Use Google My Business analytics to better your SEO performance

How well do you know your customers on Google?

Google My Business analytics gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how potential customers discover and engage with your business listing. These GMB insights are critical for multi-location businesses into customer behavior, showing you what’s working and where you’re missing opportunities.

  FYI: Google has rebranded Google My Business (GMB) as 
  Google Business Profile (GBP). However, since many businesses still recognize it as GMB, we’ll use both terms interchangeably in this blog.

According to Birdeye’s 2024 State of Google Business Profiles study, 84% of views came from discovery searches. This means most customers don’t search for your business by name but instead find you while looking for your services or products. Without proper tracking, businesses risk missing key opportunities to engage and convert these potential customers.

With the right analytics, you can turn profile views into actions like phone calls, direction requests, and website visits, driving real business growth.

In this blog, you’ll learn how to access, track, and act on Google My Business analytics to improve your business profile’s performance and visibility.

What is Google My Business analytics?

Google My Business analytics provides detailed data about how customers discover and interact with your business profile on Google Maps. These GMB insights help you monitor key actions such as search visibility, customer actions, and overall profile performance.

Tracking this data is essential for multi-location and local businesses that aim to boost local discoverability, respond to customer needs in real-time, and optimize their marketing efforts.

Google My Business analytics vs. Google Analytics: What’s the difference?

In short, Google My Business analytics helps you understand how customers interact with your business profile, while Google Analytics reveals what happens once they reach your website. While both tools offer GMB insights, they serve different purposes:

• Google My Business analytics tracks customer interactions on your Google Business Profile—like phone calls, direction requests, and website link clicks from your Google Business Profile Manager. It’s designed to measure local search performance and profile engagement.
• Google Analytics focuses on your website traffic. It tracks how visitors find and navigate your website, offering deeper GMB insights into user behavior, page performance, and conversion paths.

Key data metrics tracked in Google My Business analytics

Here are the core metrics provided by GMB insights, essential for understanding local search performance and improving customer engagement:

• Searches: Monitor how many customers found your profile through direct, discovery, or branded searches. This helps you identify how customers are searching for your business or services.
• Customer actions: Track meaningful interactions such as phone calls, website clicks, and direction requests, giving you a clear view of how customers respond to your business information.
• Profile views on Google Search vs. Google Maps: Understand where your business is being viewed most frequently and tailor your strategy accordingly.

Google My Business analytics performance metrics

To make the most of your Google Business Profile, it’s crucial to understand the performance metrics provided by GMB analytics. Monitoring these metrics alongside tools like Google Search Console can give deeper business Google my business insights into organic search results, helping you refine your strategy. 

Let’s break down the most important metrics you should monitor regularly.

Search queries and total searches

Google Business Profile insights categorize searches into three types:

• Direct searches: Customers search for your business name or address directly.
• Discovery searches: Customers find your profile by searching for a product or service you offer, such as “Italian restaurant near me” or “dentist in Chicago.”
• Branded searches: Customers search for a brand related to your business, like a franchise or product line you offer.

With 84% of Google Business Profile views coming from discovery searches, most customers find businesses while searching for a service rather than a specific company. This highlights the importance of category-based optimization to ensure your business appears in relevant searches and attracts more potential customers.

Customer actions and business interactions

Customer actions show how people engage with your business after finding your profile. The most important actions tracked in Google Business Profile insights include:

• Phone calls: The number of times customers tap the call button on your profile.
• Direction requests: How often do customers request directions to your business location?
• Website link clicks: The volume of traffic directed to your website from your profile.

Considering that verified businesses generate an average of 66 direction requests and 50 phone calls per month, these actions are strong indicators of customer interest and intent, often leading to in-person visits or conversions.

Why this matters for you: Tracking customer actions reveals how your audience prefers to engage with your business. A surge in phone calls may signal high demand, while frequent direction requests indicate strong local interest.

Views on Google Search vs. Google Maps

GMB analytics shows whether customers discovered your profile through Google Search or Google Maps: 

• Google Search views: Customers who find your business from standard search results, often when they search for your business or a related GBP category.
• Google Maps views: Customers who find your business while navigating the map or searching for nearby businesses.

Knowing where your business profile gets the most views is crucial for optimizing visibility. If most of your traffic comes from Google Maps, but your business location is incorrect or outdated, potential customers may have trouble finding you. 

Pro-tip:

If your business has moved or location details are incorrect, knowing how to change your business location on Google Maps is essential. Updating your map pin, ensuring accurate address details, and using location-specific keywords can improve your local search visibility and help customers find you easily.

According to Birdeye, businesses with more Google My Business photos receive significantly more profile views than those with fewer images. User-generated photos can also enhance your profile’s authenticity and attract more attention.

Once you’ve understood the metrics, the next step is accessing and interpreting them correctly.

