What Are the Main Ranking Factors in Google My Business?

Google My Business (GMB), now called Google Business Profile, is a free tool from Google that allows businesses to register relevant information about their operations. This data is displayed in search results when users look for related products or services.

For example, when searching on Google for “bakery,” the system will show a list of establishments near your location, based on the information available in their profiles.

What Are the Ranking Criteria?

It is important to understand that the following criteria are only considered by Google if and only if the profile information — such as address, phone number, website, business hours, and responses to reviews — is complete and up to date.

1.Business Rating:

One of the main ranking factors is the business rating, which reflects its public reputation.

GMB allows customers to interact directly with the business through reviews. In these interactions, customers can write comments, post photos or videos, and assign a rating using a star system, which works as follows:

⭐ 1 star = Poor

⭐⭐ 2 stars = Fair

⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars = Average

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars = Good

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars = Excellent

The overall business rating is automatically calculated based on the arithmetic average of all received reviews. The higher this average, the better the positioning in search results.

For example: If your profile has 10 reviews — 4 rated 1 star; 3 rated 5 stars; and 3 rated 2 stars — the calculation would be:

N = [(4×1)+(3×5)+(3×2)]/10

N = [4+15+6]/10

N = 25/10

N = 2,5

In this case, the final rating would fall between “Fair” and “Average,” which would certainly harm your company’s ranking in Google’s top search results.

2. Location:

Geolocation is another fundamental criterion. Google values local businesses because it understands that users are looking for something near their current location.

For example, if you search for “bakery,” it doesn’t make sense for Google to show establishments from another city or state. Therefore, businesses physically closer to the user tend to receive higher visibility.

3.Business Hours:

Businesses that are open at the time of the search are prioritized in the results. This happens because the system understands that the user is ready to make a purchase immediately and, therefore, favors companies that are open at that moment — especially those operating 24 hours.

4. Business Longevity:

The length of time a business has been registered on Google also counts as a ranking factor, serving as an indicator of market experience.

However, this criterion carries less weight compared to the rating and recent activity of the profile. Still, maintaining a solid history can strengthen your credibility in the eyes of Google and customers.

Discover Our Google Business Profile Management Service:

At Vasconcelos Marketing & Communications, we specialize in Google Business Profile management. Our clients benefit from the following differentiators:

• 24/7 monitoring of the company profile;

• Strategic responses to reviews, strengthening business reputation;

• Regular production of optimized content to attract new customers;

• Monthly Google ranking audits;

• Monthly performance reports with clear and objective data;

• Monthly alignment meetings with our External Marketing Manager.

Contact our team now and find out how we can help your company reach the top of Google search results.