Your Google My Business listing could be the difference between a customer walking through your door or straight into your competitor’s. Yet 73% of local businesses are making critical mistakes that tank their visibility.
Here’s the brutal truth: if your GMB isn’t optimised properly, you’re invisible to customers searching for exactly what you offer.
The Biggest GMB Mistakes We See Daily
1. Incomplete Business Information Your business category isn’t just a dropdown menu – it’s how Google decides when to show you. We recently took over a plumbing company’s GMB that was categorised as “General Contractor.” They were missing 60% of local plumbing searches.
The fix: Choose your primary category based on your main revenue stream, then add secondary categories for additional services. Be specific – “Emergency Plumber” beats “Plumber” every time.
2. Terrible Photos (Or No Photos at All) Businesses with photos get 42% more direction requests and 35% more click-throughs to their websites. But here’s what most miss – it’s not just about having photos, it’s about having the RIGHT photos.
The photo hierarchy that works:
- Professional storefront/office exterior
- Interior shots of your workspace
- Team members in action
- Before/after work examples
- Products or services in use
3. Ignoring Google Posts Google Posts expire after 7 days, but most businesses post once a month (if at all). Meanwhile, businesses posting weekly see 2x more engagement and better local rankings.
What to post:
- Weekly service highlights
- Customer success stories (with permission)
- Seasonal promotions
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Industry tips and advice
4. Not Managing Reviews Properly Here’s something most businesses get wrong – they only respond to bad reviews. But responding to ALL reviews (especially good ones) signals to Google that you’re actively managing your business.
The response formula that works:
- Thank them by name
- Mention the specific service/product they used
- Include a subtle mention of other services
- Keep it under 100 words
5. Inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) If your business information doesn’t match exactly across your website, GMB, and other directories, Google gets confused. Confused Google = lower rankings.
The Advanced GMB Strategies That Actually Move the Needle
Geo-Tagging Your Photos Every photo you upload should be taken at your business location with location services on. This sends Google strong local signals.
Strategic Keyword Integration Your business description should naturally include the keywords customers actually search for. Don’t stuff keywords, but don’t ignore them either.
Service Area Optimisation If you serve multiple areas, create separate location pages on your website and link to them from your GMB. This helps you rank in neighbouring towns without multiple listings.
The Q&A Section Gold Mine Most businesses ignore the Q&A section, but it’s prime real estate for local SEO. Ask yourself common questions customers have, then answer them with keyword-rich responses.
Measuring What Matters
Track these GMB metrics monthly:
- Search visibility (how often you appear)
- Actions taken (calls, direction requests, website clicks)
- Photo views and engagement
- Review velocity and rating trends
Your 30-Day GMB Action Plan
Week 1: Complete all business information and upload 10-15 high-quality photos Week 2: Create and publish your first Google Posts, start collecting reviews Week 3: Optimise your business description and add relevant attributes Week 4: Monitor insights and adjust strategy based on performance data
The Bottom Line
A properly optimised GMB listing isn’t just about being found – it’s about being chosen. When customers see a complete, active, and professional listing, they’re 3x more likely to contact you over a competitor.
Most businesses treat GMB as a “set it and forget it” platform. The ones dominating local search treat it like the powerful marketing tool it actually is.
Ready to turn your GMB into a lead-generating machine? We’ve helped over 100 local businesses dominate their local search results. Book a free strategy call and we’ll show you exactly what your competitors are doing wrong and how to capitalise on it.
About oliver@signal.marketing
22-year-old founder of Signal Marketing who built and sold a £500k e-commerce brand in just 9 months. Now helping businesses generate real revenue through data-driven digital marketing that actually works.