Prepping Your Google Business Profile for the Future of Local Search

Local search is continuously evolving, especially with the addition of AI in search engine results over the past year. For local and multi-location businesses, the primary search engine to focus on is Google, which commands 91% of the global search engine market share.

This dominance requires brands to stay on top of their Google Business Profiles (GBPs) to maintain visibility and gain a competitive edge in local SEO. With Google making over nine algorithm changes daily — amounting to 270 changes monthly — businesses must remain informed and agile.

In this blog post, we’ll explore:

• Some of the latest GBP updates
• How AI will impact your local search visibility
• How to manage these changes with a click of a button

By understanding these changes and implementing strategic adjustments, you’ll be better equipped to provide consumer-centric information and rank well in relevant local searches!

Ensure You Have the Basics Down

Before we discuss some of the recent GBP updates, it is essential to ensure your GBP basics are in place. Without a solid foundation, ranking in the coveted local pack or Google 3-pack is an uphill task.

Below are the fundamental local listing tactics that every business should implement to lay a strong foundation for their GBPs:

1. Claim and Verify Your Business Profile: Ensure your business information is accurate and up-to-date.
2. Complete Every Section: Fill out all fields, including business description, services, and hours.
3. Accurate NAP: Ensure consistent name, address, and phone number (NAP) citations across all listings.
4. Select Appropriate Categories: Choose the most relevant primary and secondary categories.
5. High-Quality Photos: Upload quality images of your business, products, and services.
6. Customer Reviews: Encourage and respond to customer reviews promptly.
7. Regular Posts: Keep your profile active with regular updates via Google Posts.

With these fundamental practices in place, you can now move forward to address the more advanced strategies that will help you leverage the latest GBP updates for maximum local search impact.

How AI is Changing GBPs and Local Search Visibility

In local search, AI is actually giving brands more opportunities for visibility and discovery. Now is the time to take advantage of these changes!

For instance, some new local Knowledge Graphs appear as extra carrousels below the local pack.

Additionally, instead of the Google 3-pack, we’re seeing cases of a “quad” or “4-pack,” giving companies more visibility at the top of local search results. And for restaurants, certain photos of dishes will appear for people to click on.

We’ve also seen these “About this place” sections, which seem to pull from Google reviews or review text. If you click on these highlighted words, it will reveal more reviews and images.

Lastly, there are now AI-organized search results appearing for local search queries. These are similar to the regular local search results but contain similar queries and other local listings based on neighborhoods or dishes. 

How to Prepare for the Future of Local Search

In addition to changing how search results are displayed, advancements in generative AI are transforming how local search visibility is achieved and maintained. Let’s explore how to future-proof your GBP.

1. Brand Authority

Building a robust and well-recognized brand is more important than ever. There’s a saying in the SEO community that if you want to improve your SEO, become a big-name brand.

At the local level, this means building your local presence with local content and relationships. 

A recent Google API leak revealed that Google’s search ranking algorithms look for references to entities from multiple sources, including onsite content and YouTube video transcripts, to determine authority.

Mike Blumenthal, a long-time local SEO expert, argues that “all local businesses need to move away from SEO tactics that attempt to influence Google search results directly. Shift effort into local brand building. Think about relationships with local non-profits, articles (not even links) in the local news and validation by local business groups.”

Establishing brand authority can significantly boost your local search rankings, and as Blumenthal mentioned, it’s essential to partner with other local businesses and build your local community.

2. Customer Engagement

The Google API leak also revealed that clicks and length of clicks also impact search rankings. These high engagements signal relevance and trustworthiness to Google.

To enhance engagement, ensure your GBP is interactive and informative. Use calls to action and engaging posts, and respond to customers’ inquiries promptly. Furthermore, you can also increase engagement on your local landing pages with helpful or interesting information. For instance, Trader Joe’s published recipes on its local landing pages, helping boost clicks and time on page.

Note that while increasing engagement on your local landing pages won’t directly boost your GBP rankings, it does help with overall brand authority. 

3. Shelfies

Google coined the term “shelfies” in a meeting with several local SEO experts last year. The company defines shelfies as pictures of your business’s products on the shelf so Google and the consumer can get an idea of what the place looks like and the range of products you offer.

One noteworthy takeaway is that because Google defined this, we can assume that consumers and Google alike want an idea of what your store and products look like. 

While Google hasn’t explicitly confirmed this, strong evidence suggests that Google examines these shelfies with its Vision AI. This is a suite of cloud-based tools that utilize computer vision to analyze pictures and videos and detect and label objects and landmarks.

