Episode 11 – GBP Mistakes
Okay okay, real talk—have you ever Googled a business, seen it says it’s open, drove all the way there… and then BAM. Lights out. Door locked. Not a human in sight?
Ughhh, yes! I once did that for late-night tacos. Tacos, okay?! The betrayal was personal, and the urge to leave a 1-star review was real!
Right?! Kinda feels like you got stood up by guacamole. That kind of stuff doesn’t just mess with your mood—it crushes trust faster than a soggy nacho.
Haha Exactly! And that, my dear friend, is why today’s episode is all about the biggest, juiciest, most face-palm-worthy mistakes people make on their Google Business Profiles.
Mmm hmm. Because your Google Business Profile? It’s not just a digital phonebook listing—it’s your storefront window, your welcome mat, your neon “Hey we’re open and we care!” sign.
And if it’s dusty, cracked, or still advertising a sale from 2019… ooof. You’re losing more business than a coffee shop that doesn’t open till noon. We love chaos, but not before caffeine, people.
Nono. No chaos before caffeine Eileen! Hahha. Monster behaviour. Alright, let’s fix up those profiles and turn your GBP from a ghost town into the digital hotspot it was born to be.
Alright, first up—inaccurate or incomplete information.
Ooo this one is brutal. You’ve got a bakery that says it’s open till 6PM, but you roll up at 4:30 and—no joke—it’s dark, locked, and smells like lies.
Hah! Right? Suddenly, you’re snackless, heartbroken, and questioning your life choices. All because someone forgot to update their hours.
The fix? Super simple. Just make sure your name, address, and phone number—your N.A.P—are the same everywhere. I’m talking Google, your website, Yelp, even your aunt’s knitting blog if it mentions you.
And hey, be consistent. “Street” spelled out, and the abbreviated “S.T” might seem like small stuff, but to Google, that’s like saying you live on Mars vs. Venus.
Same goes for holiday hours. If you’re closed on Monday because, I dunno, you needed a “mental health or mac & cheese” day—update it!
Alright, next mistake—neglecting your reviews.
Ooooof yeah. Reviews are like dating profiles. People check them to see if you’re trustworthy or if you’re the kind of business that ghosts after the first order.
And ignoring reviews? That’s like someone waving at you across the street and you just… blink at them. No smile. No wave. Nothing.
Rude! Instead, reply to every review. Even the salty ones. Especially the salty ones! Be the bigger business and sprinkle some kindness.
Like if someone says, “Delivery was cold and took forever,” don’t go full keyboard warrior. Just say, “Ahh, we’re really sorry about that. Super-busy that night and short-staffed. Please reach out—we’d love to make it right.”
Boom. You just turned a grump into a potential regular.
Next up—ignoring posts and updates.
This one drives me wild. A stale GBP is like a party with no music. Like… technically it’s still a party, but why is it so awkward in here?
Hahha! And like—what are we supposed to do, just sit here and stare at each other? No thanks.
So post at least one or two times weekly. Announce promos, seasonal specials, post your products and services, repost 5-star reviews and of course, random acts of awesomeness. Give people a reason to keep coming back.
One local gym we saw? They crushed it with weekly class schedules and monthly challenges. People stayed pumped—and so did their bookings.
Think of your posts as social media’s responsible cousin. Less chaos, more conversions.
Alright, now here’s a spicy one—using irrelevant categories.
Oooh yeah. Choosing the wrong category is like wearing a name tag that says “Susan” when your name is Todd. Confusing and shady.
If you’re a coffee shop, don’t say you’re a full-blown “restaurant.” Unless you’re slinging burgers with that cappuccino, Google’s gonna be like, “Umm… what do you think you’re doing there?”
Pick the right primary category. Add 3-8 relevant secondaries. But don’t go full buffet menu. You’re not everything to everyone.
Like this one pizza place—used “Pizza Restaurant,” plus “Italian Restaurant,” and “Delivery Restaurant.” Boom, they showed up for all the right searches.