How to access Google My Business analytics

Now that you know the key Google My Business analytics metrics, the next step is accessing these GMB insights and using them to make data-driven decisions. Google simplifies performance tracking of your profile through the Google Business Profile listing dashboard.

But simply viewing these metrics isn’t enough—you’ll need to find the right data, choose the appropriate date range, and track the performance metrics that matter most to your business goals. Whether you manage a single location or multiple profiles, you can easily access bulk reports for multiple profiles using the right reporting tools.

Step-by-step guide to accessing Google Business Profile insights

To get the most out of it, you need to know where to find the right data and how to interpret it effectively. Follow these steps to access and monitor key Google my business insights from your Google Business Profile account:

Step 1: Log in to your Google Business Profile account

Go to the Google Business Profile dashboard and login with the same Google account associated with your business profile. This will take you to the main management panel for your profile.

Step 2: Navigate to the ‘Performance’ tab

This section of your GBP listing displays your Google Business Profile metrics, giving you a detailed view of how customers discover and interact with your business.

Step 3: Set the right date range

Once you open the ‘Performance’ page, you can select a date range—7 days, 30 days, or a custom time frame. Google gives a maximum 6-month period. Choosing the right time frame allows you to compare short-term trends with long-term performance. 

For instance, a monthly overview helps you track significant shifts, while weekly data is useful for spotting seasonal patterns. This Google Business Profile performance data helps you take proper steps.

Step 4: Monitor key data points

Once you’ve set the date range, focus on monitoring essential metrics such as:

• Searches: See how many people found your profile through direct, discovery, and branded searches.
• Customer actions: Track how many phone calls, direction requests, and website link clicks you received.
• Views on Google Search vs. Google Maps: Determine where most customers are finding your profile.

Step 5: Use bulk reports for multiple locations (if applicable)

If you manage multiple locations, you can generate bulk reports to access aggregated data for all profiles simultaneously. Bulk reports help track the performance of chain locations, offering a comprehensive view of your client’s business across multiple profiles.

Focus on these key metrics across locations:

• Searches (direct, discovery, branded): Identify which locations receive the most discovery traffic and use Google Business Profile optimization tactics like writing relevant descriptions. 
• Customer actions (calls, directions, website clicks): Compare engagement Google Business Profile metrics by location to assess which branches drive more conversions.
• Google Maps views: High map views signal strong visibility; updating photos, reviews, and location-specific keywords can further enhance performance.

Prioritize actionable GBP insights

Tracking the right data drives real marketing improvements, leading to more business from phone calls and direction requests. For instance:

• Low website clicks? Update your website link with a specific landing page for local services.
• Fewer calls at a location? Ensure your phone number is correct and listed in all appropriate fields.

Pro tip: Use tools like Birdeye Insights AI to automate and simplify multi-location reporting. AI-driven analytics can help benchmark location performance, providing deeper insights into where to focus your optimization efforts.

Once you’ve collected data, the next step is using tactics to turn these Google Business Profile insights into action.

Smart tactics to improve your Google My Business analytics

Once you’ve mastered the basics of Google My Business analytics, it’s time to implement advanced tactics to take your profile’s performance to the next level. Combining your Google Business Profile efforts with social media platforms and other digital marketing platforms helps create a stronger online presence. 

Optimize your business profile and listings

Your business listing isn’t static—it requires regular updates to stay relevant and visible. Google prioritizes profiles that reflect accurate and up-to-date information. Here’s how you can keep your profile optimized:

• Regularly update your business name, description, and services to ensure consistency with your marketing strategy and keywords. If your services change, reflect that in your profile immediately.
• Frequently add high-quality photos showcasing your products, team, or location. This improves engagement and builds trust with potential customers.

Use UTM parameters to track GBP traffic

Adding UTM parameters to your profile’s website link lets you track traffic while optimizing your profile for your exact business name, which helps improve search accuracy. 

You can also add UTM codes to your website link to measure the number of visitors coming from GBP and how they behave once on your site. This allows you to assess the true impact of your Google Business Profile on overall website traffic.

Pro tip: Create unique UTM tags for campaigns like promotions or seasonal offers to track their performance separately.

Monitor customer reviews and respond effectively

Responding to positive and negative reviews builds customer trust and signals to Google that your business is active and engaged. According to Birdeye’s State of Google Business Profiles 2024, businesses with more reviews and timely responses tend to rank higher in local SEO results.

• Positive reviews: Respond with gratitude and highlight key points mentioned to reinforce customer trust.
• Negative reviews: Address concerns promptly and offer solutions. This shows that you value customer feedback and are proactive in resolving issues.

Leverage Google Shopping Ads for enhanced data

While Google My Business analytics offers valuable insights, integrating Google Shopping Ads provides a deeper understanding of customer behavior and conversions. By linking Google Ads with your Google Business Profile, you gain access to:

• Conversion tracking: Measure how many people complete actions (like filling out a form or booking an appointment) after clicking on your profile.
• Keyword performance: See which keywords drive the most profile traffic and refine your targeting strategy accordingly.
• Enhanced location-based ads: Use location extensions in Google Ads to increase your visibility in local SEO results and drive foot traffic to your business.

