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Is Google Business Profile Actually Worth It? SEO Experts Explain Benefits

Episode Summary

Three contractors in your town show up every time someone searches for your services. They're not better or cheaper—they just know how Google Business Profiles actually work. Here's what they're doing differently. To learn more, visit: https://njlocalmarketing.com

Episode Notes

Here's something that'll probably frustrate you. Right now, someone in your service area just searched for the exact service you provide. Google showed them three businesses in the map results. Your company wasn't one of them. This happens dozens of times every single day, and most contractors have no idea why they're being skipped over. The answer comes down to your Google Business Profile, and specifically, how you're using it compared to the contractors who actually dominate those map results. There's a huge gap between businesses that treat their profile like a digital business card and businesses that treat it like the powerful marketing tool it actually is. Let's start with the obvious stuff most people get wrong. Your profile needs to be complete—and I mean every single field. Business name, address, phone number, website, hours, service areas, categories. When you skip fields, Google assumes you're not that serious about your business. But here's where it gets interesting. The contractors who rank highest don't just fill out their profiles once and forget about them. They treat it like a living, breathing marketing channel. Top-ranking contractors post updates at least twice a week. They share photos of current projects. They announce seasonal services. They offer quick maintenance tips. Google's algorithm pays attention to this activity. It signals that your business is active and engaged with customers. Profiles that haven't been updated in months get pushed down in rankings, plain and simple. Reviews matter more than most contractors realize. It's not just about having reviews—it's about how many, how recent, and how you respond to them. A contractor with 50 reviews from the last six months will crush a competitor with 30 reviews from two years ago. Response rate matters too. Google tracks whether you reply to reviews. Businesses that respond to every review within 48 hours get a ranking boost. Photos are another secret weapon. Contractors who upload fresh project photos weekly consistently outrank competitors who use the same five photos from 2022. Google wants to show users current, relevant information. Fresh photos signal that your business is active right now. The technical stuff matters too—things like selecting the right primary category, adding all relevant secondary categories, and ensuring your business information matches exactly across every platform where you're listed. Digital marketing experts who work with New Jersey contractors, like the team at NJ Local Marketing, see these patterns constantly. They know which profile elements move the needle and which ones are just busywork. If your Google Business Profile hasn't been touched in months, you're leaving money on the table every single day. Head to the link in the description to learn more about how NJ Local Marketing helps contractors fix these exact problems and start showing up where customers are actually searching. NJ Local Marketing, LLC City: Old Bridge Address: 22 Sherwood Lane, Website: https://www.njlocalmarketing.com