Local SEO and Google Business Profile glossary

• A
• B
• C
• D
• F
• G
• H
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• R
• S
• V

A

AI Overview

An AI-written summary that Google shows at the top of some search results, with links to the pages it drew from. Businesses with clear, consistent information online are easier for it to quote. AI search visibility

AI search visibility

How often and how accurately assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity mention your business when people ask them for recommendations. It depends on the same basics as local SEO: accurate details, reviews and clear pages. AI search visibility

Attributes

Yes-or-no details on a Business Profile, such as Wi-Fi, wheelchair access or outdoor seating. They help customers decide and Google match your business to what people ask for. Profile optimization

B

Business description

A text of up to 750 characters on your Business Profile that says what you do and who you serve. Write it in plain words, without links, offers or keyword lists. Profile optimization

Business hours

The opening times shown on your Business Profile. Wrong hours send customers to a closed door, so they need updating for holidays and special days. Profile optimization

C

Call-to-action button

A button on a Google post or profile, such as Book, Call now or Learn more, that tells the customer what to do next. Google posts

Citation

A mention of your business name, address and phone number on another website, such as a directory. Consistent citations help Google trust your details. Directory listings

Cover photo

The main photo shown at the top of your Business Profile. Choose a clear, well-lit picture of your place or your best work. Photo management

D

Direction requests

The number of times people tapped for directions to your business from your profile. It is one of the actions Google reports on your profile. Weekly report

Directory listing

A page about your business on a directory such as Justdial, Bing Places or Apple Maps. Each should carry the same name, address and phone number as your Google profile. Directory listings

Distance

How far your business is from the person searching, or from the place they typed. It is one of the three factors Google uses to rank local results, and you cannot change it. Local SEO

Duplicate listing

A second Business Profile for the same business or address. Duplicates split reviews and can lead to suspension, so they should be merged or removed. Profile optimization

F

Fake review

A review that does not reflect a real customer experience, for example one written by a competitor or bought by the business. A business cannot delete it, but it can report it to Google. Review management

G

Geogrid

A map of ranking positions taken from many points around your business, showing where you appear near the top and where you do not. Your rank changes street by street, so a single search tells you little. Rank tracking

Google Business Profile

The free listing that shows your business on Google Search and Google Maps, with your address, hours, phone number, photos and reviews. It used to be called Google My Business. Profile optimization

Google Maps

Google’s map and local search app. When someone searches for a place or a service nearby, it shows the businesses whose profiles best match, using relevance, distance and prominence. Local SEO

Google My Business

The old name for Google Business Profile. People still search for it, and the free listing it describes is the same one. Profile optimization

Google post

A short update, offer or event that you publish on your Business Profile, shown in Search and Maps. A post is a way to tell customers what is new this week. Google posts

H

Hard suspension

A suspension where Google removes your Business Profile from Search and Maps. You can ask Google to reinstate it through its appeals form. Profile optimization

K

Keyword stuffing

Adding extra words, such as a city or service, to your business name or description to try to rank higher. It breaks Google’s guidelines and is a common reason for suspension. Profile optimization

Knowledge panel

The information box that appears on the right of Google Search, or at the top on a phone, when someone searches for a business by name. For a local business it is built largely from the Business Profile. Profile optimization

L

Local Guide

A Google Maps user who earns points and badges for adding reviews, photos and places. Their contributions appear on business profiles. Review management

Local pack

The block of three businesses with a map that Google shows at the top of many local searches. Getting into it is the main goal of local SEO. Local SEO

Local SEO

The work of making a business show up when nearby customers search on Google and Google Maps. It covers your Business Profile, reviews, photos, posts and consistent details across the web. Local SEO

Local website

A business website built to support local search: your address, services, area and contact details in plain text, plus clear pages for each service. It backs up what your Google profile says. Local websites

Logo

The small image that identifies your business on your Business Profile. Use a clear, square version of your real logo. Photo management

M

Map pin

The marker that shows your exact location on Google Maps. If it is in the wrong place, customers and delivery drivers go to the wrong place. Profile optimization

N

NAP

Short for name, address and phone number. Google compares these across your profile, your website and directories, so they should match exactly. Directory listings

Near me search

A search such as “dentist near me” where Google uses the searcher’s location to pick results. The nearest relevant business with a strong profile has the edge. Local SEO

O

Offer post

A Google post that advertises a deal with a start and end date, and sometimes a coupon code. It stops showing when the end date passes. Google posts

P

Photo geotagging

Location data stored inside a photo file. Google has not said that it helps your ranking, so spend your effort on photos that show your real place. Photo management

Place ID

A unique code that Google gives to every place on its map. You need it to build a direct link that opens the review box for your business. Free review link generator

Postcard verification

A way to verify a Business Profile in which Google mails a code to your address. It is offered only when Google chooses to show it for your business. Profile optimization

Primary category

The main label on your Business Profile that says what kind of business you are, such as Dentist. It is one of the strongest signals of relevance, so choose the most specific one. Profile optimization

Profile views

The number of times people saw your Business Profile on Google Search and Maps. Along with calls and direction requests, it shows whether customers are finding you. Weekly report

Prominence

How well known and trusted your business is, judged from things such as review count, score and mentions around the web. It is one of Google’s three local ranking factors. Local SEO

R

Rank tracking

Checking where your business appears in Google Maps for the searches that matter, across your whole area and over time, and comparing with nearby competitors. Rank tracking

Reinstatement request

A request to Google, made through its appeals form, to restore a suspended Business Profile. It works best when you fix the cause first and attach documents that match your business name and address. Profile optimization

Relevance

How well your Business Profile matches what the person searched for. Categories, services and a complete profile all improve it. Local SEO

Review gating

Asking only happy customers for reviews, or sending unhappy ones to a private form. Google’s policy does not allow it. Review management

Review link

A web link that opens the Google review box for your business directly. Customers tap it and write a review without searching for you. Free review link generator

Review reply

Your public answer to a customer’s Google review, also called an owner response. It is read by the reviewer and by every future customer who opens your profile. Review management

Review request

A message asking a customer to leave a Google review, usually with a link or QR code. Ask every customer, not only the ones you expect to be happy. Review requests

Review velocity

How quickly new reviews arrive over time. A steady flow looks more current than a burst followed by silence. Review management

S

Schema markup

Code on a web page that tells search engines facts about it in a fixed format, such as business name, address and opening hours. It helps search engines and AI assistants read your site correctly. Local websites

Search queries

The words people typed into Google before they saw your Business Profile. Google reports them in your profile’s performance data, and they show what customers want. Weekly report

Service area business

A business that goes to its customers, such as a plumber or an electrician, and does not receive them at a shop. It lists the areas it serves and can hide its street address. Profile optimization

Soft suspension

A suspension where your profile may stay visible on Maps but you cannot edit it, and it can stop appearing in results. It is usually fixed by correcting the problem and asking Google to review it. Profile optimization

Star rating

The average score, out of five, of the Google reviews on your profile. It is shown next to your name in Search and Maps. Review management

V

Verification

The process in which Google confirms that you run a real business at the place you listed. Until a profile is verified, most edits stay hidden and you cannot reply to reviews. Profile optimization

Video verification

A way to verify a Business Profile by recording a continuous video of your place, signboard and proof that you manage it. Google reviews it and decides. Profile optimization

Virtual office

A shared or rented address with no staff or real operations of your own. Google does not accept it as a business location, and using one is a common reason for suspension. Profile optimization