In today’s competitive digital marketplace, having an effective online presence is vital for businesses, especially those relying on local customers. Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that allows business owners to manage their online presence across Google’s services, including search and maps. When optimized and strategically used, it can help businesses stand out in local search results, attract more customers, and ultimately drive more sales.
If you want to expand Google My Business reach and increase local traffic to your business, there are proven strategies and best practices to help you get noticed. In this article, we’ll cover actionable steps to optimize your GMB profile, engage with customers, and implement tactics that will help you gain visibility and drive more local traffic to your business in 2025.
1. Complete Your Google My Business Profile
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to expand your GMB reach is by ensuring that your profile is fully complete and accurate. Google rewards businesses that provide detailed and consistent information with higher rankings in local search results.
Why It Works:
A complete GMB profile helps Google understand your business and increases the likelihood of appearing in relevant search queries. Additionally, a complete profile provides potential customers with all the information they need, improving user experience and conversion rates.
How to Do It:
- Business Name: Ensure your business name is consistent with what customers search for. Avoid adding extra keywords unless they are part of your actual business name.
- Category Selection: Choose the most relevant categories for your business. Be specific, as Google uses categories to match users with businesses that best meet their needs.
- Address and Contact Info: Double-check that your business address, phone number, and website link are accurate and consistent across all online platforms.
- Hours of Operation: Keep your business hours up to date. Include special hours for holidays, as Google will display them to users.
- Business Description: Write a compelling business description that highlights your services and value proposition. Include relevant keywords but keep it natural and customer-focused.
- Photos: Upload high-quality images of your business, products, services, and team. Profiles with photos are more likely to attract attention and engagement.
2. Encourage Customer Reviews and Respond Promptly
Customer reviews play a crucial role in your Google My Business ranking and visibility. Reviews not only boost your credibility but also influence potential customers’ decisions. Encouraging happy customers to leave reviews and responding to them helps build trust and improve your chances of appearing in the local 3-pack (the top three businesses that appear in local search results).
Why It Works:
Google uses reviews as a ranking factor, meaning businesses with positive feedback are more likely to show up in relevant local searches. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, shows that you care about customer satisfaction and are actively engaged in your business.
How to Do It:
- Request Reviews: After a successful transaction or interaction with a customer, politely ask them to leave a review. You can ask in person, via email, or through a follow-up text message. You can even make the process easier by sending them a direct link to your review page.
- Make it Easy: Provide instructions on how to leave a review or include a “leave a review” button on your website or in your email signature.
- Respond to Reviews: Thank customers for their positive feedback and respond to negative reviews professionally. Address complaints, offer solutions, and encourage dissatisfied customers to reach out for further resolution.
- Use Reviews to Improve: Use feedback to make improvements in your business operations and show customers that their input is valued.
3. Post Regularly on Google My Business
Google My Business posts are a powerful tool for engaging with customers and providing updates about your business. Posts can include text, images, videos, and even call-to-action buttons. These posts appear directly on your GMB profile and can be a great way to showcase promotions, new products, events, or news about your business.
Why It Works:
By posting regularly on your GMB profile, you keep your business visible in local search results and give potential customers more reasons to engage with your business. Google also sees regular activity on your profile as a signal of relevancy, which can boost your local search rankings.
How to Do It:
- Offer Promotions: Share special deals, discounts, or limited-time offers to attract potential customers.
- Highlight Events: Promote events like sales, product launches, or in-store activities. Include event dates, times, and links for more information.
- Post Updates: Share news about your business, such as new product launches or changes to your services.
- Include Calls-to-Action: Every post should have a clear call-to-action (CTA), such as “Book Now,” “Learn More,” or “Shop Now.”
- Use High-Quality Images: Include attractive photos or videos that grab attention and encourage engagement.
4. Optimize Your Google My Business for Local SEO
Local SEO is essential for businesses that want to attract customers from their local area. Optimizing your Google My Business listing with local SEO techniques helps increase your chances of showing up in relevant local search results.
Why It Works:
Google uses a variety of signals to determine local rankings, including relevance, proximity, and prominence. By implementing local SEO best practices, you increase your chances of being ranked higher in local searches.
How to Do It:
- Use Local Keywords: Include relevant local keywords in your GMB description, services, and posts. These should be terms people are likely to use when searching for your products or services, along with location-specific terms (e.g., “Best plumber in [city]”).
- Create Local Citations: List your business in local online directories and citation sites (such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and local chambers of commerce). Ensure that your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms.
- Get Local Backlinks: Earn backlinks from local websites, blogs, or news outlets to increase your site’s authority in Google’s eyes.
- Engage with the Community: Participate in local events, sponsor charity drives, and engage with local organizations to boost your online visibility.
5. Use Google My Business Q&A to Engage Customers
The Q&A feature on Google My Business allows customers to ask questions about your business, and you can answer them directly on your GMB profile. This section is a great way to provide additional information, showcase your expertise, and engage directly with potential customers.
Why It Works:
The Q&A section is publicly visible, and answers to frequently asked questions can help improve your business’s visibility in search results. Well-written answers to common questions can also help reduce the number of customer inquiries you receive.
How to Do It:
- Add FAQs: Preemptively add answers to frequently asked questions in the Q&A section. This could include your business’s policies, return procedures, or specific product/service information.
- Monitor Questions: Regularly check the Q&A section for new questions and answer them promptly. Respond in detail and be as helpful as possible.
- Engage with Customer-Submitted Questions: Encourage customers to ask questions, and respond with valuable insights. You can even “upvote” helpful answers to show that you value user contributions.
6. Ensure Your Website Is Mobile-Friendly
In 2025, mobile usage continues to rise, with a large number of customers searching for local businesses on their smartphones. Google rewards websites that provide a good user experience on mobile devices, which can also impact how your Google My Business listing is ranked.
Why It Works:
If your website is not mobile-friendly, you risk losing valuable customers. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in search results, so ensuring your website is optimized for mobile can improve your local rankings.
How to Do It:
- Responsive Design: Use a responsive website design that automatically adjusts to fit mobile screens.
- Fast Load Times: Ensure your website loads quickly on mobile devices. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test and optimize your website’s speed.
- Easy Navigation: Simplify your website’s layout and navigation for mobile users. Make it easy for customers to find your contact information, services, or online store.
- Clear Calls-to-Action: Include prominent calls-to-action (CTAs) that are easy for mobile users to tap.
7. Implement Google Ads to Complement Your GMB Listing
While organic methods of expanding your Google My Business reach are essential, combining your GMB efforts with Google Ads can provide a significant boost. Paid advertising allows you to target specific keywords, demographics, and geographic locations, driving more targeted traffic to your business.
Why It Works:
Google Ads enables you to put your business in front of people who are actively searching for the products or services you offer. Combining Google Ads with your GMB profile increases visibility and the likelihood of attracting local customers.
How to Do It:
- Set Up Local Campaigns: Use Google Ads to create local campaigns targeting specific geographic areas.
- Use Location Extensions: Make sure to use Google Ads location extensions to display your GMB information in ads.
- Monitor and Optimize: Track the performance of your ads and adjust your targeting, budget, and messaging as needed.
Conclusion
To expand Google My Business reach and drive more local traffic, it’s important to leverage the full power of your GMB listing by optimizing your profile, engaging with customers, using local SEO strategies, and integrating paid advertising. These methods will not only increase your visibility but also foster trust and credibility, making it easier for local customers to find and engage with your business.
By following these proven strategies, you can position your business for success in 2025 and beyond, ensuring that your business stands out in an increasingly crowded online marketplace.