Google Business Profile (GBP) is crucial for local businesses in 2024. Here's what you need to know:
- Profile Views: How often people see your listing
- Searches: How people find you online
- Customer Actions: What users do after seeing your profile
- Discovery vs. Direct Searches: New vs. existing customer searches
- Product and Menu Stats: How customers interact with your offerings
Key takeaways:
- 49% of businesses get over 1,000 profile views monthly
- Average business gets 1,009 searches per month
- 84% of searches are from new customers finding you
To boost your local SEO:
- Monitor these metrics regularly
- Update your profile frequently
- Use search data to improve your content
Metric | What It Shows | Why It Matters |
---|---|---|
Profile Views | Visibility | Indicates overall reach |
Searches | Discoverability | Shows how easily people find you |
Customer Actions | Engagement | Reveals interest and intent |
Discovery Searches | New Customer Potential | Helps target marketing efforts |
Product/Menu Stats | Item Popularity | Guides inventory and promotions |
By tracking these metrics, you can make data-driven decisions to improve your local presence and attract more customers.
Getting Started with Google Business Profile Metrics
Let's dive into Google Business Profile (GBP) metrics. It's not as scary as it sounds, and it's key for boosting your local SEO game.
How to View Your Metrics
Here's how to get to your GBP metrics:
- Log into Google Business Profile at https://business.google.com/
- Go to Promote > Performance
- Pick your date range
- Hit Apply
Got multiple locations? You can get bulk reports:
- Choose your business profiles
- Click Download Insights
- Set your date range
- Hit Download for a full spreadsheet
Choosing Time Periods
Picking the right time frame is crucial. With GBP, you can:
- Compare now vs. then
- Spot seasonal patterns
- See how your marketing campaigns are doing
Start with a 90-day view for the big picture. Then zoom in for the details.
Reading Your Data
Let's break down the key metrics:
Metric | What It Means | Why You Should Care |
---|---|---|
Profile Views | How many times people looked at your profile | Shows if you're catching eyes |
Searches | How often you pop up in search results | Tells you if you're showing up when it counts |
Customer Actions | Calls, clicks, and direction requests | Shows if people are actually interested |
Discovery vs. Direct | General search finds vs. direct searches | Helps you tweak your SEO approach |
Here's the thing: focus on trends, not just numbers. A steady climb in views or actions often means more than one busy day.
These metrics aren't just data points. They show how people interact with your business online. Use them to sharpen your local SEO and boost your visibility where it matters.
To make the most of your GBP metrics:
- Keep your profile fresh
- Use search data to fine-tune your content
- Set goals and track your progress
Views and Search Results
Let's talk about how customers find and view your Google Business Profile (GBP). This info is key for boosting your local SEO game.
Direct Search vs. General Search
Google splits searches into three main types:
- Direct: Someone looks up your business name or address
- Discovery: Someone searches for what you offer (product, service, category)
- Branded: Someone searches for your brand or a related one
Why does this matter? It shows you how well-known your brand is and how you stack up against competitors. For example, lots of discovery searches? Your listing is doing well in general category searches - great for attracting new customers!
Search Terms Report
This report is a goldmine. It shows you exactly what people type into Google to find businesses like yours. Here's how to use it:
- Find your best-performing keywords
- Update your GBP description and posts with popular search terms
- Spot unexpected terms that bring in traffic - they could spark new ideas
Pro tip: This report updates at the start of each month, but it can take up to 5 days for changes to show up.
Device and Platform Data
In 2024, knowing how customers access your GBP on different devices is crucial. Check out these stats:
Device | Avg. Pages Visited | Avg. Visit Duration | Bounce Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Mobile | 3 | 704-775 seconds | 58.45-60.19% |
Desktop | 4-7 | 996-1,918 seconds | 48.38-50.33% |
What does this tell us?
- Mobile users browse quickly but often
- Desktop users dig deeper into content
- Mobile optimization is a MUST (58% of Google searches are mobile)
So, make sure your GBP looks great on mobile, keep mobile content snappy, and offer more details for desktop users.
View Count Changes
Keeping an eye on your view count over time can tell you a lot:
- Spot seasonal patterns
- See how your marketing campaigns impact views
- Track long-term growth
For context, a typical business gets about 1,009 searches per month, with 49% of businesses scoring over 1,000 profile views monthly. Not hitting these numbers? It might be time to tweak your GBP strategy.
Customer Actions
Let's look at how customers interact with your Google Business Profile (GBP). These metrics show what people do when they find your business online.
Phone Call Data
Phone calls are often the first real contact between you and a customer. Here's what to watch:
- How many calls you get through your GBP listing
- When most calls come in
"We focus almost 100% on the number of calls we generate. Our clients stick around as long as we're bringing in leads via phone calls, so we keep a close eye on that." - Ryan Burch, Managing Partner at Tobie Group
Pro tip: Use call tracking. It gives you deeper insights into where calls come from and who's calling. This helps you see how many conversions come from your GBP listing.
Website Click Numbers
Website clicks show customer interest. Here's what to do:
- Count clicks from your GBP to your website
- Compare this to your total website traffic
Most businesses get about 1,009 searches per month. If not many people are clicking through to your site, you might need to spruce up your GBP listing or website.
Direction Requests
For physical stores, direction requests are gold. They show someone plans to visit. Keep track of:
- How many people ask for directions
- How this changes over time
If lots of people ask for directions but don't show up, your signs might need work. Or maybe your GBP needs clearer location info.
