What Are the Ranking Secrets We Kept to Ourselves?
Last week, we pulled back the curtain on the three most important ranking factors for your Google Business Profile: reviews, services, and an optimized media section. Those three are heavy hitters, no doubt. They’re your foundation. But as a small business owner, you know that success isn’t about doing just one or two things well; it’s about stacking small wins that add up to a big lead.
Think of those first three as the solid base of your house. Without the rest of the structure—the walls, the roof, the windows—you’re still stuck on the ground floor, watching your competition move in next door. I’m Linda Donnelly, the owner of Business Solutions Marketing Group, and we’ve been helping businesses like yours with marketing for over a decade. We believe in helping you build the whole house.
That’s why we’re revealing the rest of the playbook. Below are the other ten ranking factors we didn’t mention last week. These are the details we’ve been quietly using for our clients for years to make sure they don’t just show up in Google search—they dominate it.
How Can I Improve My Google Business Profile Ranking?
1. Frequently Adding Q&As
Did you know that you can add questions and answers to your own Google Business Profile? It’s a huge, missed opportunity for most small businesses. Why? Because it’s a way to get ahead of the questions your customers are already asking. Think of it like a mini-FAQ right on your profile.
The Data: Did you know that 46% of all searches on Google have what’s called “local intent”? That means people are looking for a business near them. By adding Q&As, you can use the exact words and phrases people are typing in, which tells Google you have the answer they’re looking for. It also helps you build a more complete profile, which is a big deal to Google’s algorithm.
2. Posting Updates Frequently
Think of your Google Business Profile like a mini-social media account. When you post updates about what’s new with your business, it sends a strong signal to Google. It tells them that your business is active, alive, and breathing. An inactive profile looks like a ghost town to Google, and they don’t want to send people to a place that might be closed or abandoned.
The Data: Posting regularly helps to show Google that your business is active and up-to-date, which can improve your rankings in local searches. We always recommend our clients post at least once a week. It can be a simple update about a new product, a special promotion, or even a helpful tip. We’ve seen firsthand how this little bit of effort can make a big difference in showing up more often in search results.
3. Optimizing Your Business Description
Your business description isn’t just for looks. It’s prime real estate for keywords. Google gives you up to 750 characters to describe your business, so you should use as much of that space as possible. Don’t just say, “We’re a marketing company.” Instead, say, “Business Solutions Marketing Group helps small businesses with video marketing, reputation management, and Google Business Profile optimization. We’ve been helping business owners for over a decade.”
The Data: When you include important keywords in your business description, you’re telling Google exactly what you do. This makes your business more relevant for searches that contain those keywords. A well-written description also increases your chances of converting a visitor to a customer. We’ve seen profiles with optimized descriptions get a significant jump in clicks and calls because people know exactly what the business is about.
4. Having 30 or More Services Listed
When you fill out your Google Business Profile, Google gives you the option to list your services. Most business owners list a few, maybe five or ten. We encourage our clients to go crazy with this. Listing as many services as possible tells Google all the different things you do.
The Data: Our own tests and industry studies show that adding specific services to your profile can have a real impact on how you rank for those services. It’s one of those small things that can give you an edge over the competition who only listed a handful of services. The more specific you are, the more chances you have to show up in a search for that exact thing. It’s all about casting a wide net.
5. Connecting Your WhatsApp & Texting Numbers
This one is a simple but powerful one. Google wants to provide a great experience for people who use its search engine. That means making it easy to get in touch with businesses. When you connect your WhatsApp or a texting number, it gives people a quick and easy way to reach you right from the search results.
The Data: While this doesn’t directly boost your rank in the same way as, say, reviews, it’s about user experience. Google loves a complete profile. Our own internal metrics show that a more complete profile gets more views and more clicks. It’s a signal of trust and completeness that the search giant loves.
6. Adding Social Media Links
You can now add links to your social media profiles on your Google Business Profile. This is a game-changer for a few reasons. First, it gives people more ways to connect with you. Second, and this is the important one for SEO, it helps Google understand that your business is a legitimate, active brand.
The Data: Google likes to see consistency across the web. When your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are the same on your Google Business Profile, your website, and your social media accounts, it builds a stronger sense of trust. Think of it as Google checking your ID. The more consistent your info is, the more trustworthy you seem. This is a key part of what Google calls E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
7. Having an Active Offer on Your Profile
Having a special offer right on your profile can make your business stand out from the crowd. Whether it’s 10% off for new customers or a limited-time deal, it catches the eye.
The Data: When people click on your offer, it sends a positive signal to Google. It tells them, “Hey, this business is getting a lot of attention for this offer, maybe we should show it to more people.” It’s an easy way to drive engagement and show Google that you’re providing value to your customers.
