Google Business Profile

Halloween hype builds search volume. Themed content makes you memorable. Skip it, and blend into the background.

What it is: Posts and photos boosting engagement signals.

How it works: Add an offer with a spooky photo. Semrush data shows seasonal content lifts interactions.

What to do this week: Add one Halloween offer and themed photo.

Why it matters: Grabs shoppers visually, increasing walk-ins. Fosters loyalty through timely fun. A costume shop saw 25% more visits.

Boost engagement by 20% this month in stats.

For more:
Semrush. (2024). GBP posts. https://www.semrush.com/blog/google-business-profile-posts
Melon Local. (2024). Photo best practices. https://melonlocal.com/photo-best-practices-for-google-business-profile

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

Parents hunt for school essentials online. No seasonal tie-in? Your spot stays hidden. Add one to lead the pack.

What it is: Keyword-linked posts or events on your profile.

How it works: Create back-to-school offers or events. Erik Emanuelli’s guide notes these match trend spikes perfectly.

What to do this week: Add one back-to-school special or event.

Why it matters: Positions you top in family queries. Builds traffic and loyalty during key times. A supply store got 18 extra clicks weekly.

Generate 15 website clicks from the post this month.

For more:
Emanuelli, E. (2023). Seasonal keywords. https://erikemanuelli.com/seasonal-keywords
Sway Digital. (n.d.). Google Trends for seasonality. https://swaydigital.co.uk/how-to-use-google-trends-to-identify-keyword-seasonality

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

Visibility varies block by block. Heatmaps pinpoint weak areas. Use one to adjust before business suffers.

What it is: Trackers mapping positions across neighborhoods.

How it works: Run monthly scans, tweak for low spots. BrightLocal’s grid shows visual insights clearly.

What to do this week: Get a tool, run a heatmap, and adjust posts or keywords.

Why it matters: Fixes blind spots before losing ground. Maintains strong visibility and customer trust. A cafe improved their suburb rank by two positions.

Improve rank in two neighborhoods this month.

For more:
BrightLocal. (2021). Local Search Grid. https://www.brightlocal.com/local-seo-tools/rankings/local-search-grid
Local Dominator. (2023). Free Maps Rank Checkers. https://localdominator.co/top-6-free-google-maps-ranking-checker-tools

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

Low review counts drag your rank down. Tools send gentle prompts automatically. Set one up to build volume steadily.

What it is: Post-sale nudges via email or text.

How it works: Configure to send after purchases, like share if you enjoyed. Sterling Sky emphasizes recency, so steady flow helps.

What to do this week: Choose a tool and set it for automatic review requests.

Why it matters: Builds credibility without effort, as Whitespark’s factors confirm. Draws more customers through trusted signals. A boutique gained 8 reviews in their first month.

Secure 5 new reviews this month through the tool.

For more:
Whitespark. (2023). Local Search Ranking Factors. https://whitespark.ca/local-search-ranking-factors
Sterling Sky. (2023). Review recency. https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-review-recency-ranking

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO, Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

Out-of-towners search for hidden gems. Stale listings don’t entice. Add seasonal energy to pull them your way.

What it is: Summer-themed photos and posts on your profile.

How it works: Upload two summer shots and a special post. Rio SEO’s tips show fresh images boost seasonal queries.

What to do this week: Add two summer photos and highlight one special in a post.

Why it matters: Captures travelers, expanding your reach. Turns visitors into loyal customers for ongoing business. A tour spot doubled summer traffic with this.

Hit 20 more direction requests this month from stats.

For more:
dbaPlatform. (2022). Posting best practices. https://dbaplatform.com/blog/best-practices-for-posting-on-your-google-business-profile
Rio SEO. (n.d.). Photo tips for GBP. https://www.rioseo.com/blog/7-image-optimization-tips-for-google-my-business-photos

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO, Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

Interface updates sneak in and shift how profiles perform. Last year’s tweaks helped early users rank better. Don’t miss this round.

What it is: New features in your profile dashboard.

How it works: Sign in, test updates, adapt posts or info. TechWyse notes these tweaks can give early adopters a visibility boost.

What to do this week: Explore the dashboard and update your info or one post to fit new features.

Why it matters: Jumping on changes edges out competitors. It enhances trust through a modern presence, leading to more sales. One store gained 12% more views post-update.