For instance, if you’re a grocery store, you should publish shelfies featuring in-season fruits. This creates a connection between seasonal search queries and your products — helping you appear for these queries. 

Remember, Vision AI on GBP is likely looking for visuals representing the business itself, not the people running it. So, shelfies are essential to your GBP image and video strategy.

4. GBP Attributes

Google Attributes such as “appointment required” or “identifies as LGBTQ+ owned” can be crucial differentiators for consumers searching for businesses.

Thus, ensuring your GBP attributes are accurate and fully updated is essential. You should do this quarterly since Google adds attributes frequently. Missing even one relevant attribute could exclude your business from specific search results where that attribute is a deciding factor.

Note that attributes can help you rank for category-related keywords and phrases. For instance, by choosing the “identifies as veteran-owned” attribute, a veteran-owned jewelry store in Chicago, Illinois, may rank higher for search queries such as “veteran-run jewelry store.” However, they won’t necessarily rank higher for “Chicago jewelry store.”

5. Social Media Links + a Local Social Strategy

Traditionally, social media doesn’t influence local search rankings. However, it’s becoming increasingly integral to local search.

In the summer of 2023, Google allowed businesses to add social media icons and links to their GBPs. Even more recently, Google started including social media updates with images and links to a business’s social posts.

Thus, adding social media links to your GBP provides more avenues for customer interaction and builds trust and authority. It also helps you share relevant content with local communities to enhance your online presence.

6. Google Posts

If you’re unaware, Google Posts are social media-like updates businesses can publish directly on their GBP. These posts often appear in the knowledge panel, allowing businesses to share timely updates, offers, and events.

Google posts are ways for your GBP to appear for queries it might not otherwise populate for at the top of the SERP or local pack. For instance, Offer and Event posts for the food and beverage industries appear in the local pack for timely search queries, like “brunch near me.”

We recommend ensuring your content for Google Posts is relevant to common search queries to optimize its reach.

7. Google Q&A and FAQs

Like Google Posts, Google Q&A lets you interact online directly with consumers and customers. It also allows businesses to publish answers to common questions on their GBP. 

Our 2023 Local Visibility Index (LVI) found that the average multi-location business answers only 8.3% of its Google Q&As, while top performers answer only 25% of consumers’ questions.

Now is the time to get ahead of the competition and interact with your Google Q&A section. Another tactic is to publish Google FAQs.

The FAQ feature allows businesses to ask and answer questions directly on their profile. This allows for a more open and community-driven approach to Q&A.

Sticking with the brunch example, a restaurant can ask and answer via the FAQ feature what time it serves brunch on the weekends. Having this information readily available can help your GBP appear for relevant local queries.

We recommend ensuring your questions and answers are keyword-rich, accurately reflect your brand voice, and answer an actual consumer question.

8. Consumer Choice Optimization (CCO)

Consumer choice optimization (CCO) integrates all of these GBP tactics. Remember, it’s not always about ranking in the local pack. Instead, you’re optimizing your GBP to be the best choice for consumers.

CCO involves understanding what features and content resonate most with your audience and ensuring your profile highlights these aspects.

Regularly update and refine your GBP based on consumer feedback and search trends.

How Genius Search Does the Work For You

As you can see, managing your GBPs involves a ton of work, from constantly updating them to keeping up with Google’s search engine updates. That’s why we built Genius Search.

Genius Search revolutionizes local search optimization by leveraging AI to manage and optimize your GBPs and other local listings.

What is Genius Search?

Genius Search is a part of our CoMarketing Cloud, designed to address the challenges of localized marketing.

Traditional local listing tools often fail to keep pace with the dynamic nature of local search, but Genius Search uses AI to stay ahead. It analyzes data from multiple sources, including search trends, social media, customer reviews, and competitive insights, to deliver precise recommendations.

Key Features of Genius Search

1. World-Class Listings Management:

Ensure your business information is accurate and appears across all major local search networks.

2. Real-Time Local Data Analysis:

Like having a data scientist at every location, it aggregates and analyzes data to report on consumer activity and traffic trends.

3. Proactive Optimization Recommendations:

  Receive actionable insights tailored to enhance your visibility in search results.

4. One-Click Task Automation:

Automate hundreds or thousands of locally tailored optimizations with a single click.

Don’t believe us, just see what some of our Genius Search customers have to say:

By utilizing Genius Search, you can ensure your business stays ahead in the competitive local search landscape. Its proactive approach helps you capitalize on opportunities and maintain a strong online presence.

To learn more about how Genius Search can transform your local search strategy, sign up for a personalized demo today, and experience the difference AI can make for your business.