A lot of business owners have a “set it and forget it” mentality with their Google Business Profile, but you should be monitoring and updating your Google Business Profile on a regular basis.

Even if you’ve already optimized your Google Business profile for local SEO, your work isn’t over. I recommend following the guide below and setting reminders to tackle your GBP “to do” list on a regular basis.

There are a couple reasons for this:

Google likes updated GBPs. They are more likely to offer you as an answer if your profile is visual and updated often.

Google & really anyone can make changes to your GBP. Google may make updates on their own based on what they see on the Internet. Your customers/competitors (or anyone really) can make a “Suggest an Edit” to your profile. This is real problem in competitive markets with some aggressive competitor or even scammers making changes to your NAP (name, address, phone number).

Good content converts. Think of your GBP as your mini advertisement to your business. This is likely a potential client’s first glance at your business. You want it to be good so they want to learn more and contact you.

First, make sure you have Notifications turned on on your Profile:

Image showing where to click on GBP to update your notifications. — After logging into your GBP:

Click the “three dot” menu and select “Notifications”
Make sure you have notifications turned on for everything

Recommended Maintenance Schedule

At least 1 time each week:

Using the “Add Update” feature to add offers, events, and updates. Note: if posting special offers or events, set a reminder to take down the post when it ends/expires.
Reply to reviews (here’s a guide to responding that’s HIPPA compliant for healthcare businesses)

At least 1 time each month:

Adding a new photo or video to your profile (Google LOVES video)
Review/respond to Q&A’s
Review your profile and check for any edits by Google or clients/strangers (don’t forget to check photos)

At least 1 time each quarter:

Adding any new products or services
Delete outdated information
Change your Primary Category (if you have a seasonal business that changes)
Check who has access to your GBP. If you’ve added employees or contractors, delete any who should not have access. Also make sure that you as the business owner are the “owner” of the GBP and anyone else is only a manager.

Photo & Video Guidelines

Photo Guidelines
When adding photos to your GBP, make sure they meet these guidelines:

Format: JPG or PNG
Aspect ratio: 4:3 (width to height)
Photo size: 1200 x 900 pixels recommended (at least 480px x 270 pixels), up to 5mb each

Video Guidelines (Google LOVES video)
When adding videos, make sure they meet these guidelines:

Resolution: 720p resolution (minimum)
Time: Up to 30 seconds long
File Size: 75 MB max per video

Ideas for GBP Post Updates

For your Google Post Updates, remember your audience is NOT current clients. Your audience are people unfamiliar with your business. This is your opportunity to “sell” them on your business.

For Post Updates, you can choose from: OFFERS, EVENTS, and UPDATES

If posting special offers or events: set a reminder to take down the post when it ends.

Here are some ideas for GBP updates:

Videos you’ve also posted on social media
Photos that spotlight your product/service
Promote your current offers
Promote new products or services (and use a good photo!)
Announce upcoming events
Celebrate your wins (and thank your supporters if relevant)
Highlight your expertise
Share news and updates
Showcase your skills with video posts
Announce new partnerships
Client thank you’s
Spotlight a great review - video or an image of the quote
Celebrate a milestone for your business
- Photos of expansions or updates to your space
- New Hires that expands your services or hours
- New locations
- Numbers that showcase accomplishments: years open, people served, etc.

GBP Maintenance Guide for Posts, Videos and Photos