Adopt two features this month, targeting a 10% stats increase.

For more:
eIntelligenceWeb. (2023). GBP 2023: New Features. https://eintelligenceweb.com/blog/google-business-profile-new-features
TechWyse. (2023). GBP Update 2023. https://www.techwyse.com/blog/internet-marketing/google-business-profile-update-2023-everything-you-need-to-know
Google. (n.d.). GBP performance. https://support.google.com/business/answer/9918094

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

One unchecked review can sway searchers away. Alerts and templates let you respond fast and protect your standing.

What it is: Notifications and AI templates for review handling.

How it works: Enable emails for new feedback, draft replies with AI. Local Falcon’s factors rank reviews high, so quick action supports your position.

What to do this week: Turn on email alerts and create AI response templates.

Why it matters: Timely replies limit damage and aid rankings. They show customers you listen, turning issues into loyalty. A diner recovered their rating after setting this up.

Reach 100% replies this month, averaging under a day.

For more:
dbaPlatform. (2020). Main GBP Ranking Factors. https://dbaplatform.com/blog/understanding-main-google-local-ranking-factors
Local Falcon. (2024). Important Local Ranking Factors. https://www.localfalcon.com/blog/what-are-the-most-important-local-search-ranking-factors

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

‘Near me’ searches favor the relevant, not the biggest. Skip local terms, and chains win. Add them to level up.

What it is: Neighborhood and city keywords in descriptions and posts.

How it works: Weave them in naturally, like midtown repairs in your bio. Google’s ranking guide prioritizes this for ‘near me’ queries.

What to do this week: Update descriptions and one post with neighborhood or city keywords.

Why it matters: It outranks bigger names in local results. Drives targeted traffic, earning trust and loyalty without massive spends. A small mechanic overtook a chain after keyword tweaks.

Boost ‘near me’ views by 15% this month in stats.

For more:
Google. (2014). Improve your local ranking. https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091
Whitespark. (2023). Local Search Ranking Factors. https://whitespark.ca/local-search-ranking-factors

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

Guessing your local rank wastes time. Affordable tools reveal the truth. Get one to track and tweak before you slip.

What it is: Affordable rank trackers for positions and competitor checks.

How it works: Subscribe, enter three keywords like your service plus location, and monitor monthly. Whitespark’s factors show tracking helps you adjust fast.

What to do this week: Choose one tool, subscribe, and track three keywords this month.

Why it matters: Seeing trends prevents customer losses to rivals. It sharpens visibility, as consistent tracking leads to better rankings and trust. One service business climbed three spots after monthly checks.

Improve your rank on at least one keyword this month.

For more:
Streamline Results. (n.d.). Best Local SEO Tools (2023). https://streamlineresults.com/best-local-seo-tools
Whitespark. (2023). Local Search Ranking Factors. https://whitespark.ca/local-search-ranking-factors

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.

Inconsistent details confuse searchers and drop your rank. As spring traffic rises, mismatched info costs you big. Align everything now.

What it is: Uniform hours, phone, and address on Google and key platforms.

How it works: Start with Maps, then check Yelp and Facebook for matches. BrightLocal’s survey flags inconsistencies as a top issue, so fixing prevents ranking drops.

What to do this week: Audit hours, phone, and address on Maps, Yelp, Facebook, and directories, then fix any mismatches.

Why it matters: Clean data ensures you show correctly in searches. It avoids confusion, builds customer confidence, and keeps sales flowing. A retailer fixed theirs and saw 25% fewer wrong-direction complaints.

Complete fixes for all mismatches this month, aiming for zero wrong-info complaints.

For more:
BrightLocal. (2023). Local Consumer Review Survey. https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey-2023
EZ Rankings. (2023). NAP consistency. https://www.ezrankings.com/blog/what-is-nap-consistency
Local Falcon. (2023). NAP consistency. https://www.localfalcon.com/blog/what-is-nap-consistency-in-local-seo

About the Barstool Blog
The Barstool Blog is built for small business owners who want quick advice without the jargon. I break things down into what it is how it works what you can do this week and why it matters. For deeper dives check out my #AIgenerated blogs on SEO Social Media and Workflow including ecommerce and CRM. For industry leaders my #AIassisted blog shares a monthly look into business marketing digital strategies content events and AI.