How Google Business Profile Impacts Local Rankings

Your Google Business Profile directly impacts your local rankings. It tells Google what your business does, where it’s located, and whether it’s worth showing to people searching nearby. So If your profile is incomplete or outdated, you’re probably already losing visibility to competitors who took the time to fill theirs out.

We’re www.mattersolutions.com, and we’ve helped local businesses across Minnesota improve their search engine rankings. That experience allows us to build strategies that are effective, practical, and sustainable.

In this article, we’ll cover what your profile does for local visibility and what factors affect your rankings. You’ll also learn how to improve your profile for better results.

Ready? Let’s get into it.

What Google Business Profile Does for Local Search Visibility

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) affects your local rankings by telling Google who you are, where you’re located, and what you offer. Once Google has that information, it starts matching your business to people searching nearby.

According to BrightLocal on their page “Understanding Google’s Local Search Algorithm and Local Ranking Factors,” GBP signals make up about 32% of all local pack ranking factors. That’s more than any other single factor.

And that number is important because the businesses sitting in those top three local search results get more traffic (you’ve probably seen them, the Google 3-pack with the map). They also get more actions, which include calls, clicks, and direction requests, compared to businesses ranked below them.

So if you’re not showing up there, your competitors are getting those phone calls instead. That’s because Google relies on your profile as one of its main sources of information about your local business.

Here’s where Google pulls its information from:

Local Pack Placement: Your profile determines if you appear in the Google 3-pack. We’ve already mentioned that they refer to the top three listings that show above organic results in local searches.
Google Maps Visibility: A verified profile gets your business pinned on Google Maps. Specifically, when someone searches “plumber near me” or “HVAC repair in [city],” that pin is how they find you.
Relevance, Distance, and Prominence: Google uses these three factors to rank local search results. Your business profile ties directly into each one, and it influences how Google understands and evaluates your business.
NAP Consistency: Your name, address, and phone number need to match everywhere, across your profile, your website, and other business directories. Even if you have small mismatches (like “St.” vs. “Street”), it can confuse Google.
User Engagement Signals: Every click, call, direction request, and profile view sends a signal to search engines that your listing is relevant. So, the more people interact with it, the more Google shows it.
Zero-Click Searches: A growing number of customers now get what they need, like your hours, reviews, or phone number, straight from your profile. They never even visit your website (and that’s actually a good thing for your visibility).

In other words, your profile affects how customers find you and how Google decides to show you.

What Factors Affect Your Google Business Profile Rankings?

Your Google Business Profile rankings depend on how complete your profile is, what categories you choose, and how many quality reviews you have.

Google weighs each of these differently, but they all feed into the same three core signals: relevance, distance, and prominence.

We’ll now explain these factors.

Business Categories and Relevance

If you’ve ever searched for a plumber and seen a random handyman show up instead, that happened due to a category problem. Google uses your primary category to figure out what your business actually does.

According to Whitespark, category is the number one local pack ranking factor. Since Google has to sort through thousands of local businesses for any given search, your primary category is basically your first impression.

Secondary categories help, too. When you add them to your GBP, it lets your business show up for more related search results. We’ve even seen profiles jump in visibility just from fixing one wrong category.

Online Reviews and Ratings

Reviews are one of the fastest ways to build trust with both Google and potential customers. As per Localo’s analysis of more than 2 million GBP, businesses that rank in one of the top three search results tend to have higher review counts (often over 200 reviews on average) than those lower down the list.

But collecting reviews is only half of it. Responding to them, especially negative ones, shows Google that you’re actively managing your profile. And in our experience, staying consistent with reviews tends to improve rankings faster than most other factors.

Pro tip: You can add seasonal services to expand your visibility without changing your primary category.

How to Improve Your Google Business Profile for Better Local Rankings

You can improve your Google Business Profile by filling out every section and collecting reviews. You should also post updates and keep your information accurate across the web.

Most of these steps are free, and they don’t take much time to complete. Let’s get into more detail about the process of improving your GBP.

Complete Every Section of Your Profile

One of the best things about completing your business profile is that it costs nothing and takes less than an hour. You can simply start with your services and service area, since those help Google match you to the right local searches.

Next, add your business description with the specific terms your customers actually search for (“emergency plumber in Minneapolis” rather than “we provide quality plumbing solutions”).

Google also uses attributes like wheelchair access, payment methods, and veteran-owned status. This way, it matches your business better with relevant searches and customer needs.

Honestly, the more specific you get, the easier it is for Google to show your listing to the right people. Profiles that fill out every available field tend to outperform those that leave sections blank.

Get More Reviews and Respond to Them

Are you worrying about how to collect reviews? We recommend asking your customers right after a job wraps up, when the experience is still fresh. And be sure to encourage them to mention the specific service they used.

For example, a review like “They fixed our AC unit the same day we called” helps more than a generic five-star rating. Google picks up on those details, and so do the people reading them.

But as we mentioned earlier, collecting reviews is only part of it. Replying to reviews (yes, even the tough ones) tells Google you’re paying attention.

Add Photos and Post Regular Updates

Believe it or not, businesses that post photos and updates regularly tend to get more clicks, calls, and direction requests. Google’s own data shows that profiles with photos get more direction requests from potential customers. That’s not a small bump.

And posting updates, like a new service you’re offering or a few team photos from a recent job, tells Google your listing is still active and relevant.

Based on what we’ve seen, profiles that go quiet for a few months tend to slowly lose ground. Even a handful of new photos each month keeps things moving in the right direction.

Prepare Your Profile for AI Search Results

Google is now using business profile data to power AI-generated answers in local search results. So when someone searches “best HVAC company near me,” Google’s AI Overview might pull your business name, hours, and reviews right into a generated answer at the top of the page.

This is already happening for about half of local business queries, but most businesses haven’t adjusted for it yet.

And the ones that show up on search results tend to have clear, well-organized profiles with filled-out service descriptions. They also have accurate categories and recent reviews.

Helpful information: Service descriptions written in complete sentences perform better in AI overviews than bullet fragments.

Start Getting More Leads From Local Search

You now know how your Google Business Profile affects where you show up in local search results and what ranking factors are the most important. We’ve also shared how to start improving your profile right away.

Almost all of these steps are free and take less than an afternoon to set up.

If you’re running a local business and want help getting your profile (and your overall digital marketing strategy) in the right shape, we can help. Matter Solutions works with local businesses across Minnesota to build real local visibility that brings in more leads.

Reach out to our team to get started.