Google Business Profile
Search Engine Land is your definitive source for Google Business Profile news and content. You’ll find a variety of up-to-date and authoritative resources, including the latest news, tactic-rich tutorials, and the latest data-driven insights to help you optimize your local search presence, work smarter, and make better decisions.
Why Google Business Profile matters for your strategy
Google Business Profile (GBP) is essential for businesses looking to attract local customers, improve their online visibility, and manage customer relationships effectively. With new features like AI-transcribed menu uploads, staying updated on GBP innovations can significantly impact your local SEO strategy. Whether you’re optimizing GBP listings, managing reviews, or utilizing advanced insights, this page offers tools and tips tailored to your business goals.
Our comprehensive coverage ensures you stay ahead of trends, such as new features for Google Business Profile, changes to local search algorithms, and actionable tips for maximizing the impact of your GBP; we break down what these changes mean for your local SEO strategy.
What you read here is written by our experienced in-house team, alongside subject matter experts from leading brands and agencies.
Explore strategies to improve your local visibility, manage customer interactions seamlessly, and improve your business’s reputation online
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Google search results eye candy: How users navigate search features and what it means for SEO
Search behaviors are changing as users "ping pong" their attention across search results pages.
2020 SEO trends that will influence your work
Google is aiming to be the end destination of their users' journeys. This, more than anything, defines major SEO trends for 2020.
Google Maps becomes more ‘social’ with Local Guides follow feature
Local Guides are part of the reason GMB and Maps are so successful.
Local business study finds 0% of site traffic coming from email, paid media
Are small businesses not using email or digital advertising? The 'Google Analytics for Local Businesses Study' looked at 11K local businesses.
Google My Business discontinues toll free phone support
This will impact how quickly your Google My Business issues can be addressed.
Uber Eats readies ad sales for restaurants
Could it become a rival to Google and Yelp over time?
Achieving 3.7 Google My Business rating stars delivers highest conversion boost, study finds
Replying to a third of reviews may increase conversions by 80% for enterprise locations.
Google begins testing Duplex internationally
Duplex will be powering automated calls to confirm holiday business hours in New Zealand.
The future of search begins with a ‘V’
Voice and visual search will ultimately become significant drivers of query volume beside text input.
Google showing mobile ‘search by photos’ option in selected local verticals
The new element appears to not have a fixed position but resides below the local pack, sometimes right below.
Revenge of the small business website
VC investments in Wordpress' parent and Duda, plus a new Yahoo website offering, show that SMB sites are still big business.
Which local citation sources matter now?
An informal poll of local SEOs yields some answers -- and disagreements -- about spending time on citations.
Yelp introduces ‘Connect’ and new Waitlist features for restaurants
Connect is a publishing tool not unlike Google Posts, but with differences.
Search used when brands are unknown, but it’s direct navigation for existing customers
A new survey from Yext explores what content sources are more trusted and what's at stake in not paying enough attention to third party platforms.
Google verticals, machine learning and no-click searches expected to have the biggest impacts on SEO
Survey also finds that SEOs think government investigations are least likely to impact the industry.
Google now showing competitor ads on local business profiles
The unit is from Local Campaigns and businesses cannot pay to remove them.
Yelp adds new personalization features in bid to regain local momentum from Google
The new capabilities are the beginning of 'major product changes' according to the company.
Why is there so little innovation in local?
The alpha and omega of local is now Google.
Google My Business adds bulk review management
You can now save time and find reviews faster with this new Google My Business feature.
SMX East: now with extra local
GMB, maps, reviews, voice and offline conversion tracking are all on the agenda.
Hotels can now add services, amenities in Google My Business
Now you can control your hotel details on Google Maps and Google Search.
Reservations, AR navigation coming to Google Maps
The new features are aimed at making Maps a hub for travelers.
Video: Mary Bowling on the growth of local SEO and importance knowledge panels
What a fun discussion with this local SEO legend, who has devoted her life to helping small businesses succeed.
Review counts matter more to local business revenue than star ratings, according to study
Womply also found businesses claiming their listings on multiple sites generated 58% more revenue than the average.
Analysis of SMB site builders finds connection between vendor and rankings
WP Engine, Squarespace perform well, market-leader Wix does not.
Do local citations matter anymore? Five local SEOs sound off
A range of opinions about how much attention to devote to citations.
Google shortnames bug persists despite Google insisting it’s fixed
Google said any current problems with suspended listings is likely the result of content or policy violations.
‘Get a Quote’ button added to Google business local knowledge panels
If you have Google My Business messaging turned out, you may start getting more messages from searchers.
Emoji SEO presents opportunities for video
Emoji search hasn’t quite caught on, but emojis still pose some interesting opportunities for your organic visibility.
Google says shortnames bug resolved, local listings restored
It's unclear yet whether the missing reviews issue has also been fixed.
Google shortnames and the case of the disappearing reviews
SEOs complained that adding shortnames to GMB profiles causes reviews to disappear or listings to be suspended. Google says it's working on it.
What two big studies tell us about the state of local marketing
New research from SOCi and FreshChalk point toward best practices and reveal how most local marketers are failing to execute.
Only 30% of SMBs would recommend their current SEO provider, survey finds
Those who spent $500 or more per month were likely to be happier, but the survey still finds low satisfaction with the industry overall.
Google aims to make it easier for SMBs to start using its products
Google for Small Business launches with resources and product recommendations for small businesses.
Yelp offering more paid profile upgrades for business owners
These new subscription products are part of broader push by the company to enable more business profile customization and generate new revenues.
Millions of fake Google Maps listings hurt real business and consumers
Google says it is working on it, but is still positioned to profit as local businesses claw back visibility with paid ads.
Google My Business adds more branding tools, introduces searchable @shortnames
The top 5% of local businesses in each category will also be eligible for a new "Local Favorite" badge.
Local Inventory ads rolling out of beta in Microsoft Advertising
Show ads when relevant products are in-stock nearby.
The new realities of local search
How does Google's local algorithm really work? What are the factors that impact your results and how do you optimize for success? It's more imperative than ever to learn which tactics really matter.
Nextdoor emerges as a location marketing destination
Claiming pages and managing your reputation with customer ratings and reviews on this hyperlocal platform calls for a closer look from local business.