The journey of Google My Business started in 2004 when Google started listing local businesses.
Google My Business is not a social media platform, but it has social media platform-like features designed for business-customer interaction. It’s more of a business directory with engagement tools.
Google Search Engine Dominance
Insight
Data
Total Google searches per day
3.5 billion
Google’s search engine market share (US)
92%
Bing’s search engine market share (US)
3%
Let us understand the importance of Interesting GMB Stats ( data-backed)
History of Google My Business Stats
Table 1: Major Milestones in Google My Business (GMB) History
Year
Major Development
2004
Google introduced “Google Local” as a feature within Google Maps
2005
Google Local rebranded as “Google Maps for Mobile.”
2009
Google Places launched, separating business listings from Maps.
2012
Google+ Local was introduced, integrating Places with Google+.
2014
Google My Business (GMB) launched, merging Places & Google+ Local.
2017
Google Posts launched, allowing direct business updates.
2018
Enhanced analytics capabilities introduced in GMB.
Table 2: Feature Rollouts in GMB (2017 – 2021)
Date
Feature Introduced
Jul 2017
Messaging feature launched for GMB.
Oct 2017
Booking button added to business listings.
Jan 2018
GMB Posts started appearing on Google websites.
Mar 2018
Business Description field updated; Women-Led attribute added.
Apr 2018
Businesses could now specify a custom list of services. (like services provided, products available, etc.)
Oct 2018
Follow button added to Google My Business listings.
Nov 2018
Future opening date listings introduced (90 days before opening).
Jan 2019
Social media icons added to GMB Knowledge Panels.
Apr 2019
GMB dashboard redesigned for better user experience. (A dashboard was created and buttons like Home, Insights, Posts, etc. were added)
Here is the table showing Basic Information Features in GMB
Feature
Details
Business Name
Accurate and consistent with branding.
Address
Physical location including street address, city, state, and zip code.
Phone Number
Primary contact number for customers.
Website
Link to your official website.
Category
Primary category that best describes your business.
Additional Categories
Up to 10 more categories to further define your offerings.
Description
Brief overview of business and offerings.
Hours of Operation
Regular business hours, including special and holiday hours.
Enhancement Features in GMB
Feature
Details
Photos
Upload images of the business interior, exterior, products, and team.
Videos
Share videos showcasing businesses, products, or services.
Attributes
Highlight specific features (e.g., “outdoor seating,” “wheelchair accessible”).
Menu (for restaurants)
Display menu items with descriptions and prices.
Products
Showcase products with images, descriptions, and prices.
Services
List services offered with descriptions and pricing (if applicable).
Appointment Link
Provide a direct link for customers to book appointments.
Engagement Features in GMB
Feature
Details
Reviews
Encourage and respond to customer reviews (positive and negative).
Questions & Answers
Answer frequently asked customer questions.
Messaging
Enable direct customer messaging through GMB.
Google Posts
Create and share updates, offers, events, and announcements.
Special Features and Business Management in GMB
Feature
Details
Insights
Track customer interactions (how they find business, actions taken, etc.).
Location Management
Manage multiple business locations from one account.
User Management
Add and manage users with different access levels.
Online Ordering (for restaurants)
Enable customers to order food online.
Reservations (for restaurants)
Allow customers to make reservations.
Special Hours
Set different hours for specific days or events.
Businesses Categories Present On Google My Business
Google offers 4000 categories and one can choose 10 categories for Business listing
Verified Businesses Present On Google My Business
Out of all businesses posted on Google My Business, 64% of them are verified.
Verified Businesses have more chances of visibility.
Here is the table showing the Percentage of Verified Businesses on Google My Business (GMB) by Industry
Industry
Verified GMB Profile (%)
Property Management
83%
Hospitality
81%
Healthcare
75%
Retail
73%
Technology
70%
Consumer Goods
69%
Beauty & Wellness
65%
Finance
65%
Recreation
58%
Legal
57%
Automotive
45%
Home Services
45%
Here is the table showing Verified Businesses – Monthly Engagement Metrics
Metric
Value
Average direction requests per month
66
Industries leading in direction requests
Hospitality, Recreation
Average calls generated per year
595
Average calls generated per month
50
Businesses Posting Content On GMB
Businesses improve their online visibility and credibility by posting content
This table shows Business Posting Content on Google Business Profile (GMB)
Posting Activity
Percentage of Businesses
Businesses that have posted content
60%
Businesses that have not posted anything
40%
Businesses Posting Photos On GMB
Businesses improve their online visibility and credibility by posting photos.