Message Stats
People love quick chats these days. So pay attention to:
- How many messages you get
- How fast you reply
- What people often ask about
Turn on GBP messaging and aim to reply fast. It can really boost customer happiness and sales.
Booking Numbers
If you take appointments or reservations, watch these numbers:
What to Track | Why It Matters |
---|---|
Total Bookings | Shows how many people book through GBP |
Booking Trends | Tells you when people like to book |
Conversion Rate | Shows how many views turn into bookings |
Acadia Healthcare got smart with call tracking. They used Invoca with Google Analytics and got 95% accuracy in tracking conversions. This led to 25% more calls and 7% more admissions.
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Product and Menu Stats
Google Business Profile (GBP) gives you the lowdown on how customers interact with your products and menu. Let's check out the key metrics that can boost your local SEO game.
Product View Numbers
Product views tell you which items catch your customers' eyes. They:
- Show what's popular
- Help with inventory planning
- Guide your marketing
To max out this metric:
- Keep your product listings fresh
- Use top-notch images
- Sprinkle relevant keywords in your descriptions
Menu Click Data
Menu clicks show how customers engage with your online menu. It's big for food businesses.
Metric | Meaning | Use |
---|---|---|
Total Clicks | Menu popularity | Gauge interest |
Click Patterns | Peak view times | Adjust staff and promos |
Item Clicks | Most viewed dishes | Highlight hot items |
If you see tons of menu clicks but few orders, maybe it's time to simplify your menu or jazz up those descriptions.
Order Numbers
Order numbers reveal food order patterns. It's pure gold for restaurants with online ordering.
Track these:
- Daily orders
- Rush hours
- Fan favorites
Use this info to:
- Fine-tune your kitchen
- Stock up smart
- Boost slow periods with promos
Top Items List
The top items list shows your most viewed and ordered products. It's your window into customer likes.
Here's how to use it:
- Showcase top items on your GBP listing
- Create deals around popular products
- Let it inspire new menu items
These metrics work together to paint a picture of customer behavior. For example, if something's getting lots of looks but few orders, maybe tweak the price or beef up the description.
Making Reports and Using Data
Collecting Google Business Profile (GBP) metrics is just the start. The real magic happens when you turn that data into actionable insights. Let's break down how to do just that.
Getting Your Reports
Exporting GBP data is easy:
- Log into your Google Business Profile account
- Go to 'Performance'
- Pick your date range (up to 6 months)
- Hit 'Download' for your CSV file
Got multiple locations? Bulk download insights to compare them. It's a great way to spot your stars and your strugglers.
Connecting Different Numbers
Here's where things get interesting. By linking different metrics, you can uncover some real gems:
Metric Combo | What It Tells You |
---|---|
Views vs. Actions | How many profile visitors take action |
Search Queries vs. Views | How well your SEO is working |
Direction Requests vs. Actual Visits | Possible issues with your location or signage |
These connections can reveal a lot. High views but low actions? Maybe it's time to jazz up your GBP description or add some punchy calls-to-action.
Working with Large Data Sets
Months of data can be overwhelming. Here's how to tackle it:
- Use Excel or Google Sheets to sort and filter
- Create pivot tables for quick summaries
- Try data visualization tools to spot trends
Remember, you're after insights, not just numbers.
Setting Goals
Data without goals is just noise. Set SMART goals based on your GBP metrics:
- Specific: Bump up direction requests by 20%
- Measurable: Track it in GBP insights
- Achievable: Based on your current performance and industry standards
- Relevant: Fits with your overall business goals
- Time-bound: Get it done in the next quarter
Clear goals give your data analysis purpose and direction.
Using Content and Marketing Tools
GBP insights are great, but combining them with other tools? That's when things get really interesting. Content and Marketing (https://content-and-marketing.com) offers tools that can complement your GBP data:
- SEO tools: See how your GBP performance lines up with your overall search visibility
- Social media management: Check if GBP interactions match up with social engagement
- Content creation tools: Create content that tackles popular search queries from your GBP insights
Conclusion
Tracking Google Business Profile (GBP) metrics isn't optional - it's a must for local businesses in the digital world. Here's why it's so important:
GBP dominates local search. With nearly half of all Google searches having local intent, your GBP needs to shine. It's not just about showing up - it's about standing out.
These metrics give you a peek into customer behavior. You'll see how people find and interact with your business online. That's gold for fine-tuning your marketing.
Want to beat the competition? Actively manage your GBP. The numbers don't lie:
Metric | What It Means |
---|---|
Reviews | Top 3 in search results? 200+ reviews |
Profile Completeness | 75% of top 3 have full descriptions |
Engagement | Verified profiles get 1,803 monthly views |
GBP directly impacts foot traffic. On average, verified profiles get 66 direction requests each month. That's 66 potential customers heading your way.
Plus, it's budget-friendly marketing. Local SEO, driven by a solid GBP, targets the right people and boosts conversions.
Ryan Burch from Tobie Group puts it plainly:
"Google Business Profile has quickly become one of the most important SEO ranking factors on Google. That means, the better your business profile, the more likely your company was to appear ahead of competitors in local searches."
To make the most of your GBP:
Keep it fresh with regular updates and accurate info. Jump on those reviews and messages - fast. Use UTM codes to track GBP traffic in Google Analytics for deeper insights. Set clear, measurable goals based on your metrics and tweak your strategy as needed.
In short: Your GBP is your digital storefront. Make it count.