Most business owners think of their Google Business Profile (GBP) as a digital business card (if they think of it at all), a place to list hours, collect reviews, phone numbers, and maybe a few photos.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s an unsung SEO powerhouse, customer facing storefront and, we’ll say it – it’s your second website.

Your Google Business Profile fuels how you show up in Maps, Search, and now even AI  summaries. It’s the digital front door most customers see before they ever consider clicking through to your site.

If your website tells your story, your Google Business Profile validates that story is true. A Fractional CMO team, we’ve seen that small shifts here can lead to very big wins in visibility, social proof, and conversion.

Why Your Google Business Profile Deserves the Same Love and Care as Your Website

Not to be dramatic, but your Google Business Profile is more than a yellow pages listing— it’s a living, breathing marketing channel.

• It builds authority every time someone searches, asks for directions, or reads your reviews.
• It captures intent from people ready to act, rather than window shoppers and tire kickers.
• And for brands with multiple locations, it can become one of the most powerful tools in your local SEO toolbox.

At Plum Good Marketing, we treat GBPs like micro-sites, designed, managed, and optimized with the same precision as your homepage. We do this because the details that live on your profile directly impact how Google, Customers and AI understand your business.

1. Consistency Builds Social Proof (and Rankings)

Your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) might seem basic, but for Google, they’re gospel.

Even small inconsistencies, i.e. “Ave.” versus “Avenue,” or a forgotten suite number, can send mixed signals and confuse the Google robots. When that happens, Google’s trust drops, and so does your visibility.

How to Fix It:

• Match your business name exactly as it appears on your signage and website.
• Keep address and phone number formatting identical across every platform.
• Don’t add keywords to your name unless they’re part of your legal brand.
  

Why NAP Matters for AI Search

AI search tools pull from verified, structured data first. When your business details are consistent, Google can confidently connect your web presence, map pin, and reviews. That means you show up not only in the Local Map Pack, but also in AI-generated summaries that answer searchers’ questions directly.

The Plum Perspective:

Consistency is credibility, or as we like to call it Social Proof. When your brand looks aligned everywhere it lives, it creates trust with your audience. They know what to expect from you and that builds a relationship before you even speak to them. And, it allows your marketing engine to run smoother — and smarter.

2. Fresh Activity Signals Relevance

Google loves an active, updated business, and so do your customers.

Every photo you upload, post you publish, or review you respond to sends a signal: We’re here. We’re current. We’re legit. We care.

At Plum, we often say good marketing should feel like good service (and do you want to be at the Baymont Inn or the Ritz Carlton?) Keeping your GBP fresh is about more than keeping the algorithms happy. It makes sure that your customers see you as current, informative and responsive as they research your brand and decide if they want to do business with you.

Quick Wins:

• Update photos monthly — interior, exterior, product, and team.
• Add short (10–30 second) videos of your work or environment.
• Use Google Posts weekly for updates, offers, or event highlights. (You can post the same content on Google that you do on Instagram). 
• Confirm and adjust hours seasonally or for holidays.

Why Consistent Updates Matter for SEO

AI and traditional search engines reward recency. When your business is active, it’s prioritized in results because it looks reliable.

Juicy Insight: 

Treat your Google Profile like a social media channel. A few updates a month (or better yet, a week) keeps your visibility high and your audience engaged.

3. Completeness Is the New SEO

Google wants to understand your business before it recommends you. That’s why a complete profile always outperforms an incomplete one.

Completeness means both making sure all the fields are filled in and giving Google enough structured data to paint a confident picture of who you are, what you do, and where you serve.

What to Check:

• A clear, compelling, keyword-rich business description that reflects your services and local relevance.
• Fully completed attributes like “Appointment required,” “Walk-ins welcome,” or “Wheelchair accessible.”
• An accurate list of services or products, with short, descriptive summaries.
• Timely, professional responses to every review, positive or negative.
  

Why a Complete Profile Matters for AI SEO

AI Overviews rely on structured, trustworthy data to summarize results. A complete profile trains Google to describe your business exactly as you want to be known. It’s a great opportunity to impact how and how often AI shows your business in search results. 

The Plum Perspective:

As in most things in life, thoughtfulness wins. Completeness isn’t about filling boxes. It’s about teaching Google how to sell you.

4. Visuals Are the New Proof

If your website builds trust with words, your Google Business Profile builds it with visuals.

High-quality photos and short videos show people what to expect, and show Google that you’re real. Businesses that regularly upload visuals earn more engagement, more clicks, and more calls.

Best Practices for Visual SEO:

• Use real images, never stock photography (please, we beg you).
• Rename files descriptively before uploading (e.g., fractional-cmo-consultation-detroit.jpg).
• Add concise captions with natural keywords.
• Upload new visuals  monthly, or whenever something changes.
  

Why Photos Matter for SEO

Google’s algorithm tracks photo engagement as part of its ranking factors. Even better: AI uses those visuals as reference points when describing your brand.

The Plum Perspective:

Don’t underestimate what a single, authentic photo can do for credibility. Every image tells Google, and your customers, that you’re the real deal.

5. Reviews are Equal Parts Reputation and SEO Juice

Your reviews are your most powerful, and least controlled, content opportunity.

Google uses the words in customer reviews to understand your services, your strengths, and your reputation. When reviewers naturally mention keywords like “consultation,” “strategy,” or “custom project,” they’re doing free SEO for you. (thank you!)

How to Leverage Them:

• Ask right after a great experience, when they’re still feeling the high of your great service.
• Make it simple: send your review link directly.
• Encourage reviewers to mention what they worked with you on (naturally).
• Respond to every review to show engagement and care.

Why Reviews Matter for AI Search

AI uses reviews as social proof — it’s the human validation behind your data. The more detailed and recent your reviews, the stronger your credibility signal becomes.

Plum Perspective:

Reviews are the modern word of mouth, but louder, indexed, and permanent. If you’re not managing them, ignoring the bad ones or not asking consistently for good ones, you’re doing your brand a major disservice.

The Bottom Line: Visibility Starts with Intention

Your Google Business Profile is one of those small details that adds up to something big. It’s a visible, trustworthy brand presence that meets customers wherever they’re searching.

The work isn’t sexy, but it’s powerful. Each update, photo, and review contributes to a larger story, building credibility and social proof over time with humans, algorithms and LLMs.

That’s how we think about marketing at Plum: simple actions, done consistently, creating meaningful traction.And that’s what we call marketing that’s very good, worth having.