Google Business Profile: how to use insights?
Looking to boost your visibility on Google Search and Maps? Eager to understand what your potential customers are genuinely seeking? Then the insights from Google Business Profile (GBP, formerly GMB) are going to be incredibly useful to you.
The hitch, though, is that even when you know where to find them, it’s not always straightforward to interpret and utilize them to genuinely elevate your business.
But no panic! Debugbar is here to tell you everything you need to know to interpret and utilize these data as effectively as possible.
So, ready to discover how to use Google Business Profile like a pro? Let’s get started!
Google Business Profile insights: what is it?
Google Business Profile (GBP) insights is a nifty tool that Google provides to business owners.
Essentially, it’s a collection of data about how customers interact with your business online.
Simply put, they’re like a window through which you can peek into what goes on when users come across your business on Google. Pretty cool, isn’t it?
Why are these insights so valuable to your business?
Google Business Profile insights are not just some figures to look at and forget. They’re incredibly actionable and can drive your digital strategy!
Why, you ask? Here’s why:
- Understand local search performance: Gain a sneak peek into how your business is faring on Google Search and Maps locally. It’s like a stethoscope for your online presence health!
- Refine SEO and marketing strategies: Insights can help you make tweaks to your online strategies, directly drawing from user behaviors and interactions.
As you can see, it’s quite a precious tool. But you still need to know how to use it.
How to use Google Business Profile insights?
Alright! The big question: how do you actually use these insights? Let’s break it down step by step.
1. Access your Business Profile account
Like unlocking the front door to your home, the first step is signing in to your Google Business Profile (GBP) account. Easy-peasy!
2. Pick your location
If you’re managing multiple locations (aren’t you a busy bee!), you will need to cherry-pick the location you want to explore.
3. Click the “Performance” button
Now, click that alluring ‘Performance’ button. Consider it as your flashlight in the dark world of web data!
4. Select the insights you wish to view
Here comes the exciting part! You’ve reached the smorgasbord of insights! It’s time to decipher what each set of metrics means for your business and how you can use it.
Let’s dive right in:
Overview
This tally gives you all the KPI of your business. It includes all the calls, messages, bookings, and direction requests made by customers. It’s like counting how many times someone knocked on your door!
Use: Take this as a measure of how well your GBP listing is engaging users. More interactions mean more engagement!
Business profile views
How frequently is your GBP listing viewed on Google Search and Maps? Find out with this feature.
Use: Knowing the number and origin of views of your GBP listing can be a game-changer for your local SEO and paid marketing strategies, informing where your profile is most viewed. It’s like knowing where to set up your billboard, virtually!
Searches metrics
Ever wondered what magic words people are using to stumble upon your business profile on Google (Search & Maps)? The ‘Searches’ insight unveils it all!
This feature provides a nifty chart that breaks down how customers are finding your business, including hits from Google Ads. It’s like having a roadmap to identify your visibility hotspots!
Use: It offers a clearer picture of your marketing influence and SEO effectiveness. What’s more, you can’t manage queries directly, but you sure can maneuver around them!
Call insights
Fancy some stats about call trends from your business profile? Here they are! This overview gives you the number of times customers click on your call button.
Use: Useful for understanding peak call times and perhaps even helping with staffing needs. It’s like having a mini call center report!
Keyword insights
Forget mind-reading! With keyword insights, you will know exactly what related terms users are searching for when finding your business.
Use: Super vital for local & general SEO efforts as for content creation – it’s like having insider info on what words ring a bell with your audience.
Message insights
This one’s only available if you’ve enabled messaging on your GMB profile. It allows users to send messages to your business directly from Google Search or Google Maps, thanks to your GBP listing.
Use: You can spot popular messaging times and check how swift you are in responding to customer messages. A great way to up your customer service game!
Booking metrics
If your business enables bookings (restaurants, for instance), this one’s for you.
Use: Keep tabs on the number of bookings made through your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing. Handy to have all numbers in one place, right?
Food order insights
Enabled food ordering through Google? This one’s going to be useful.
Use: Identifies valuable partnerships and customer online ordering preferences. Time for some strategic collaborations, perhaps?
Direction insights
Get data about the number of users that requested directions via your business profile.
Use: This can be insightful in understanding customer visit trends and possibly inform staffing decisions. Talk about making use of digital footprints!
Website clicks
Check out the number of clicks from your business profile to your website.
Use: Gauge the amount of traffic directed from your profile to your site. A great way to see how well your profile is doing its job!
Menu insights (for restaurants)
Do you have a menu link? Then check out how much engagement it’s getting!
Use: Helps make informed decisions about which menu items, photos, and links are winning with your audience.
Post insights
This gives reports for each post created and published on your business profile (number of views, number of clicks…).
Use: See what kind of posts engage your audience most and experiment with different topics and media to boost performance.
Photo insights (Note: Doesn’t exist anymore)
Earlier, this feature offered metrics on photo views and quantities. However, this is no longer available.
Past use: This helped businesses understand photo engagement and compare with competitors.
As you see, there’s a great number of insights waiting to be discovered in your Google Business Profile. Armed with these nuggets of information, you can create a compelling online presence that drives customer engagement and boosts conversions.
Use insights to inform strategy
Finally, the pièce de résistance: using the insights. It’s like stitching together a quilt from different fabric pieces of data.
Use them to:
- Refine your profile details in line with how customers are finding you (Google search or Maps).
- Tweak content or posting times for better engagement.
- Showcase your popular products / services.
- Compare your performance with similar businesses for improvement.
- Analyze the success / failure of marketing campaigns and modify your strategy if required.
Now, you’re no longer just interpreting the insights – you’re acting on them! Kudos, you’re truly managing your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing like a pro now!
Google Business Profile insights: the essentials
In a nutshell, getting to grips with Google Business Profile (GBP) listing Insights is like learning to read the language of your customers’ online behaviors.
- Google Business Profile insights are unique: They stand apart from Search Console and Google Analytics by providing specific details on views and clicks, customers discovery methods, and interactions with listings.
- Available only for verified profiles: So make sure your business profile is verified! It’s like having a VIP pass to this exclusive data party.
- Insights data includes both organic & paid: The data includes both organic search results and Google Ads, making it a handy tool for your overall marketing strategy.
So why not turn this newfound knowledge into action? Whether you’re looking to refine your SEO strategy or keen on finding novel ways to engage with potential customers, Google Business Profile Insights is your roadmap to success!
