Top 10 Mistakes Business Owners Make in Google Business Profiles
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) — formerly known as Google My Business (GMB) — is a powerful (and free) tool that can skyrocket your visibility on Google Search and Maps. But most business owners unknowingly sabotage their success by making simple but costly mistakes.
Here are the top 10 most common Google Business Profile mistakes — and what you can do to fix them today.
❌ Mistake #1: Incomplete or Inconsistent Business Information
Google relies on accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone) details to verify your legitimacy. Inconsistent data across the web confuses search engines and customers.
✅ Fix: Ensure your business info is 100% complete and consistent across Google, your website, directories, and social media.
❌ Mistake #2: Selecting the Wrong Business Category
Your category is a critical ranking factor. A wrong or vague category makes it harder for Google to match your business to relevant local searches.
✅ Fix: Choose the most specific primary category for your business. Add up to 9 relevant secondary categories.
❌ Mistake #3: Ignoring the Services & Products Section
Failing to list services or products means you're missing keyword opportunities and relevance signals.
✅ Fix: Add all your services/products with detailed, keyword-rich descriptions and pricing (if applicable).
❌ Mistake #4: Not Posting Regular Updates
Inactive listings perform poorly. Google favors businesses that post updates, offers, and events regularly.
✅ Fix: Post weekly using Google Posts — share updates, offers, blogs, events, or new services.
❌ Mistake #5: No or Low-Quality Photos
Poor imagery (or none at all) lowers customer trust and engagement — and impacts your visibility.
✅ Fix: Upload high-quality, geo-tagged images of your business, staff, workspace, products, and services. Refresh regularly.
❌ Mistake #6: Not Managing or Responding to Reviews
Unanswered reviews signal a lack of engagement. Negative reviews with no response hurt your reputation and ranking.
✅ Fix: Ask happy customers for reviews and respond to every review — positive or negative — professionally and promptly.
❌ Mistake #7: Missing Business Hours or Holiday Hours
Inaccurate or outdated hours frustrate potential customers and lead to missed opportunities.
✅ Fix: Keep regular hours updated, and add special hours during holidays or special events.
❌ Mistake #8: No Business Description or Poorly Written One
Your business description is a chance to showcase your services, unique value, and local relevance — yet many profiles leave it blank or vague.
✅ Fix: Write a compelling, keyword-optimized description highlighting your location, services, and what sets you apart.
❌ Mistake #9: Ignoring the Q&A Section
The Questions & Answers section helps customers quickly understand your offerings — but it’s often left blank or unmanaged.
✅ Fix: Pre-populate FAQs with questions customers often ask, then answer them in detail with relevant keywords.
❌ Mistake #10: Not Tracking Performance or Metrics
Without tracking, you won’t know what’s working — or how to improve.
✅ Fix: Use Google Business Insights to monitor profile performance and link with Google Analytics and Google Search Console for deeper insights.
✅ Want to Avoid These Mistakes?
We can fix them all for you.
At Xigmapro, we specialize in Google Business Profile Optimization for businesses in the USA, UK, UAE, Canada, and Australia — helping you rank in the Top 3 Map Pack and attract more local leads.
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