Pro tip: Combining GBP data with Google Ads metrics helps refine your marketing efforts and ensure you’re investing in the most impactful strategies.

To make this even easier, tools like Birdeye can help you manage and maximize your Google Business Profile listing analytics.

How Birdeye helps with Google Business Profile analytics

Tracking and optimizing Google Business Profile metrics is essential for improving visibility and customer engagement. However, managing multiple profiles for different locations can be challenging and time-consuming. 

Birdeye’s GenAI platform simplifies the process by automating tasks and providing advanced analytics, making it easier to monitor Google Business Profile performance, compare locations, and act on GMB insights to enhance your Google Business Profile listing’s strategy: 

Birdeye Listings AI 

Managing consistent and accurate information across multiple profiles is key to improving visibility. Birdeye Listings AI offers:

• Real-time updates to ensure your Google Business Profiles always reflect the latest business details.
• Listings Verifier, which helps you proactively identify and fix errors, ensuring your profiles are 100% accurate.
• Keyword tracking and GBP insights to improve your local search term performance and keep your profiles optimized for visibility.

Pro tip: Keep your profile fresh with updated storefront, team, and product photos. Regular uploads boost engagement and help you stand out in competitive industries.

Birdeye Insights AI 

Birdeye Insights AI helps you analyze business insights data and provides custom reports with actionable recommendations with: 

• Custom AI-generated reports with recommendations for improving your Google presence.
• Sentiment and reputation analysis across reviews to understand customer feedback trends.
• Location benchmarking to compare performance across multiple profiles and focus on underperforming areas.

Birdeye Competitors AI 

Understanding how your competitors perform can help you refine your strategy. Birdeye Competitors AI delivers valuable competitive intelligence:

• Track competitor reviews and listings to benchmark your profile’s performance against theirs.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses to fine-tune your Google Business Profile listing.
• Social media insights, allow you to monitor competitors’ top-performing posts and engagement strategies.

Our customers, their stories: 

"Birdeye's competitor analysis feature has been instrumental in understanding how my business stacks up against the competition. Providing GMB insights into their online reputation and customer feedback, it has helped me, as a business owner, to identify areas where I can improve and differentiate my GBP listing in the market."

Daniel Dye, President, Native Rank

Waterstone Mortgage’s data-driven success with Birdeye

Waterstone Mortgage, a national mortgage lender with over 20 offices, partnered with Birdeye to strengthen its online presence and improve customer engagement. To enhance its GBP listing strategy, they implemented Birdeye Reviews AI, Competitors AI, and Insights AI to streamline review management, track performance across locations, and gain actionable insights.

By using Birdeye Insights AI, Waterstone Mortgage:

• Analyzed business insights data from customer feedback to spot improvement areas.
• Tracked sentiment trends to understand customer experience across branches.
• Used location benchmarking to compare branch performance and prioritize underperforming locations.

How Waterstone Mortgage achieved measurable results:

• 60% increase in Google reviews 
• Improved local search rankings across 20+ locations
• Significant boost in search term visibility and online credibility

Now, look at some common mistakes businesses make when using Google My Business analytics. 

Common mistakes to avoid in Google My Business analytics

Even with powerful tools and data at your fingertips, making mistakes that limit your profile’s potential is easy. Here are some of the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them:

1. Misinterpreting search results without context

It’s tempting to rely solely on high-level numbers like total search views, but these metrics can be misleading without context. Focus on search types (direct, discovery, branded) and customer actions for a clearer picture of performance.

Fix: Analyze metrics in relation to customer intent and prioritize data that reflects engagement and conversions.

Check out Birdeye’s 5 Google Local Pack tips to dominate search

2. Ignoring negative reviews and delayed responses

Unanswered negative reviews can damage your reputation and signal to potential customers that you don’t value feedback.

Fix: Respond promptly to all online reviews—thank customers for positive ones and address negative feedback with solutions.

3. Not benchmarking multi-location performance

If you manage multiple locations, it’s easy to overlook how each branch is performing individually. Some locations may thrive while others struggle.

Fix: Use bulk reports to compare performance across locations and focus on improving underperforming profiles.

FAQs about Google My Business analytics

Google My Business analytics made easy with Birdeye

Google My Business analytics is a powerful tool for understanding how customers find and engage with your business. You can make smarter decisions and improve your profile’s performance by regularly tracking key metrics. These insights help you stay visible, attract new customers, and keep your business ahead in local search.

Birdeye’s Google Business Profile management allows you to track your and your client’s marketing performance and stay ahead of competitors.  

Take control of your Google Business Profile performance today and see how Birdeye simplifies the reporting process.