Why My Google Business Profile Views Have Dropped

With over 83 percent of the market share, Google is the most popular search engine. Additionally, the platform processes more than 8.5 billion searches per day. The data speaks for itself. As a multi-location enterprise, a presence on Google is a must. If your business still needs to claim and optimize Google Business Profiles (GBPs) for each location, that's a great place to start. This piece discusses why some businesses have noticed a drop in their views on GBP. Let's get into it!

A Look into Views on GBP

The higher your business is ranked on Google, the more views it should get. For instance, SOCi data found that businesses in the Google 3-Pack receive 126 percent more traffic and 93 percent more actions (calls, website clicks, and driving directions) than businesses ranked 4-10. While it's clear that ranking high can lead to more views, it's essential to know how to find metrics, including views, on your GBP. To find views, your brand must sign into its Google Business Manager, select the profiles you want to look at metrics for, and select "Performance."

From there, you'll see an overview of the GBP's performance, including views. Note that you can change the time frame to align with the dates you want to pull data for.

Reasons Your Views May Have Dropped

If you've pulled the data and noticed that your views on your GBP have dropped, you're not alone. Many businesses have seen the same thing, but don't worry! This decrease in views shouldn't be a significant area of concern. In February 2023, Google updated the way it tracks profile views on GBP, and there are two main reasons your numbers may look lower than they have in the past. 1. Google’s counting actual GBP clicks: Previously, Google counted the number of times a user visited your business on Google Maps. This is now only counted when someone clicks on and views your GBP from Google Maps. In the past, all three pizza places shown in the Google 3-Pack or Local Pack below would receive a "view." Now, Pinthouse Pizza is the only one to receive a view because the user clicked its GBP.

2. Google Redefines “Views” on GBPs: Rather than showing all user views of a business, Google now counts multiple user views over 24 hours as a single unique impression. Essentially, views are now "unique user views" or the total number of views your business receives without counting duplicates. For instance, if someone views your GBP several times throughout the day, it will only be considered one view, when Google counted each view as separate in the past. Again, keep these updates in mind when you’re comparing your GBPs views from the past. Being aware of these changes can help you analyze your GBP data better and will give you a better representation of those interested in your brand. Now that you understand why your business's GBP views may have dropped, it's time to optimize all other aspects of your local search efforts. To help, download our Top 10 Things You Should Be Doing in Local SEO NOW Guide!