Google Business Profile is the new iteration of Google My Business.

This free tool is important for any business that wants to have a public-facing presence in Google Search and Google Maps. It's also necessary to connect to Google business services, such as reviews and posts. 

In this guide, we'll explore Google Business Profile and highlight the 10 best tools to manage your account in 2024. 

What is Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)?

A Google Business Profile is a free listing tool companies use to list their business details and products. This is where you create your public-facing account profile in Google. Information from your profile will show up when someone searches for your company using Google Search or Google Maps. 

Google Business Profile information includes: 

  • Business name 
  • Contact information
  • Location data
  • Hours of operation 

Google reviews for your company will also be attached to your Google Business Profile, as will Google Images. 

Why Google Business Profile is so important

Google processes over 8.5 billion searches per day, with more than 90% of internet users turning to the search engine. Google Business Profile allows you to put your company forward in front of those users on your terms. While this tool is free, it's important to use it correctly. Here are a few reasons why: 

Enhanced online presence

Your Google Business Profile enhances your online presence in several ways. The biggest and most obvious is that Google Business Profiles appear at the top of Google Search Results Pages (SERPs). 

Your business will often appear as a highlighted box on the right side of a search results page. This box will feature images, a link to the company website, and quick links for map directions, contact information, and even reviews. 

Besides Google, Google Business Profile information often shows up on other search engines. 

Key business information

Your profile will include the key information potential customers need most. This includes your address, contact details, business hours, and directions. It may even include the details of key personnel, including your CEO or other executives. 

Customer attraction

A Google Business Profile helps customers find your business more easily, driving more traffic to your brand. Customers can read and leave reviews for your business, which helps generate more engagement. 

Credibility building

The increased visibility and apparent endorsement by Google make your Google Business Profile a powerful credibility builder. The reviews attached to your profile also help build trust in your brand, and finally, the ease of information about your company makes you seem more transparent and, therefore, trustworthy. 

What are Google Business Profile management tools?

Put simply, a Google Business Profile is a powerful free tool for increasing visibility and credibility online. Google Business Profile management tools are third-party programs that save time by making it easier to edit, manage, and optimize listings.

Why should you use Google Business Profile management tools?

Tools to help you manage your Google Business Profile can increase click-through rates, improve your relevance in Google searches, and optimize the keywords you show up for. 

Most of these tools let you manage multiple Google Business Profile listings at once. For example, major retailers like Aldi or restaurant chains like Applebee's can use these tools to input product information, holiday hour information, or other important details in one easy edit. This helps provide consumers with accurate and consistent business information.  

Lastly, third-party tools help businesses manage their reputation by tracking and responding to online reviews. 

Below, we'll look at some of the best Google Business Profile management tools.

Top 10 Google Business Profile management tools

Google Business Profile management tools help you with multiple aspects of your listing. Some of the tools listed here still reference the old name and refer to themselves as Google My Business management tools. No matter what the naming convention they use, these programs help you with everything from optimizing your listing to handling Google reviews and managing social media posts.

Here are 10 of the best Google Business Profile management tools to help you get the most from your Google listing:  

1. Brandwatch

Brandwatch is a comprehensive suite of digital marketing tools that helps brands boost their presence online. Brandwatch helps businesses manage Google Business Profile listings using our Engage module. Brandwatch Engage monitors reviews across your listings at scale, helping you track, manage, and respond to consumer reviews and feedback quickly and efficiently. 

Engage also operates as a central hub for your entire online presence, including your social media channels, so you can manage your relationships with customers in one simple dashboard. 

Brandwatch is among the most trusted social media management tools on the market, with a host of powerful programs to help you get the most out of your entire online presence. Engage is integrated into the Brandwatch Social Media Management suite, which enables businesses to manage sophisticated marketing and public relations programs. 

2. RecurPost

RecurPost is a social media content scheduling tool that works with major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Google Business Profile. 

This program simplifies drafting Google posts for your Google profile and even allows you to schedule video posts. RecurPost integrates with graphic design app Canva and ChatGPT to help you create posts in situ on the platform before distributing them to multiple social media channels. 

3. GMB Briefcase

GMB Briefcase was named after Google Business Profile's predecessor: Google My Business. It's an SEO strategy tool focused largely on optimizing Google Business Profiles. GMB Briefcase will assess your existing profile, issue a score based on its completeness, and recommend things to add to your profile to improve its effectiveness online. 

GMB Briefcase also features customizable chatbot tools that you can deploy on your Google profile to answer questions or collect leads from potential customers. 

4. NapoleonCat

NapoleonCat is a social media messaging inbox that compiles your social media interactions into one dashboard. You can use it to track and respond to reviews or inquiries made by users through your Google Business Profile. NapoleonCat also integrates with Facebook Messenger, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

This social media messaging tool does more than give you a one-stop portal for online interactions. It also enables businesses to assign incoming messages as a ticket, distribute them to a specific team member or members, and track the progress of those inquiries. 

