Are people searching for your type of business but not finding you? Or worse, are they finding your competitors first? If your Google Business Profile isn’t set up and optimised, you’re likely leaving a significant amount of local visibility on the table. With local SEO services becoming an increasingly important part of any digital strategy, getting your Google Business Profile right has never mattered more.
Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business, or GMB) is one of the most powerful free tools available to local businesses. It puts your business in front of people who are actively searching for what you offer, right at the moment they need it. Whether you’re a Melbourne-based service provider or a business operating across Australia, understanding how GBP works and how to make the most of it can have a real impact on your enquiries, foot traffic, and revenue.
In this article, we’ll cover what Google Business Profile is, why it matters, where your listing appears in search, and how to use its interactive features to build trust and attract new customers. We’ll also look at how a dedicated local SEO agency can take the management of your profile off your plate entirely, so you can focus on running your business.
What is Google Business Profile and why does it matter?
Before getting into the benefits and features, it’s worth understanding exactly what Google Business Profile is and the role it plays in your broader online presence. GBP is a free platform provided by Google that allows businesses to manage how they appear across Google Search and Google Maps. A well-optimised listing gives potential customers everything they need to find, contact, and trust your business before they ever visit your website or walk through your door.
The numbers behind GBP make a strong case for taking it seriously. Research shows that 97% of people search online when looking for local products or services, and 46% of all Google searches are specifically seeking local information. Businesses with complete, verified profiles are 2.7 times more likely to be considered reputable by customers, and complete listings generate up to seven times more clicks than incomplete ones. These aren’t marginal gains — they represent the difference between being found and being invisible.
What is Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile (GBP) is a platform that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. By optimising your listing, you can improve your visibility to potential customers who are searching for products or services like yours. Your profile can include your business name, address, phone number, website, trading hours, photos, services, posts, reviews, and more.
Why you need a local SEO agency to manage your Google Business Profile
Having a dedicated local SEO agency optimise and maintain your listing ensures your business is more visible in search results, your contact information stays current, and your profile continues driving interest from potential customers. Search engine algorithms are constantly evolving, and keeping pace with those changes is a full-time job in itself. That’s where using a local SEO specialist makes a real difference. Agencies with expertise in local SEO know how to position your listing to attract targeted, high-intent traffic that is far more likely to convert into actual customers and enquiries.
Avoid revenue loss from a poorly optimised profile
A poorly maintained Google Business Profile can quietly cost your business customers every single day. If your contact details are outdated, your hours are incorrect, or your listing lacks photos and reviews, potential customers will simply move on to a competitor whose profile inspires more confidence. Staying visible and accurate in local search is a must for any business that relies on customers finding them online, and having someone manage this for you ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
The benefits of using Google Business Profile for your business
Now that we’ve covered what GBP is and why active management matters, it’s worth understanding the specific advantages a well-optimised profile brings to your business. These benefits span visibility, trust, and customer engagement, and they compound over time as your profile becomes more established.
Reach more customers through local search
A business that is well-optimised on GBP will naturally appear for relevant local searches in Google, putting your name in front of people who are actively looking for what you offer. Research shows that 86% of Google Business Profile views come from category-based searches, meaning most customers find businesses like yours by searching for the type of service they need rather than the specific business name. This makes appearing prominently in those searches absolutely critical for growth.
Build trust with reviews and social proof
Google reviews have become the dominant form of social proof for local businesses. In 2025, 83% of consumers primarily read reviews on Google before making decisions, and 88% of people read reviews before engaging with a business at all. A steady flow of genuine, positive reviews not only builds credibility with potential customers but also signals to Google that your business is active and trustworthy, which supports your ranking in local search results.
Complement your existing SEO strategy
If you already have a local SEO campaign in place, adding a well-maintained Google Business Profile can meaningfully boost your results. GBP now contributes to over 19% of local SEO ranking factors, making it one of the most significant signals in determining where your business appears in local search. Combined with a quality website and strong on-page SEO, a fully optimised profile creates a powerful, integrated online presence that works around the clock to bring in new enquiries.