It has been reported that there is an Increased revenue per visitor by 17% if images are posted on GMB
This table shows the Number of Photos per Business Profile by Industry
Industry
Average Number of Photos
Home Services
70
Automotive
57
Beauty & Wellness
44
Technology
19
Healthcare
12
Finance
6
Consumer Behavior For Businesses Listed On GMB
The table shows how people have Google Business Profile Interactions
Interaction Type
Percentage (%)
Website Visits
48%
Direction Requests
29%
Phone Calls
21%
Other Interactions
2%
Consumer Looking For Directions Via GMB
This table shows GMB and Google Maps Visibility
Insight
Data
Consumers using Google Maps to locate a nearby business
86%
Consumers using Google Maps to find a business
93%
Businesses Getting Traffic To Their Websites Via GMB
The Businesses that list images on GMB receive 35 times more website visits than others (who do not post images)
This table shows the Website Visits from Google Business Profile by Industry
Industry
Website Visits
Automotive
3,840
Beauty & Wellness
1,866
Consumer Goods
1,319
Finance
203
Healthcare
515
Home Services
402
Hospitality
4,702
Legal
406
Property Management
1,689
Recreation
6,830
Retail
1,582
Businesses Getting Google Search Views Via GMB
This table shows Google Search Views from Google Business Profile by Industry
Industry
Google Search Views
Hospitality
92,626
Recreation
81,169
Automotive
41,013
Retail
40,489
Consumer Goods
21,643
Property Management
18,349
Beauty & Wellness
17,234
Healthcare
11,276
Home Services
8,754
Legal
7,166
Technology
6,431
Finance
5,358
Businesses Getting Engagement And Conversions Via GMB
This Table Shows Engagement & Customer Actions on GMB
Insight
Data
Percentage of businesses receiving appointment requests through GMB
45%
Percentage of GMB listings with an appointment scheduler leading to approvals
45%
Percentage of customer actions resulting in website visits
56%
Conversion rate from Google Business Profile views into actual customer actions
More than 5%
Local Businesses Getting Visibility Via GMB
When people search for local businesses on Google, 42% of them click on one of the results displayed in the Google Local Pack.
This Table Shows how GMB Helps Local Businesses
Insight
Data
Percentage of local business calls received on weekdays
94%
Surge in “Near Me” search queries
Over 200%
Local searchers visiting businesses within 5 miles
72%
Percentage of consumers learning about local businesses online
97%
Consumers using GMB to find contact details
64%
Average monthly views for a local business on GMB
1,260
Businesses Getting Business Visibility & SEO
Importance of GMB for Business Visibility & SEO
Insight
Data
Percentage of internet searches done on Google
90%
Average actions per month per business (calls, clicks, conversations)
59
Percentage of interactions leading to website visits
More than 50%
Importance of online presence
97% of users learn about businesses online
Percentage of businesses receiving over 1,000 views per month
40%
Impact of accurate & complete GMB information
7x more clicks
Businesses Getting User Reviews On Their GMB Profile
A Business gets an average of 39 reviews on a GMB Profile.
This Table Shows Google Reviews by Industry
Industry
Number of Reviews
Automotive
150
Beauty & Wellness
48
Consumer Goods
63
Finance
23
Healthcare
60
Home Services
47
Hospitality
281
Legal
36
Property Mgmt.
34
Recreation
140
Retail
97
Consumer Behavior Trends for Google Business Reviews
This Table Shows Consumer Review Insights
Insight
Percentage / Value
Average new Google reviews per location in 2023
66
Consumers likely to give a review after a positive experience
65%
Consumers who will give a review when asked
68%
Consumers expect a response within 60 minutes
42%
Consumers expect a response on weekends or nights
67%
Customers are likely to provide a review if a business resolves an issue positively
79%
However, businesses are also affected by negative reviews. Negative reviews can deter potential customers by 45 times.
Consumer Behavior Getting Influenced By GMB Profile
This Table Shows Consumer Behavior & GMB Influence
Insight
Data
Consumers who read online reviews before choosing a local business
82%
Consumers who used Google to decide on a business in 2022
87%
Consumers who read reviews before making a purchase
90%
Customers are likely to shop if business owners respond to reviews
88%
Effectiveness of GMB Ads for Businesses
GMB Ads Statistics
Insight
Percentage / Value
Pay-per-click ads viewed on mobile devices
50%
Average actions per month from a business listing (calls, clicks, conversations)
59 actions
Consumers are likely to visit a store after seeing an ad on Google
70%
The Ifs, Buts & Pitfalls Of GMB
Due to Google’s algorithm changes, sometimes business rankings are impacted by GMB.
A negative review on GMB can affect a business’s conversion rates. Companies need to respond wisely to Google reviews.
There are a large number of Businesses that list themselves on GMB, and there is massive competition among businesses to rank well.
Limited customization options are available on GMB, and giving complete information to customers is sometimes difficult for some businesses.
Businesses must constantly optimize their GMB profiles and check for inaccurate information or reviews users post.
If We Sum Up
GMB profiles can generate a lot of engagement and business interactions. Several positive reviews can also shape customers’ mindsets and bolster conversions.
A good GMB profile is one of the best ways to target local customers; hence, no business should miss this opportunity.
Do you want to know other social media stats? Check out our other blogs.
Lisha Sahoo | Content Writer at INDZU, A movie buff, philosopher at heart, and 200% emotion-powered. Either lost in her own universe of deep thoughts or keenly observing the world around her, she turns everyday moments into stories