5 Google Business Profile Mistakes Costing You Customers Every Day

When someone searches "dentist near me" or "plumber in [your suburb]", Google decides which businesses to show. Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single biggest factor in that decision. Yet most small businesses treat it as an afterthought.

Here are the five mistakes we see constantly - and how to fix them today.

Mistake #1: Incomplete Profile Information

Google rewards completeness. A profile with all fields filled out will rank higher than one with gaps. Yet we audit businesses daily that are missing:

• Business hours - Including special hours for holidays
• Service areas - Critical for service-based businesses
• Products/services list - Google lets you list everything you offer
• Business attributes - Wheelchair accessible? Women-owned? Veteran-owned?
• Business description - 750 characters to tell your story

Mistake #2: No Photos (Or Bad Photos)

Businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for directions and 35% more click-throughs to their website. Yet many profiles have:

• Zero photos
• One blurry logo from 2015
• Stock photos (Google can detect these)
• Photos uploaded once and never updated

Google wants to see:

• Exterior photos - So customers can find you
• Interior photos - So they know what to expect
• Team photos - People trust faces
• Product/service photos - Show what you actually do

Mistake #3: Ignoring Reviews

Reviews are the lifeblood of local search. Businesses with more (and better) reviews appear higher in search results. The mistakes we see:

• Not asking for reviews - Happy customers don't review spontaneously
• Not responding to reviews - Even positive ones deserve a thank you
• Ignoring negative reviews - A thoughtful response can win back the customer AND impress future ones
• Fake reviews - Google is getting better at detecting these. Don't risk it.

The businesses dominating local search have a system for reviews. They ask every customer. They respond within 24 hours. They learn from criticism.

Mistake #4: Wrong Category Selection

Your primary category is the single most important ranking factor for local search. Yet we constantly see:

• Wrong primary category (a physiotherapist listed as "gym")
• Too generic category ("professional services" instead of "accountant")
• Missing secondary categories
• Categories that don't match what customers search for

Mistake #5: Set It and Forget It

Google Business Profile isn't a one-time setup. It's an ongoing marketing channel. The businesses winning local search treat it like a social media platform:

• Google Posts - Share updates, offers, events (most businesses don't know these exist)
• Q&A section - Monitor and answer questions (or competitors will answer them for you)
• Booking button - If you take appointments, enable this
• Messaging - Let customers contact you directly
• Regular updates - Hours change, services expand, keep it current

The Compound Effect

Each of these mistakes might seem small. But they compound. A competitor who avoids all five mistakes will consistently outrank you, even if their actual service is worse.

The good news? Most of your competitors are making these same mistakes. Fix them, and you'll jump past them in search results.

Take Action Today

You don't need to hire anyone to fix these issues. You can do it yourself in an hour:

1. 1. Log into your GBP (search "my business" while logged into Google)
2. 2. Complete every field - Hours, description, services, attributes
3. 3. Add 5-10 photos - Interior, exterior, team, products
4. 4. Check your categories - Primary should be your main service
5. 5. Respond to all reviews - Start with the most recent
6. 6. Create a Google Post - Share an update or special offer

Then set a weekly reminder to add photos and create posts. Consistency wins in local search.