By Timothy Jacqmin, Co-Founder, Nexuro Digital · July 2026
TL;DR
- Your Google Business Profile is the number one lever for local SEO: it is what makes you appear (or not) in the local pack and on Google Maps.
- The 4 settings that matter most: the right primary category, a consistent NAP (name, address, phone), a steady flow of reviews, and a complete listing (opening hours, services, photos).
- Google is clear: no spot can be bought. It is earned through relevance, distance and prominence.
- The most common mistake: creating the listing and then abandoning it. A living listing beats a listing left on the shelf.
A customer types '[your trade] + your town', sees three listings under the map, and calls. All of local optimisation is about being one of those three listings. Here is the concrete checklist, in order of impact.
The optimisation checklist (in order)
Optimising a Google Business Profile comes down to making it complete, consistent and living, in that order of priority:
- Exact primary category: choose the category that precisely describes your activity (it weighs heavily on relevance). Add relevant secondary categories.
- Consistent NAP everywhere: name, address and phone strictly identical on the listing, the website and directories. The slightest inconsistency muddies your location signals.
- 100% complete listing: opening hours, service area, description, website, services/products: every field filled in is a signal.
- Steady flow of reviews: ask your satisfied customers for reviews and reply to them (Google confirms that reviews improve rankings).
- Fresh photos: real, recent visuals reassure and engage.
- Regular Google posts: news, offers: they keep the listing active.
| Element | Ranking impact | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Primary category | High | Once (to check) |
| Consistent NAP | High | At setup + audits |
| Reviews + replies | High (~20%) | Ongoing (weekly ideal) |
| Photos & posts | Medium | Regular |
This listing does not work alone: it combines with local pages on your website. That is what we explain in Local SEO in Belgium, and what we apply town by town in our areas of operation.
The mistake to avoid at all costs
The worst mistake is not a badly filled field, it is abandonment: a listing created then left idle loses ground to competitors who keep theirs up. Local SEO rewards consistency: a fresh review each week, a photo, a reply, far more than one big one-off effort at launch.
FAQ
What is the most important thing on a Google Business Profile?
The primary category and the consistency of your information (NAP) are the foundations: they determine which searches Google judges your listing relevant for. Next come reviews, which weigh heavily on local ranking. A well-categorised, consistent listing that is fed with reviews has the essentials to appear in the local pack.
Do Google reviews really influence rankings?
Yes. Google officially states that more reviews and good ratings can improve your local ranking, and studies estimate their weight at around 20%. But it is not just a race for numbers: consistency (fresh reviews) and your reply rate matter as much as the total number of stars.
How long does it take to see an effect?
Often a few weeks for a low-competition listing that is well optimised, longer in contested sectors. What matters is consistency: a listing maintained every week progresses, a frozen listing stagnates. It is an active channel, not a plaque on the door.
Are Google My Business and Google Business Profile the same thing?
Yes, it is the same tool, renamed. Google My Business became Google Business Profile; management now happens directly from Google Search and Maps. The listing remains the central element of any local SEO strategy in Belgium.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help, Improve your local ranking on Google: https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091
- Google Business Profile Help, Guidelines for representing your business: https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177
- Whitespark, 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors: https://whitespark.ca/local-search-ranking-factors/
About the author
Timothy Jacqmin: Co-founder of Nexuro Digital, a digital marketing agency and Official Odoo Partner (BE-FR-LUX), founded with his brother Bryan Jacqmin.
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