This blog is inspired by an excellent video guide from Whitespark, which offers one of the clearest breakdowns we have seen on how to optimise your Google Business Profile. The creator shares a tiered ranking system that separates the activities that truly boost local rankings and customer trust from the myths and time-wasters that often distract business owners.
So, let’s get into the blog and explore how to make your Google Business Profile work harder for your business.
For many local businesses, Google Business Profile (GBP) is the digital shopfront that decides whether a customer chooses you or a competitor. Yet despite its importance, confusion still surrounds which profile elements truly affect rankings and which are myths that waste valuable time.
We understand how frustrating this can be. You put effort into updating your profile, but your visibility doesn’t improve. You may even wonder if your competitors know a secret you don’t. The truth is, not all optimisation efforts are equal. Some actions have a powerful impact on rankings and conversions, whilst others offer little to no benefit.
To help you focus on what matters, we’d like to share a tiered approach to Google Business Profile optimisation. Think of it as a ranking system that highlights high-impact activities (the ones worth your time) and filters out the distractions.
Why GBP Optimisation Matters
- Visibility in Local Search: The ‘local pack’ those top three listings in Google Maps attract the majority of clicks.
- First Impressions Count: A well-optimised profile builds trust before customers even visit your website.
- Limited Time, Maximum Impact: With so many profile options, focusing on what works is key to saving time and boosting results.
The Tiered System: What to Prioritise
S Tier: Game-Changers
These elements have the most powerful effect on your rankings and conversions.
- Primary Business Category: This is the single most important choice you’ll make. Be as specific as possible. For example, choose ‘criminal defence attorney’ instead of ‘law firm’.
- Reviews: Both the quantity and recency of reviews matter. Aim for a steady stream of authentic reviews with ratings above 4.7. They influence not just rankings, but trust.
- Business Name with Keywords: Adding relevant keywords to your business name can boost rankings significantly. However, this must be done legitimately (e.g. via an officially registered ‘trading as’ name) to avoid suspension.
A Tier: High-Value Essentials
These factors won’t match the raw impact of S tier items, but they strongly support both ranking and conversions.
- Additional Categories: Adding secondary categories helps you appear in more search types.
- Website URL: Linking your website gives Google more context and improves profile strength.
- Photos and Videos: Regular uploads signal activity and relevance. Videos in particular add rich information and engage customers.
- Business Address: Location is a critical factor in local search. Being closer to the searcher increases your likelihood of appearing in results.
B Tier: Solid Supporting Factors
Worth implementing, but not as influential as the top tiers.
- Attributes: Features like ‘women-led’ or ‘veteran-owned’ can help in relevant searches.
- Services with Descriptions: Adding detail about your services helps Google understand your offerings.
- Products via Merchant Center: These can improve visibility for product-specific searches.
- Business Hours: Being open when users search can increase your chances of showing.
C Tier: Nice-to-Haves
These don’t move the needle much for rankings, but they can support conversions.
- Google Posts: They function like free ads, promoting offers or updates, but don’t boost rankings.
- Appointment URL: Helps conversions by making it easy for customers to book, though not a ranking factor.
- Social Media Links: Provide context and user pathways but have limited SEO impact.
D Tier: Low-Value Activities
These require effort but offer little return.
- Q&A Section: Useful for customers but doesn’t influence rankings.
- Messaging Features: Handy for conversions but not a ranking factor.
- Spam Fighting: Reporting competitors often has little effect, with low success rates.
F Tier: Myths and Time-Wasters
These are best avoided altogether.
- Service Areas: These fields only draw a map outline and don’t affect local rankings.
- Geo-Tagging Images: Despite persistent claims, adding location data to images has no SEO benefit.
- Keyword Stuffing in Review Responses: Responses are valuable for customer relations but adding keywords here does nothing for rankings.
How to Put This Into Practice
Focus First on S Tier
If you only have time for a few actions, ensure your primary category is accurate, actively gather reviews, and review your business name strategy.
Build Out A and B Tier Over Time
Add supporting details like categories, services, and media. These strengthen your profile and help capture more search types.
Don’t Waste Time on Myths
Avoid activities with no impact. Instead, invest that time into genuine engagement with customers through reviews and posts.
How We Help Businesses Optimise Their Profiles
Our team has found that many business owners unintentionally waste energy on the wrong activities. We guide you through the tiered system, focusing on high-impact changes that boost both rankings and customer trust. From review strategies to full profile audits, we help you turn your Google Business Profile into a genuine growth driver.
Conclusion: Maximise Impact, Minimise Waste
Google Business Profile optimisation doesn’t need to be overwhelming. By understanding which factors matter most, you can spend your limited time wisely, improving both your local search visibility and your customer trust.
We encourage you to treat your profile as more than just a directory listing. With the right focus, it becomes a powerful marketing tool, one that not only helps you rank higher but also convinces customers to choose you over the competition.
