I’d say the biggest misunderstanding is that Google Business Profile is a simple, set-and-forget directory listing. The reality is that GBP is a dynamic and complex system that functions more like a living, breathing entity than a static database. It's constantly being updated, not just by the business owner, but by Google's own automated systems and even by user-generated content.
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The most critical piece of infrastructure that people don't see is the intricate web of signals and algorithms that determine trust and authority. Every edit, every review, and every interaction with a profile is a signal that feeds into Google's understanding of that business. Business owners and SEOs often focus on keywords and categories, which are important, but they miss the bigger picture of building a trustworthy and authoritative profile over time. It's not just about what you input into your profile, but also about how consistent and reliable that information is across the web, and how users are interacting with your business both online and offline.

This question hits close to home. At Google, while the "Trust and Safety" team was responsible for building the algorithms that automatically filter spam, my support teams were the ones who got the call when the system failed. We were the human backstop. When a legitimate review was mistakenly removed, or a fake one was left standing, my team had to investigate and escalate.

The automated systems are incredibly accurate for handling the black-and-white cases. They can detect obvious spam patterns at a massive scale. But spammers are relentless. They work tirelessly to find the seams in the algorithm, operating in the shades of grey where a machine struggles to make a judgment call. My teams lived in that grey area.

Ultimately, we had to apply human judgment to these complex cases, and in doing so, we'd feed our findings back into the system to help "tune" the algorithm and make it smarter. In short, while machines are essential for fighting spam at scale (and are getting better at it), they lack the contextual, nuanced, and intuitive understanding that a human expert possesses. An agency operates in that same critical "grey area," applying the same kind of deep investigation and human judgment that my teams at Google used to protect business owners.

A while back at Google, we faced a massive challenge: how do you keep millions of business listings accurate in real-time? The solution was to lower the barrier, making it easier for everyday users and business owners to suggest edits. We knew that opening the floodgates would improve the data overall, but it also came with a big risk: how do you stop bad actors from submitting false information?

That's where the idea of 'user trust' became our most important safeguard. We built systems to establish a trust score for every Google account making an edit. This allowed us to moderate changes and protect the data from those with malicious intent. Think of it as a digital reputation for your Google account, the better your reputation, the more Google trusts the changes you make.

User trust is determined by hundreds of data signals, but here are a few key ones…

‍Account Age and History: An older Google account with a long, positive history is inherently more trusted than a brand-new account.

‍Editing Behavior: Has the account made a series of successful, approved edits across different profiles? Or does it have a history of making edits that get rejected or flagged as spam? Consistently providing high-quality, accurate information builds trust.

‍Associated Profiles: Google understands the relationships between accounts and profiles. If your account manages a portfolio of high-quality, trusted businesses, your trust level increases. Conversely, if your account is linked to profiles that have been suspended or have a history of policy violations, your own account's trust will be diminished. This is crucial for agencies to understand.

‍Verification History: Successfully verifying and managing profiles without issue contributes positively. A history of failed verification attempts or suspicious activity can be a major red flag.

This user trust score has a massive impact on your effectiveness:

‍Edit Approvals: A trusted user will see their edits, even significant ones like a change of address or business name, get approved much more quickly, sometimes almost instantly. A less-trusted account will face more scrutiny, often triggering manual reviews or requiring additional verification.

‍Verification Process: Trusted users often get access to simpler verification methods. They might get an instant phone call or email verification option, while a less-trusted user will be forced down the path of postcard verification or even a manual video verification.

‍Support Experience: When a highly trusted user contacts Google Support, their case is often treated with a higher priority. Their history suggests they are less likely to be trying to game the system, so support agents are more inclined to trust their claims and expedite a resolution.

Essentially, building the trust of your Google account is one of the most powerful things you can do as a local SEO or business owner. It’s about proving to Google over time that you are a reliable source of information, which in turn makes every aspect of managing a Google Business Profile smoother and more efficient.

From my time at Google, I saw a lot of businesses making the same mistakes over and over again. Here are some of the most common ones that can really hurt your visibility in local search:

‍Inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number): This is a foundational element of local SEO. If your NAP is different across various online directories and your website, it creates confusion for Google and can erode trust in your listing.

Ignoring Reviews: Both positive and negative reviews are important. Not responding to reviews (especially negative ones) sends a signal to Google and to potential customers that you are not engaged with your community.

Keyword Stuffing the Business Name: Many businesses are tempted to add keywords to their business name in an attempt to rank higher. This is a violation of Google's guidelines and can lead to a suspension.

Not Using All of GBP's Features: Google Business Profile is a powerful tool with a lot of features—Posts, Q&A, Messaging, etc. Not utilizing these features is a missed opportunity to engage with customers and provide valuable signals to Google.

Choosing the Wrong Categories: Selecting the most accurate and specific categories for your business is crucial. Choosing irrelevant or overly broad categories can lead to your business showing up in the wrong searches, or not at all.

While Google is undeniably the 800-pound gorilla in the local search space, it's never a good idea to put all of your eggs in one basket. Diversifying your digital presence is essential for long-term success.

Here are a few platforms and strategies that are becoming increasingly important:

‍Your Own Website: This is your digital home base, the only online asset you completely own and control. In the age of AI, your website serves as the primary source of truth, the foundational text that language models use to learn about your business.

Media Mentions & PR: This is a huge one. Actively working with a PR resource to secure consistent media coverage is invaluable. Mentions in reputable online publications, podcasts, or news sites act as powerful, third-party endorsements. These mentions are strong signals to Google that your brand is authoritative and noteworthy. It allows you to control how you are represented online, rather than leaving your brand's identity to chance.

Industry-Specific Review Sites: Depending on your field, sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Avvo (for lawyers), or Healthgrades (for doctors) carry immense weight with consumers and are often trusted sources for Google's own understanding of your business.

Social Media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are no longer just for engagement. They are powerful ecosystems for building community, showcasing expertise, and demonstrating that your business is an active, living entity.

Local Community Engagement: Don't underestimate the power of offline actions. Sponsoring local events or partnering with other local businesses creates authentic, real-world signals that translate into digital credibility.The goal is to create a "web of trust" around your business, with your website at the center and all of these other platforms acting as spokes that reinforce your authority and credibility.

My one piece of advice is this: Become the number one publicist for your own customers' success.

It's easy to get lost chasing Google's algorithm, but the most powerful, long-term strategy is to focus on your customers. However (and this is the part most businesses miss) you can't do it silently. The secret is to not just create happy customers, but to amplify their stories.

Your goal should be to turn every success into a beacon that attracts more customers. Here’s how it all works together:

‍Tell Their Stories: Don't just get a testimonial; get the whole story. What problem did they have? How did you solve it? What was the result? Turn these experiences into compelling case studies and blog posts on your website. This is the rich, detailed content that shows your value and that AI models love to reference.

Encourage Descriptive Reviews: When you ask for a review, guide your customers to be specific. Instead of just "They did a great job," you want, "They fixed my leaking pipe the same day I called and saved my new floor from being ruined." These detailed reviews are marketing gold.

Use Your Website as Your Stage: Your website is where these stories live. It’s your owned platform to showcase your expertise through the lens of your customers' victories.

Amplify with Media Mentions: Take your best customer success stories and share them. This is what you can use for PR outreach. A local news story about how your business helped a community member is infinitely more powerful than any ad you could buy.When you focus on publicizing the value you provide, you stop chasing the algorithm and start giving it exactly what it wants: proof that you are a trusted, authoritative, and valuable part of your community. Your website, your reviews, and your media mentions all start working together, telling a consistent story of success. That is how you build a brand that can withstand any SEO change.