Introduction:
Improving a Google My Business profile can feel overwhelming, but often the biggest wins come from fixing the small details that directly affect visibility and customer trust. To get clarity on where to start, we asked 13 industry leaders what they tackle first when a GMB profile underperforms. Their answers cover everything from business info accuracy to category selection, photography, and beyond.
Ensure Accurate Business Information for GMB Success
If I see that a Google My Business profile is underperforming, the first thing I address is the accuracy and completeness of the core business information. This implies ensuring that the name, address, phone number, business link, and time of operation are the same in all the platforms where the business is listed. The slightest mismatch in the name of the street or lack of a suite number may make the Google algorithm disoriented and lower the listing in local searches. This is why I go line by line so that everything is correct and formatted the same.
Chris Kirksey, CEO / SEO Specialist, Direction.com
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Add UTM Tracking to Measure GMB Performance
If I see that a Google My Business profile is underperforming, I will add right away UTM tracking to the website link. Without tracking, you are flying blind and you have now way of telling how many of your profile clicks are turning into inquiries or sales. This is why I set custom parameters on the URL to enable all the visits of the profile to be quantified on Google Analytics. This lets me track the traffic quantity and the nature of the traffic once it gets to the site. It displays the number of visitors who are making call reservations, completing forms or abandoning without action.
Austin Rulfs, Founder, Zanda Wealth
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Refine Categories to Boost GMB Search Visibility
The first thing I make sure to fix on a GMB profile that is underperforming is the category selection. Most businesses select either a category that is too broad or fail to find some of the secondary categories that can directly impact their display in local search results. In sublimation printing, choosing "Custom T-shirt Store" without including "Print Shop" or "Promotional Products Supplier" may reduce visibility by half when the customer searches what is offered by the business. Refining these categories to reflect real services will mean that the profile is already competing on the right search terms.
Hasan Hanif, Director and CEO, Colour Vistas
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Q&A Section: Key to GMB Customer Conversion
The Q&A section is the first area I look at on a non-performing Google My Business profile. This is commonly ignored, but it can directly affect the speed at which a potential customer will reach out to you. When an individual seeks a service, they want to find clarity even before they spend their money or time. And if you have the answers to the most frequently asked questions in your Q&A section in a precise and well-composed form, you eliminate that hesitation.
Brian Clark, Founder and CEO / Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, United Medical Education
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Link to Relevant Landing Pages on GMB
The first thing that I address right away on an underperforming Google Business Profile is the website link. When that link directs users to a sluggish loading page, a homepage that fails to provide a clear CTA or a page that does not relate to the search query the user is interested in, you lose them within seconds. This is why I ensure the link goes directly to the most relevant landing page, be it a page specific to a service, a booking form or a page that answers the specific need that caused them to come there. An individual who types in a search on a plumber during an emergency does not want to end up on a standard About Us page.
Doug Crawford, President & Founder, Best Trade Schools
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Business Attributes Drive GMB Search Visibility
If I see that my GMB profile is underperforming, the first thing I make sure to adjust is the section where the attributes are located. Attributes are usually ignored, but they play an important role in the way your business will be shown on the search and the manner in which customers will choose to do business with you. When a user is looking to find a service, and they filter by something such as "women-led" or "black-owned," those attributes determine if your business even shows up. Leaving them blank will imply leaving behind targeted visibility that might attract very relevant customers.
Kira Byrd, Entrepreneur | Chief Accountant | Compliance Strategist, Curl Centric
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Quality Photos Make GMB Listings Stand Out
When our GMB profile underperforms, the first thing I fix is the photo section because that is usually where the disconnect starts. People look up storage nearby, follow through to the listings, and compare visually before they read anything. If the pictures appear old-fashioned, uneven or too generic, they move on. So I replace them with new and clear images that demonstrate the real place, the gate of entry, the keypad, driveways, the interior of the units and signboards. I want someone scrolling through to immediately recognize the place if they drove by it five minutes later.
