11 Google Business Profile mistakes killing your rankings
The most common GBP mistakes we find when auditing Australian small businesses — and exactly how to fix each one.
Google Business Profile is the single biggest local ranking lever for most Australian small businesses — and the most neglected. We audit hundreds of profiles a year. These are the eleven mistakes we see in nearly every one.
1. Wrong primary category
Your primary category is the single biggest ranking signal in GBP. "Dentist" ranks for different searches than "Cosmetic Dentist" or "Family Dentist." Pick the one that matches what most of your revenue comes from — not the one that "sounds nicer."
2. Generic service descriptions (or none at all)
Every service you offer should have its own entry with a 200-word description. This is where Google reads the most "what do you do" signal. Most businesses leave this blank.
3. No products listed
Even service businesses should list "products" (packages, offerings) with prices and photos. They appear in the carousel above your reviews and drive direct enquiries.
4. Reviews left to chance
Review velocity is a top-10 ranking signal. You need a systematic process to ask every happy customer for a review — a printed QR code, an SMS follow-up, an automated email after invoice. Pick one and run it weekly.
5. No Q&A
Add your own FAQs to the Q&A section. Customers do search there, and Google reads it for relevance.
6. Stale or no posts
Post at least weekly. Photos, offers, news, events. Google rewards profiles that look loved.
7. Hours wrong on holidays
Australian public holidays vary by state. Update your profile every January for the year ahead. A "closed when we said we were open" is a permanent trust hit in reviews.
8. Generic photos
Stock photos kill credibility. Real photos of your team, your premises, your work. Geotag them. Add new ones monthly.
9. Service areas not set
If you serve customers at their location, set service areas — at the suburb level, not just "Sydney". Google uses these to surface you in suburb searches.
10. No website integration
Your website should have matching NAP (name, address, phone) and the same primary category in your schema markup. Mismatches confuse Google and tank rankings.
11. Ignoring the messaging feature
GBP messaging is a free lead capture channel many businesses don’t even know is enabled. Turn it on, set an auto-reply, route messages to whoever responds fastest.