5. Semrush

Semrush offers search engine optimization (SEO) down to the local level for Google Business Profiles. It allows you to distribute accurate listing details to multiple Google listing markets and other platforms in minutes. You can also use Semrush to quickly edit key business information for all of your profiles and listings. 

Semrush can audit your listings to ensure accuracy and recommend the best keywords for each area where your business is listed. 

This SEO toolkit will also track your ranking, so you can update and optimize your listings and stay on top of search results. 

6. Sekel Tech

Sekel Tech is another listing optimization and management tool that audits profiles to ensure they are complete and accurate. It also tracks keywords and rankings to make sure you're showing up at the top of results when needed. 

Like other tools above, Sekel Tech collates reviews from multiple Google Business Profile listings in one dashboard so you can manage them more easily. It also lets you schedule and add Google posts to your profile. 

7. Planable

Planable is a social media post scheduler that also integrates with Google Business Profile. You can create posts on the platform and distribute them to multiple apps. Planable's review process features an option for key stakeholders to sign off on content before it gets posted to your Goole Business Profile or other online platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 

8. BrightLocal

BrightLocal's major feature is its local SEO audit function that gives insights into the best keywords for location-specific Google Business Profiles. Users can track one or multiple locations. BrightLocal also audits listings and provides actionable insights to optimize your profile and improve results. 

9. LocalBrandManager

Another Google Business Profile management tool designed specifically for major chains with multiple locations, LocalBrandManager helps companies schedule posts, optimize listings, and handle reviews in one easy dashboard. 

You can use LocalBrandManager to make edits across multiple Google Business Profiles and track rankings for each of them. It'll offer local keyword suggestions to help improve rankings in individual locations for global companies. 

10. SocialBu

SocialBu is another social media scheduling tool that integrates with Google Business Profile as well as mainstream social media platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn. It boasts a built-in AI Post Creator that streamlines the social media posting process for multiple entities. 

Features to look for in a Google Business Profile management tool

The best Google Business Profile management tool for your company will offer features relevant to your needs and complement your existing social media tool kit. Here are some key things to look for: 

Listing management

Listing management tools let you create, monitor, and update multiple listings from one dashboard. These tools are important for companies with many different locations. Listing management ensures that accurate business descriptions appear in search results, which improves the customer experience and builds trust. 

Local SEO

Local SEO efforts make your listing more effective at connecting directly with real customers. SEO tools that offer local search optimization and local rank tracking can increase your relevance in specific regions. 

These tools suggest keywords that boost local rankings, increasing your visibility and driving more customers to your stores. Adding local data to your listings also makes them more relevant to your target audience. 

Review management

Managing reviews is an important part of reputation management online. Look for a Google Business Profile management tool that lets you track reviews and respond to them quickly to preserve your online reputation. 

For example, with Engage you not only get insight into consumer sentiment around your brand but can quickly and efficiently manage customer complaints to solve problems and retain consumer trust. 

Posts and content

Online marketing relies on content to drive engagement, awareness, and leads back to your company. A Google Business Profile management tool that includes posting and content management makes it easier to schedule and edit posts in one place. Not every social media posting tool includes Google, so look for one that does to improve your listing performance. 

Analytics and performance tracking

No social media marketing strategy is complete without quantifiable data to support it. Find a Google Business Profile tool that offers analytics and performance tracking. The best tools will help you track: 

  • Reviews 
  • Rankings 
  • Social interactions 

If you include posts in your Google Business Profile, you'll want a tool that measures the reach and engagement of those posts too. It might be worthwhile to find tools that integrate with Google Analytics. That way, you can track referrals to your website from your business profile on Google over time and monitor how effective they are at driving traffic. 

Ease of use

Your tool should save time and effort, making it easier to optimize your web presence. Tools with simple, clear dashboards and efficient workflows are more effective than clunky and complex platforms. Look for a management tool that's easy to use for your entire team so they'll be more likely to use it. 

FAQs

Is Google Business Profile important for SEO?

Yes, your Google Business Profile (nee Google My Business listing) is a critical piece of your SEO program. It's the first and most direct link between your company, Google, and web users searching for you. Your Google Business Profile is where your location, contact details, business description, and other critical business information come together. 

How can I optimize my Google Business Listings?

You can optimize your Google Business Profile listing by making sure the content is up to date and accurate and by improving the keywords used in your description. One of the most effective ways to optimize your listing is with third-party Google Business Profile management tools. These tools can audit your listings to ensure they're complete, suggest keywords to include in your profile, help manage customer reviews, and assist in creating posts that generate views and engagement.  

Does Google have a scheduling tool?

Google doesn't have a scheduling tool for your business profile page; however, you can schedule posts on Google using third-party social media post scheduling tools.