Faraz Hemani, Chief Executive Officer, Iron Storage
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Craft Compelling Business Descriptions for GMB
When our Google My Business profile is not performing as we would like, I begin with the main business description since this arrangement establishes the tone with which prospective customers will know what we are and what we provide. I revise it in such a way that it is concrete, compelling and true, ensuring that it is clear in expressing our brand and uniqueness of added value. In the case of After Action Cigars, it is to outline our fine cigar selection as well as the durable equipment we supply and the life style we exemplify without falling into trite phraseology. I concentrate on providing the readers with the clear idea why they should prefer us to the competition.
Brad Jackson, Director of Operations | eCommerce Founder, After Action Cigars
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Fix Business Information for Better GMB Ranking
To optimize a poorly ranking GMB (Google My Business) listing, you should begin by fixing your business information and updating. Make sure your company name, address, phone, and your URL are correct consistent and the same as on your site and other directories.
When inconsistency or lack of information, potential customers may be confused and the search ranking of your site will be affected negatively thus people will find it difficult to locate the business.
You can also assert ownership of your business listing so as to have full control over your profile should you not have done so. This will enable you to control your information, read customer reviews, post pictures and use the insights and learn how customers discover and engage with your business.
Jonathan Carcone, Principal, 4 Brothers Buy Houses
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Correct Map Pin Placement Prevents Customer Loss
The first issue that I tackle on a poor performing Google Business profile is the positioning of the map pin. When the pin is a bit off, the customers will end up driving on the wrong street or worse still on a different part of town. There have been instances when a location has been pinned on the other side of the highway to where the building is and not only did this confuse the people but also made the business unable to be found in searches related to its proper service area. Such minor mistake may cost thousands of dollars in loss of opportunities per year.
Ali Hassan, Roofing Specialist / Construction & Project Consultant, Rabbit Roofing
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Optimize Products Section for GMB Search Success
If my Google Business Profile is not performing the way I intended it to be, the first thing I would work on right away is the Products and Services section. Most profiles consider this part as an afterthought, yet this is the one that contributes to a significant portion of search visibility. I would include all services we provide under the most accurate name people will type on Google search, even when this requires me to come up with several variations of the same kind of work. Instead of vague titles, I would use specific names like "Artificial Turf Installation for Pet Areas" or "Backyard Putting Green Design and Install" so Google understands exactly what we provide.
Johannes Hock, President, Artificial Grass Pros
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Select Hyper-Relevant Categories for GMB Results
When a Google My Business profile is not performing well for our products (like garden cabins or timber), my first area of focus has always been the category and description. If we are able to ascertain a hyper-relevant category (like "Log Home Builder" is for us), we will have better chances of being connected to customer searches. I like to then massage the business description [in this example, to ensure we establish us as unique as possible - "specialty glulam cabins for use in every season"]. This may even be one of the factors preventing us ranking over other businesses!
I remember when we first changed the category on GMB for one of our timber product showrooms. Within the month, I could see the local search appearances were still ahead, and we'd had a customer walk-in that said they found us organically. With one little tweak, all of a sudden something that didn't exist before and was missing was engagement.
These simple changes are usually the springboard to more detailed optimizations to ensure potential customers have the aspect of what they are looking for!
Rengie Wisper, Marketing Manager, Palmako
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Choose Precise Business Categories for Qualified Traffic
In case a Google Business profile is not performing, I correct the main business category. Most people either pass over it or do something generic, but this one area determines who, exactly, sees you in search. When your business appears in a generic category such as transportation service when the correct category is freight forwarding service or customs broker, you are going to miss on the qualified traffic and wasting impressions on irrelevant search.
Allan Hou, Sales Director, TSL Australia
Conclusion:
As these experts point out, there’s no single fix for a struggling GMB profile, but addressing the fundamentals can make an immediate difference. Start with the basics—accurate details, categories, images, and links—then refine the advanced elements like attributes, products, and Q&A sections. With consistent attention, a Google My Business profile can shift from overlooked to driving real visibility, traffic, and customer engagement.