If your category says “Magic Show” but you sell flooring… Houston!, we have a branding problem.
Next on the hit list—not using GBP features.
Oh my gosh yes. Google gives you tools, people. Ignoring them is like trying to fix a leaky sink with a toothpick.
Right-O! It’s all right there—FAQs, photos, services. Use them. Fill them in. And for the love of Google, ditch the grainy flip-phone images.
Take fresh photos! Add your services with juicy details and prices if you’ve got them. Get customers to upload photos. Here’s an example of this in action:
You’re a dog groomer and you want to encourage social sharing and engagement so you encourage proud pup parents to snap pics after grooming. Add a cute sign like “Fluffin’ Fabulous – Snap a pic & tag us!” near the checkout or photo area. People love showing off their freshly groomed fur babies.
Love that.
One spa listed “Hot Stone Massage – 90 minutes, $110,” added a zen photo of a steamy stone setup… and just like that, people were basically booking in their sleep.
Pro tip: Real photos build trust. So no filters, no face swaps, and definitely no sparkly unicorn overlays. Please.
Ohhhkay… now here’s a sneaky one—keyword stuffing your business name.
Ooof, guilty parties are everywhere. Like “Joe’s Plumbing New York Hot Water Tank 24/7 Emergency Services.” Like Joe. bro. buddy. your business name shouldn’t need a scroll bar.
If your business licence says Joe’s Plumbing, then that’s the name you put on your Google Business Profile. Keep it clean. Use your actual business name and put your keywords in the right places—descriptions, categories, services, posts. Not your name.
Otherwise, Google might slap you with a suspension, making your profile disappear faster than free samples at Costco.
Speaking of slap-worthy mistakes—not uploading a variety of photos.
Ahhh yes. A GBP with just a blurry logo? That’s like opening a Tinder profile with one picture… of your shoe.
Bwahaa! C’mon people. Add awesome photos of your storefront, your team, your work in action. Make it real, make it fresh.
One yoga studio started sharing photos of classes, instructors, and peaceful little corners of their studio—clients felt like they already belonged before they ever showed up.
A great photo is worth a thousand clicks. Probably more. Especially if it includes a dog.
Always dogs.
And finally—forgetting about FAQs.
Yesss! The Q&A section is your chance to answer stuff before people have to call you and awkwardly ask, “Umm, do you guys have parking?”
mmha right?! If people are always asking, “Do you take walk-ins?” or “Are you open on holidays?”—add those to your FAQs. Be the helpful genius you are.
A dental clinic we saw added: “Do you take emergency appointments?” Answer: “Yes! Call us for same-day availability.” Boom. Clear, helpful, and reassuring.
FAQs are mini customer service wins that work 24/7, and Google loves that energy.
Okay, let’s wrap it up with the cheat sheet—here are your no-go zones:
Don’t let your info go stale.
Don’t ghost your reviewers.
Don’t let your posts gather cobwebs.
Don’t list yourself in weird categories.
Don’t ignore GBP features.
Don’t stuff your name with keywords.
Don’t skip photos or leave the Q&A blank.
Think of this as your GBP glow-up checklist. Remember, if you’re looking for a full GBP Optimization checklist – like the very one we use for our client work at Rankpast Digital, head over to rankpast.com/gbp to download the transcript of this and every episode, the Ultimate GBP checklist as well as the full download of all the Google Business Profile edition episodes.
And hey, if you’re making some of these mistakes we listed above —no judgment!
None! Mistakes happen. Even robots mess up—and they’re literally made for this. The point is, now you know better, so go forth and optimize!
And while you’re on a roll—why not show us some love?
Search “Rankpast” on Google and drop us a review on our Google profile or on wherever you’re listening to this podcast! Or shout us out on socials.
Your Google Business Profile deserves to shine, and we’re here to help you make it sparkle.
Until next time—keep it optimized and keep it fun!