3 places your business will show up when searched on Google
With the benefits established, it helps to understand exactly where your Google Business Profile appears when someone searches for your business or the services you offer. There are three key places your listing can show up, each offering a different type of visibility and customer interaction.
1. The Knowledge Panel
Google’s knowledge panels are information boxes that appear on the right-hand side of search results when someone searches for your business by name. They provide a quick snapshot of your business, including contact details, website address, opening hours, street address, photos, and reviews. This information is drawn directly from your Google Business Profile, making it essential that everything is accurate, complete, and up to date.
2. The Local Pack
The Local Pack (also known as the Google 3-Pack) is the group of three business listings that appears near the top of search results for location-based queries, accompanied by a map. Research shows that 42% of local searchers click on results within the Local Pack, making it the most valuable real estate in local search. Businesses that appear here benefit from exceptional visibility, and earning a spot requires a combination of profile completeness, review quality, and ongoing SEO effort.
3. Google Maps
Having your business appear on Google Maps helps customers see exactly where you’re located and navigate to your premises. With 86% of people using Google Maps to look up a business’s location, having an accurate, complete address in your GBP listing is non-negotiable. A well-maintained Maps listing also allows customers to leave and read reviews, view photos, and check trading hours directly within the Maps interface.
Interactive features of your Google Business Profile
Beyond basic listing information, Google Business Profile offers a range of interactive features that allow you to engage with potential customers, showcase your work, and answer questions before they’re even asked. Used well, these features can significantly increase the chances of someone choosing your business over a competitor.
Collect and display reviews
Google Business Profile allows you to collect and display reviews from customers, which plays a major role in building trust with new visitors. Google accounted for 81% of all online review volume in 2024, making it the single most important review platform for the vast majority of local businesses. Reviews give potential customers insight into the quality of your service, how issues are handled, and whether past clients would recommend you. Importantly, 73% of consumers only trust reviews written within the last month, which means a consistent and ongoing approach to review generation is far more valuable than a one-time push.
Profile posts
Google Posts function similarly to social media updates, but they appear directly on your Google Business Profile in search results. They can include images, video, text, and links that take customers straight to your website, making them a valuable tool for promoting offers, sharing recent work, highlighting new services, or directing people to a specific page. Regular posts signal to Google that your profile is active and relevant, which can support your local search rankings over time. The key is consistency in both frequency and style, something a dedicated SEO specialist can manage on your behalf.
Questions and answers
The Questions and Answers feature allows potential customers to ask questions directly on your profile, and your responses remain visible to everyone who views your listing. This creates a living FAQ that addresses common concerns and objections before a customer even needs to pick up the phone. Proactively seeding your own frequently asked questions with clear, helpful answers is a smart way to influence the buying decision and reduce friction in the customer journey. Like all aspects of your profile, keeping this section current and well-maintained is an important part of an effective local SEO strategy.
Using local SEO services in Melbourne to optimise your Google Business Profile
Setting up and optimising a Google Business Profile is a meaningful investment in your local visibility, but the real gains come from ongoing, consistent management. A profile that is set up once and left alone will quickly fall behind competitors who are actively updating their listings, generating reviews, and publishing posts. That’s why partnering with a local SEO agency that understands the platform is one of the most effective steps a local business can take.
At Elevate Websites, we work with businesses across Melbourne and beyond to create and optimise Google Business Profile listings that genuinely perform. We take the time to understand your business, your services, and your ideal customers before building a profile strategy around your specific goals. Because we’re based in Melbourne and work closely with local businesses, we know what it takes to stand out in competitive local markets.
We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Every business has different needs, different customers, and different competitive pressures, and our local SEO strategies reflect that. From profile setup and optimisation through to ongoing management, review strategy, and monthly reporting, we handle the full picture so you can focus on what you do best. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you grow your business.
Calem Koek is a web designer and owner of leading Melbourne-based digital marketing agency Elevate Websites. He has been helping businesses in Melbourne and across Australia scale their business online through quality website design and world class SEO services.