If you run a local business, your Google Business Profile is one of the most important digital assets you own. For many customers, it’s the first and only interaction they have with your brand before making a decision. A complete profile with your name, address, phone number, hours, and photos is the starting point. But in 2025, that level of setup is no longer enough to compete.

The businesses dominating the local map pack are doing more than filling in fields. They’re treating their profile like a living, breathing landing page that deserves constant care. This article goes beyond the basics to show you the advanced signals and actions Google looks for, and how you can put them into practice.

Why Engagement Signals Matter

Google does not just want information. It wants proof that customers interact with your business. Engagement is one of the strongest signals you can send.

Consider this example. A restaurant profile that receives hundreds of “Get Directions” clicks per month is clearly relevant to nearby diners. A roofer whose phone number is tapped straight from the profile dozens of times each week shows strong user intent. Google notices these signals and rewards the listing with greater visibility.

You can encourage engagement by adding clear calls to action. If you are a salon, your profile should invite customers to “Book an Appointment.” If you are a fitness studio, highlight “Try a Free Class.” The easier it is for someone to click, call, or drive, the stronger your engagement metrics will be.

Another overlooked factor is photos. Profiles with frequent photo uploads, both from the business and from customers are proven to earn more views and actions. If you run a contracting business, posting before-and-after images of jobs each week keeps the listing fresh. A restaurant that shares daily specials as photos can outperform competitors with static, outdated images.

Reviews as Keyword and Location Signals

Most business owners know reviews matter. What they might not realize is that reviews also function as a source of keywords and location relevance.

Imagine two dentists in Bethlehem, PA. One has dozens of reviews that simply say “Great service.” The other has reviews like “Best dentist in Bethlehem for root canals” or “Dr. Smith made my crown painless and affordable.” The second profile is feeding Google much richer data about services and geography.

You can encourage this naturally. When asking for reviews, provide a simple prompt such as, “If you could, please mention the service we provided and your town.” Many customers will take the hint and include these details.

Your replies to reviews also carry weight. Instead of just writing “Thank you,” expand slightly: “Thank you for choosing us for your kitchen remodel in Red Bank. We’re glad you love the result.” That single sentence reinforces your service type and location.

Taking Advantage of Google’s Hidden Features

Google Business Profile offers more tools than most businesses realize. Using them sends positive trust signals.

Bookings: Salons, fitness studios, and many service businesses can enable bookings directly on their profile. Customers never have to leave Google to schedule, which increases conversion rates.

Q&A section: You don’t have to wait for random questions. Add your own. A landscaper can ask, “Do you offer fall cleanup?” and answer, “Yes, we provide full fall cleanup services in Somerset and Middlesex counties.” That information then sits on your profile, keyword-rich and helpful.

Products and services: Each product or service can have a title, description, and link. A roofer might add “Flat Roof Repair” with a short note like “Specializing in EPDM and TPO systems across Monmouth County.” These entries expand the surface area for search queries.

Messaging: Enabling chat through GBP allows customers to text questions directly. Fast responses here are another engagement signal.

Aligning Your Profile with Your Website

Your Google Business Profile does not exist in isolation. Google constantly cross-checks the information with your website. If there is a mismatch, it hurts trust.

Consistency is the foundation. Your business name, categories, services, and NAP (name, address, phone) should match exactly. Beyond that, your website should carry structured data that reinforces your GBP. Adding Local Business schema with details about your industry, location, and service area helps Google connect the dots.

Tracking is also essential. Add UTM codes to the links inside your profile. Instead of just linking your homepage, set it as:

https://www.yoursite.com/?utm_source=gbp&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=local

Now, when someone fills out a form or makes a purchase, you will see in Google Analytics that the lead came directly from your GBP.

Building Local Authority Off the Profile

Google does not only look at your listing. It considers the broader footprint of your business across the web. Local backlinks and mentions are powerful authority signals.

For example, if your business sponsors a youth sports team and the league’s website links back to you, that local connection carries weight. A chamber of commerce listing, a mention in a local newspaper article, or a backlink from a nearby nonprofit all strengthen your credibility.

These do not need to be high domain authority websites. Relevance to your location matters more. Google wants to see proof that your business is part of the community it claims to serve.

Fine Tuning Categories and Service Areas

Choosing the right categories is one of the most important steps you can take. Your primary category has the greatest influence, so make it as specific as possible. A roofer should select “Roofing contractor,” not “General contractor.”

Secondary categories expand your visibility. For example, a contractor might add “Siding contractor” or “Gutter cleaning service.” These secondary categories help you appear in additional searches that still match your services.

Service areas require strategy as well. Many service area businesses list every town they can think of, but that rarely helps. Instead, focus on aligning declared service areas with where you actually earn reviews and traffic. If most of your customers are in Union and Essex counties, emphasize those. Google wants the digital footprint to match real-world activity.

Competitive Spam Fighting

One advanced tactic is actively reporting competitors who abuse GBP rules. Many businesses try to cheat by stuffing their name with keywords like “Best Roof Repair Freehold NJ LLC” or by creating fake locations. These profiles dilute the map pack.

You can report them using the “Suggest an edit” feature. If Google verifies the abuse, the competitor’s profile can be corrected or removed, improving your own visibility. This type of spam fighting is especially important in competitive industries like legal, medical, and home services.

Treating GBP Like a Living Landing Page

The biggest mindset shift is realizing that your Google Business Profile is not a set-and-forget directory listing. It should be managed like a living landing page. That means updating it frequently, posting new content, and measuring results.

Add fresh photos weekly or monthly
Post updates about offers, seasonal services, or events
Rotate secondary categories quarterly and measure impact
Monitor geo-grid ranking tools (like Local Falcon) to see your visibility radius grow

When you give your GBP the same attention as your website or ad campaigns, it becomes one of your strongest lead-generation assets.

Putting It All Together

Let’s bring this down to a real-world scenario. Imagine two competing HVAC companies in Ocean County. Both have profiles set up.

Company A uploaded a logo, set their hours, and occasionally responds to reviews.
Company B uploads new photos weekly, has reviews mentioning “emergency HVAC service in Toms River,” uses Q&A to highlight 24/7 availability, tracks clicks with UTM codes, sponsors a local high school team with a backlink, and reports spammy competitor names.

Even if both companies have been around for the same amount of time, Company B will win the map pack almost every time. That is the power of going beyond the basics.

Conclusion

Success with Google Business Profile today requires more than filling in the blanks. The businesses that dominate local search treat GBP as a dynamic marketing tool. They encourage engagement, collect keyword-rich reviews, take advantage of every feature, align with their website, build authority off the profile, fine tune categories, and even police their competitors.

If you commit to managing your profile as a living landing page, you will see stronger rankings, more calls, more direction requests, and ultimately more customers walking through your door.