There's a marketing tool most small businesses already have access to. It costs nothing. It can appear above your website in Google search results. It shows up when people search on Google Maps. And increasingly, it influences what AI tools say about your business when someone asks for a local recommendation.
It's your Google Business Profile, and the vast majority of Brisbane businesses either haven't claimed it, or set it up years ago and never touched it again.
That's a missed opportunity worth fixing.
Why Google Business Profile Matters More Than Most Businesses Realise
When someone searches "marketing agency Brisbane" or "web designer West End" on Google, they often see a map and a panel of three local businesses before they see any website results. This is called the Local Pack, and it's driven entirely by Google Business Profile data.
If your profile is incomplete, your business may not appear in that panel at all. If it is complete, up-to-date, and well-reviewed, you can outrank much larger competitors for local searches, without spending a cent on advertising.
A well-optimised Google Business Profile can:
- Appear above organic search results for local queries
- Show up in Google Maps when clients search near you
- Be cited by AI tools when answering local service questions
- Display your reviews, photos, services, and hours at a glance
- Generate direct phone calls and website visits without any ad spend
The 7 Sections Most Businesses Leave Incomplete
Setting up a Google Business Profile takes about 30 minutes if you do it properly. Most businesses spend five. Here's what typically gets missed:
- Business description You have 750 characters to describe what you do, who you help, and what makes you different. Most profiles have a single generic line or nothing at all. Write this properly: include your key services, your location, and the types of clients you work with.
- Services list Google allows you to list individual services with descriptions and prices. This is valuable both for search visibility and for AI tools that summarise what your business does. List every service you offer, however obvious it seems.
- Real photos, not stock images Profiles with photos receive significantly more clicks than those without. Include your team, your workspace, your work in progress, and finished projects. Real photos build trust in a way stock imagery simply can't.
- Business attributes Google offers a range of attributes depending on your business type, such as "women-owned," "by appointment only," or "serves Brisbane." These filter searches and signal to Google that your profile is complete and trustworthy.
- Q&A section Anyone can ask a question on your Google Business Profile, and anyone can answer it. Get ahead of this by adding your own frequently asked questions and answering them yourself. It signals activity and provides useful information for potential clients.
- Google Posts You can publish short posts directly to your profile: updates, promotions, new services, events. Most businesses post once at setup and never again. Posting monthly signals to Google that your business is active, which matters for local ranking.
- Regular review responses Responding to every review, positive or negative, shows Google and potential clients that your business is engaged and professional. It's also a ranking signal. A business with 12 reviews that responds to all of them will often outperform one with 40 reviews and no responses.
How AI Tools Use Your Google Business Profile
When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity for a local business recommendation, those tools pull from publicly available data, and your Google Business Profile is one of the clearest, most structured sources of local business information available.
A complete profile with accurate services, a well-written description, consistent contact information, and genuine reviews gives AI tools everything they need to confidently recommend your business. An incomplete or neglected profile does the opposite: it creates ambiguity that AI tools tend to sidestep.
Your Google Business Profile is, in many ways, your AI search presence for local queries. It's worth treating it that way.
Getting More Reviews (Without Being Awkward About It)
Reviews are one of the strongest ranking signals in local search, and yet most businesses get fewer than they deserve simply because they never ask.
The most effective approach is also the most straightforward: after a positive client interaction, send a short, personal email or message thanking them and including a direct link to your Google review page. Something as simple as: "If you have a moment, a Google review would mean a lot. Here's the link." Most people who've had a good experience are happy to help. They just need the prompt and the link.
Aim for at least 10 genuine reviews to start. The content of reviews matters as much as the volume. Reviewers who mention specific services, locations, or outcomes provide far more useful signal than generic five-star ratings.
The Five-Minute Monthly Habit
Once your profile is set up properly, maintenance is minimal. One post per month, a response to any new reviews, and a check that your hours and contact information are still accurate. That's genuinely all it takes to stay in good shape.
The businesses that treat Google Business Profile as a living part of their marketing, rather than a one-time setup task, consistently outperform those that don't. It's one of the few marketing channels where a small, regular effort compounds meaningfully over time.