8. Getting Keyword Mentions in Reviews
You already know reviews are important. They are one of the top three ranking factors we mentioned last week. But here’s a secret about them: it’s not just the number of stars that matters. The words your customers use in their reviews are gold.
The Data: A BrightLocal study found that 83% of consumers say reviews must be recent to be trustworthy. But here’s the kicker: Google’s algorithm can read and understand the keywords in your reviews. If a customer writes, “The plumbers at Linda’s Plumbing did a great job fixing our leaky faucet,” Google sees “plumbers” and “leaky faucet” and connects those keywords to your business. This helps you rank for “plumbers near me” even if you don’t use those exact words on your website.
9. Adding Videos to Your Profile & YouTube
A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth a million. Videos on your Google Business Profile are a fantastic way to show what your business is all about. You can give a tour of your office, introduce your team, or showcase a happy customer testimonial.
The Data: Studies have shown that businesses with videos on their profiles see a significant boost in engagement. Customers are more likely to spend time on your profile, and that “dwell time” tells Google that your profile is valuable. You can upload videos directly to your profile, but we also recommend putting them on YouTube and linking to them from your website, which helps your video SEO too. It’s a double win! For a full breakdown of all of our services, check out our website: https://businesssolutionsmarketinggroup.com/.
10. Optimizing Directory Listings Ongoing
You’ve probably heard of Yelp or the Yellow Pages. These are what we call online directories, and they are still very important for local SEO. Having your business listed on these sites, and making sure the information is always correct, is crucial.
The Data: Moz’s 2021 Local Search Ranking Factors study found that “citation signals” (mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on other sites) are one of the most important factors for local SEO. When Google sees your business information is the same everywhere—on your website, on your Google Business Profile, on Yelp, on Facebook—it confirms that your business is real and trustworthy. It builds what we in the business call “prominence.”
Key Takeaways
- Small wins add up: Ranking on Google isn’t about one magic trick. It’s about doing a lot of small things consistently better than your competition.
- Completeness is key: The more information you provide on your Google Business Profile, the more Google trusts you. A complete profile is a ranking signal in itself.
- User engagement matters: Everything from posting updates to adding videos tells Google that your business is active and engaging with customers. The more clicks, calls, and interactions you get, the higher you’ll rank.
- Keywords are everywhere: Don’t just think about keywords on your website. They matter in your description, your Q&As, and even in your customer reviews.
The reality is, you can’t afford to ignore these factors. They are the difference between being found and being forgotten. Ranking isn’t about finding one magic trick; it’s about doing a lot of small things consistently better than your competition.
Our founder breaks down all the ranking factors and what you can do about them in the video below.
The best part? You don’t have to do it all manually. At Business Solutions Marketing Group, we specialize in helping businesses with their Google Business Optimization. We have a team ready to help you with these very things and more. If you’re ready to get serious about your local SEO, visit our Google Business Optimization Pro page to see how we can help. https://businesssolutionsmarketinggroup.com/google-business-optimization-pro/
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The Most Asked Questions and Answers About Optimizing Google Business Listings
1. How important are reviews for my Google Business Profile?
Reviews are one of the most important ranking factors. Google sees reviews as social proof and a sign of trustworthiness. A high volume of recent, positive reviews signals to Google that your business is legitimate and provides a great customer experience, which can significantly boost your ranking in local searches.
2. What’s the best way to use keywords to improve my ranking?
Don’t just stuff keywords into your business name. Instead, use them naturally in your business description, in the services you list, and in your Q&A section. The most powerful keyword strategy is to get your customers to use them in their reviews. Google’s algorithm can pick up on these keywords and rank you for them, which is a powerful signal of relevance.
3. Does posting regularly on my profile actually help?
Yes, absolutely. Think of your Google Business Profile as a living, breathing entity. When you post updates frequently, it tells Google that your business is active and engaged. Google wants to show its users businesses that are up-to-date, and consistent posting is a key way to signal this. It’s a small effort that can lead to big rewards in visibility and engagement.
4. How can a complete profile improve my ranking?
Completeness is a key factor in Google’s ranking algorithm. The more information you provide—from your hours of operation and photos to your services and contact information—the more Google trusts your business. A fully completed profile gets up to seven times more clicks than an incomplete one. It shows Google that you are a legitimate business that cares about providing accurate information to your customers.
5. How does linking my social media and website affect my Google Business Profile?
Linking your website and social media profiles is all about consistency and authority. When your business information (name, address, and phone number) is consistent across your Google Business Profile, your website, and other platforms like Yelp and Facebook, it builds what’s known as “prominence.” Google sees this consistency and recognizes you as an established, trustworthy brand, which helps you rank higher.
