Your Google Business Profile is the most valuable free digital marketing asset available to Australian local businesses. It controls how you appear in Google Maps, local search results and the knowledge panel that appears when someone searches your business name. Yet most businesses treat it as a set-and-forget listing rather than an active marketing channel.
📍 The stakes: 76% of people who conduct a local search visit a business within 24 hours. Your Google Business Profile is often the first — and sometimes only — impression a local customer gets of your business before deciding whether to contact you.
Claim and Verify Your Profile
Start at business.google.com and claim or create your listing. Google will verify ownership via postcard, phone or video verification — complete this immediately, as unverified profiles have severely limited functionality.
Complete Every Section
Fully completed profiles rank significantly better than partial ones. Fill in: your exact business name, primary and secondary categories, full address or service area, phone number, website URL, business hours (including holiday hours), and a detailed business description using relevant keywords naturally.
Photos and Visual Content
Businesses with more than 100 photos on their Google Business Profile receive 520% more calls than those with fewer. Add your logo and cover photo, interior and exterior premises photos, team photos, product photos, and photos of completed work. Update regularly — fresh content signals activity to Google.
Google Reviews: Your Most Powerful Ranking Factor
Reviews are the single most influential factor in local search rankings. Quantity, recency and average rating all contribute. Implement a systematic review request process: ask every satisfied customer to leave a Google review, send follow-up SMS or emails with a direct link to your review page, and respond professionally to every review — positive and negative.
Posts and Q&A
Publish at least one Google Post per week — share promotions, new services, team news or helpful tips. Proactively populate the Q&A section with your most frequently asked questions and answer them yourself. This content helps potential customers make decisions and provides additional keyword-rich text that Google reads when determining your relevance for local queries.
🚀 DigiWolf approach: Our local SEO service includes full Google Business Profile optimisation and ongoing management — so your listing works as hard as possible to attract local customers. Book a free session to see how your profile compares to competitors in your area.