ONPAGE · SEO GLOSSARY
Google Business Profile (GBP)
Google's free local listing platform (formerly Google My Business) that controls how a business appears in Google Maps and local search results — the most important local SEO asset for businesses with a physical location.
Definition
Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business (GMB), is a free tool that lets businesses manage how they appear in Google Search's local pack, Knowledge Panel, and Google Maps. A GBP listing includes: business name, address, phone number (NAP), hours of operation, website URL, business category, photos, and customer reviews. When users search for a local business type near them ("coffee shop near me", "plumber in Austin"), Google's local algorithm surfaces GBP listings in a "local pack" — a map with three to four business listings displayed above the organic results. Appearing in the local pack is driven primarily by: (1) relevance to the query; (2) proximity to the searcher; (3) prominence (review count, review rating, and overall online authority). GBP is separate from the organic website ranking algorithm, though a well-optimised GBP profile and consistent NAP data across the web both contribute to local prominence signals.
Why it matters for SEO
For any business with a physical location or a local service area, Google Business Profile is the single most important local SEO asset. Not having a GBP listing means a business is invisible in the local pack and Maps results — where a significant share of local intent searches end without the user scrolling to organic results. Key optimisation signals: complete and accurate profile (all fields filled in), correct primary business category, regular photo uploads, active review solicitation and response, posts for offers and events, and consistent NAP data matching the website and other local directories. GBP reviews directly influence local pack rankings and click-through rates — review count and average rating are displayed alongside the listing.
How DeepSEOAnalysis checks this
The audit checks website signals related to local SEO: NAP consistency (is the business name, address, and phone number displayed in the same format across the website?), `LocalBusiness` JSON-LD schema presence (structured data that confirms the business's name, address, phone, hours, and geo coordinates to Google), and `nap-consistency` across crawled pages. GBP management itself occurs in the Google Business Profile dashboard — the audit surfaces the website signals that complement a GBP listing rather than managing the listing directly.
Useful tools and resources
GLOSSARY
Related terms
onpage
Local SEO
SEO optimisation for location-based search queries — ensuring a business appears in Google's local pack and map results for "near me" and city-specific searches.
Read definition →onpage
NAP Consistency
Ensuring a business's Name, Address, and Phone number are identical across the website, Google Business Profile, and all online directories — a foundational local SEO signal.
Read definition →structured data
Structured Data
Machine-readable annotations added to HTML — usually JSON-LD — that explicitly describe what a page is about to search engines and AI systems.
Read definition →structured data
Schema Markup
A shared vocabulary of types and properties from Schema.org used to annotate web content in machine-readable format — enabling search engines to understand what content means, not just what it says, and to generate rich results.
Read definition →onpage
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Google's quality framework for evaluating content — especially important for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics like health, finance, and legal.
Read definition →See how your site scores on Google Business Profile (GBP).
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