When people search for a service near them, the first thing they usually see is not a list of websites but a map with three highlighted businesses. This local pack is powered by Google Business Profile, and appearing in it can transform the flow of calls, direction requests, and walk-in customers. In 2025, competition for local visibility is more intense than ever, and Google has continued refining how it evaluates profiles. Optimising your Google Business Profile thoroughly is one of the most cost-effective local marketing actions any business can take. This guide walks through the steps that matter most.
How AAMAX.CO Helps Businesses Dominate Local Search
AAMAX.CO is a full-service digital marketing company offering web development, digital marketing, and SEO services worldwide. Their local SEO specialists help businesses claim, verify, and fully optimise Google Business Profiles, build consistent citations, and create review generation strategies that grow trust. Through their SEO services, they also optimise location pages and local content on the website itself, ensuring the profile and the site reinforce each other. For multi-location brands, they manage profiles at scale, maintaining accuracy and performance across every branch.
Understand the Three Local Ranking Factors
Google states that local results are primarily based on relevance, distance, and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches what someone is searching for. Distance is how far your business is from the searcher or the location in their query. Prominence is how well known your business is, influenced by reviews, links, articles, and overall online presence. You cannot change distance, but optimisation directly improves relevance and prominence.
Claim and Verify Your Profile
If you have not already, claim your profile through Google Business Profile and complete verification. Google may offer verification by video, phone, text, email, or postcard depending on your business type and location. Unverified profiles have limited visibility and can be edited by others, so verification is essential before any other optimisation will make a difference.
Choose the Right Primary and Secondary Categories
Your primary category is one of the strongest relevance signals available. Choose the most specific category that accurately describes your core business. For example, a dental practice that focuses on cosmetic work may choose Cosmetic Dentist rather than simply Dentist. Then add secondary categories for other services you genuinely offer. Research which categories top-ranking competitors use, but only select categories that truly apply to your business.
Complete Every Section of Your Profile
Complete profiles are more likely to be shown and more likely to be chosen. Fill in your business name exactly as it appears in the real world, without stuffing keywords, which violates guidelines and risks suspension. Add your address or service area, phone number, website, opening hours, and special hours for holidays. Write a clear, helpful business description that explains what you do, who you serve, and what makes you different, naturally incorporating relevant terms.
Add services and products with descriptions and, where appropriate, prices. Select all applicable attributes, such as accessibility options, payment methods, and amenities. These details help Google match your profile to more specific searches.
Upload High-Quality Photos and Videos Regularly
Profiles with photos receive significantly more direction requests and website clicks. Upload a clear logo and cover image, then add photos of your premises inside and out, your team, your products, and your work. Short videos showing your space or services add further engagement. Update visual content regularly to signal that your business is active. Use real, original images rather than stock photos to build authenticity.
Build a Steady Stream of Reviews
Reviews are central to prominence and to conversion. Develop a consistent process for asking satisfied customers to leave feedback, for example through a follow-up email or text containing your direct review link. Aim for a steady flow rather than bursts, since natural patterns look more trustworthy. Never offer incentives for reviews or post fake ones, as both violate policies.
Respond to every review, positive or negative. Thank happy customers personally, and address complaints calmly and constructively. Thoughtful responses show potential customers that you care about service, and they signal engagement to Google.
Use Google Posts to Stay Active
Google Posts let you share updates, offers, events, and news directly on your profile. While their direct ranking impact is debated, regular posts keep your profile fresh, give searchers more reasons to choose you, and can highlight seasonal promotions. Include an image and a clear call to action in each post.
Manage Questions and Answers
The Q&A section allows the public to ask questions about your business. Monitor it regularly and answer promptly. You can also seed useful questions yourself and answer them, covering common topics such as parking, booking, and pricing. This reduces friction for prospective customers and ensures accurate information is displayed.
Keep NAP Information Consistent Everywhere
Your business name, address, and phone number should be identical across your website, social media profiles, and online directories. Inconsistencies create doubt about which details are correct and can weaken local rankings. Audit major citation sources and industry directories, and correct any outdated information.
Strengthen Your Website for Local Relevance
Your profile and website work together. Make sure your website includes your NAP details, embedded map, and LocalBusiness schema. Create dedicated pages for each location or service area with genuinely useful local content. Earning links from local organisations, news sites, and community partners boosts prominence for both your website and your profile.
Track Performance and Refine
Google Business Profile provides performance insights including searches, views, calls, website clicks, and direction requests. Review these monthly to identify trends and the impact of your changes. Use UTM parameters on your website link so you can track profile-driven traffic accurately in analytics.
Conclusion
Optimising your Google Business Profile in 2025 requires more than filling in basic details. Accurate categories, complete information, fresh visuals, a steady review strategy, regular activity, and consistent citations all combine to improve relevance and prominence in local search. Businesses that commit to these practices consistently outperform competitors who set up a profile and forget it. For expert local SEO support, AAMAX.CO can manage and optimise your profile so more nearby customers find and choose your business.
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