What is GBP, Why Do You Need It, and How to Use It?

Let’s start by getting something out of the way: Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business, is one of the most uninspiring names given to a Google product, and that’s saying something.

Now that’s settled, let’s review exactly what GBP is, why you need it, and how to use it.

For those looking for one-sentence summaries:

• The Google Business Profile is yours business listing page on Google from maps or search results.
• If you have a business yourself it should you need to have a GBP page to have a large user discovery and engagement on maps and in Google search results.
• You have to search for your business page and update it using GBP’s admin page or Ayrshare’s API.

What is a Google Business Profile?

Have you ever done a Google search and noticed a business listing box on the right hand side of the search results or at the top of the page on a mobile device? Sometimes it has a business address, photos, videos, and reviews. That’s Google’s listing of the business on the search engine results page (SERP).

Here’s an example of an Ayrshare listing when you search for Ayrshare on Google Desktop:

And an example of Airshare on mobile:

With GMB prospects and users can view your uploaded photos and videos, coupon offers, click on call-to-action buttons, and upcoming scheduled events like the open house you feature.

Why You Need a Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile helps you appear in more search results, so it’s an amazing discovery tool; almost like an advertisement for your business, but for free! If you care about SEO, and you should, then having a GBP listing is a no-brainer.

Check out these GBP figures:

Companies looking for ways to increase their organic SEO need to have a GBP page.

If you have a local business – for example, a housing agency, a restaurant, or a supermarket – then the acquisition is even greater. Just type “real estate agent” into Google to see how powerful these free ads are.

And best of all, GBP takes just a few minutes to set up and save.

How to Use a Google Business Profile

First, you need to claim your Google Business Profile page. Just a warning, you may need to receive a postcard in the mail with a special code to open it – we did. However, you may be lucky and able to verify via email or Google Console.

There are many things you can do with GBP including replying to comments, setting business hours, and adding products. A few of our favorites are:

• Upload photos and videos.
• Create special offers with coupon codes that your users can use.
• Add a call to action button that can link to your site, article, or special.
• Advertise an event with location and times.

Update Google Business Profile Manually

After you claim your page, you can update your page using the console.

Update Google Business Profile via API

If you have a platform that posts or manages public accounts for your users, you can use Ayrshare’s Google Business Profile API to connect GBP with your back-end system. This allows you to automatically perform updates from your system for your company or your users. Find out more about the API.

The following JavaScript example publishes an image to a Google Business Profile JavaScript call using the Ayrshare API:

{
     "post": "What an image!",
     "platforms": ["gmb"],
     "mediaUrls": ["
 }

What Can You Update on a Google Business Profile?

There are many things you can do with GBP including replying to comments, setting business hours, and adding products. A few of our favorites are:

• Upload photos and videos to increase engagement. People love to see pictures and videos of your product, service, and business. It’s a great way to increase the reach of your business.
• Create special offers with coupon codes. People love deals and offering an exclusive coupon code can drive traffic to your website.
• Add a call to action button that links to your site, article, or wherever you want. You want to give leads or users an action to take, so adding a “Learn More” or “Start Now” button helps convert those Google searches into site visitors.
• Advertise your upcoming event with location and times. Have a special event or announcement such as a new product launch, open house show, or sample sales event?
• Get statistics on how GBP has performed, such as impressions and clicks on your website. This helps you optimize your Google business listing.

Now it’s time to be on a Google business profile. It is still new and unknown, so the market is not yet saturated. Both online and local business can easily set up a page, assuming they don’t need to wait for the postcard to work, and immediately start profiting from it.