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)
Jun 2019 Branding & promotional tools added for businesses. .(like logo, cover photo, welcome offers)
Jul 2019 The “Get A Quote” button was added to GMB Knowledge Panels.
Nov 2019 Businesses could add a custom list of services to GMB listings. (like provides 1 day delivery, provides nursing facilities, etc.)

Number Of Countries Using GMB

  • GMB is available in 245 countries.
  • But it is not available in 7 countries.
  1. Crimea  
  2. Cuba  
  3. Iran  
  4. North Korea  
  5. Sudan  
  6. Syria  
  7. China

(Source- GoogleSupport)

Features Of Google My Business

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
    Interesting GMB Stats

    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.