Google, as the world’s leading search engine, has dedicated its resources to offering various services to facilitate the needs and goals of its users. One such notable service is the Google Business Profile program, formerly known as Google My Business Profile. This program constitutes a central part of Google’s suite of tools designed to foster business growth, enhance visibility, and facilitate effective customer interaction.

The Genesis and Evolutionary Path of Google Business Profile

The foundations of the Google Business Profile program were laid in the year 2005, originating as the Google Local Business Center. Google aimed to offer a free tool that would allow businesses to add or update their listings appearing on Google Local, which later evolved into Google Maps[^1^].

Over time and reflecting Google’s test-and-learn culture, the service underwent multiple transformations, driven by Google’s dedicated efforts to enhance, tweak, and refine its product offerings[^2^]. Consequently, the program witnessed several name changes – pivoting from Google Places, moving to Google+ Local, and transitioning to Google My Business, before finally being rebranded to the Google Business Profile[^3^].

The initial focus of the program was primarily directed towards small businesses. However, recognizing the needs of an evolving market landscape, Google brought under its fold national brands with multiple locations. Consequently, this shift led to another name change from Google My Business to Google Business Profiles[^4^]. The persistent aim behind each evolution was to provide a clearer understanding of the program, making it easily adaptable and user-friendly[^5^].

Purpose and Benefits

The primary reason behind the inception of the Google Business Profile program was to assist businesses in enhancing their local SEO ranking[^6^]. By providing a complete profile on the program, businesses could significantly bolster their visibility in local search engine result pages (SERPs). This improved visibility in turn leads to enhanced customer engagement and ultimately to potential sales[^7^].

Another significant benefit of the Google Business Profile program is its integration with Google Maps[^8^]. This feature helps customers locate businesses with ease on Google’s highly popular mobile map application. The integration with Google Maps enables businesses to provide customers with actionable directions, making navigation to physical stores seamless and straightforward[^9^].

Social credibility is another noteworthy advantage of the Google Business Profile program[^10^]. Google provides businesses a platform to display customer reviews, contributing to the social proof of a business and offering perspectives similar to other reputed review platforms like Yelp or Trustpilot. Especially in today’s digital era, where trust plays a paramount role in customer decisions, such influential tools can significantly enhance a business’s reputation, thereby drawing in more potential customers[^11^].

The outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020 led to a necessity for rapid and effective business communication. Businesses urgently needed a tool to keep customers updated on changing operating hours, updated safety protocols, and other pandemic-induced alterations. Here as well, the Google Business Profile program proved its worth as a platform for businesses to communicate changes promptly[^12^].

Impact on Businesses

Apart from increased visibility and improved customer engagement, the Google Business Profile program has had significant statistical impacts on businesses. A survey conducted found that almost 96% of local businesses in the UK were viewed at least 25 times per month in search results, while 86% of the businesses received over 25 views on Maps[^13^]. The data clearly implies that businesses can, in fact, gain substantial visibility through the Google Business Profile program.

The presence of a Google Business Profile also leads to increased customer interaction. The most common actions taken by customers after viewing a business on Google are visiting the business’s website, requesting directions, and placing calls to the business[^14^]. In essence, businesses listed on the Google Business Profile Program experience a substantial increase in customer contact, resulting in enhanced customer engagement[^15^].

Conclusion

In conclusion, Google Business Profile is a significant tool in Google’s array of services. Built with an aim to simplify the process of engaging with customers for businesses, the program has increasingly helped businesses improve their local visibility, communicate critical information, and foster engagement with potential customers. As businesses move towards more digitized operations, the Google Business Profile is bound to play an ongoing and critical role in business growth and customer interaction.

References

[^1^]: Slickettsdigital.com. (n.d.). History of Google Business Profile. https://slickettsdigital.com/history-of-google-business-profile/.

[^2^]: Post Bulletin. (n.d.). A brief history of Google My Business. https://www.postbulletin.com/business/a-brief-history-of-google-my-business.

[^3^]: Near Media Co. (n.d.). A history of Google Business Profiles name changes. https://www.nearmedia.co/a-history-of-google-business-profiles-name-changes/.

[^4^]: Shopify.com. (n.d.). History of Google Business Profile Program. https://www.shopify.com/retail/google-business-profile.

[^5^]: Bright Local. (n.d.). Google My Business Insights Study. https://www.brightlocal.com/research/google-my-business-insights-study/.

[^6^]: Support.google.com. (n.d.). Benefits of Google My Business. https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038063?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop

[^7^]: Seochatter.com. (n.d.). Benefits of Google My Business profile. https://seochatter.com/benefits-of-google-my-business-profile/.

[^8^]: Localiq.com. (n.d.). Benefits of Google My Business profile. https://localiq.com/blog/google-my-business-benefits/.

[^9^]: Forbes.com. (n.d.). Why Google My Business is more important than ever in 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2021/05/06/why-google-my-business-is-more-important-than-ever-in-2021/.

[^10^]: Businessdit.com. (n.d.). Google Business Profile Statistics. https://www.businessdit.com/google-business-profile-statistics/.

[^11^]: Themediacaptain.com. (n.d.). 25 Google Business Profile Stats. https://www.themediacaptain.com/25-google-business-profile-stats/.

[^15^]: Google Marketing Platform. (n.d.). Success Stories. https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/resources/success-stories/.