ads, and email
Final Word: Google’s Not a Search Engine, it’s part of your sales funnel
Google isn’t just showing your business. It’s selling your business before anyone even visits your website.
If you’re not investing in your GBP, you’re missing out on high-intent customers who are ready to buy. It’s not about gaming the algorithm. It’s about being the obvious, trusted, visible choice in your local market.
At Orbit, we help local businesses turn their GBP into a growth machine. If you want more traffic, more leads, and more results, let’s chat.
Stats curtesy of birdeye’s State of Google Business Profile 2025 report.