1.8M Google Business Profiles Show What Drives Local SEO Wins

What Happened

In a recent study conducted by Whitespark, the founder of a renowned local SEO research firm, over 1.8 million Google Business Profiles (GBPs) were examined across 4,209 different industry categories. The objective was to uncover how the selection of primary and secondary categories, along with the overall completeness of profiles, affects local search rankings—particularly in an era dominated by AI-powered assistants that rely on structured data.

The results challenge several long-standing beliefs. While it’s widely recognized that an exact-match category (like “Hair Salon” for hair salon queries) outperforms broader categories, the data indicates that specificity is crucial. Businesses that select a precise primary category are appearing in the top 10 results approximately 36% more often than those that choose general categories such as “Restaurant” or “Law Firm.”

Key Details

• Exact-match advantage: For the query “hair salons,” the “Hair Salon” category achieved an average rank 49.9% higher in the top 10 compared to “Hairdresser” (56.9%) or “Beauty Salon” (60.0%).
• Specific vs. generic: Across all industries, profiles with a specific primary category maintained a 12.5% presence in the top 10, while those with generic categories only managed 9.2%—a notable improvement of around 36%.
• Completeness is king: Profiles that completely filled out all optional fields—such as photos, services, hours, and posts—ranked significantly higher than those that were only partially completed.
• Intersection insights: Utilizing certain secondary categories (for instance, combining “Barber Shop” with “Men’s Grooming”) can enhance visibility in niche searches, provided that the primary category remains relevant.
• AI relevance: The structured data from GBPs contributes to the AI models behind ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI. A well-structured profile increases the chances that these AI assistants will feature your business in answer snippets.

What It Means For Your Business

1. Choose a precise primary category

Consider your primary category as the headline your business presents to search engines. Select one that aligns precisely with the search intent of your customers. For example, if you operate a “Fine-Dining Italian Restaurant,” avoid using the broad term “Restaurant” since AI will search for the exact phrase.

2. Add relevant secondary categories

Once your primary category is established, utilize secondary slots to capture related search terms. For instance, a coffee shop might include “Bakery” or “Café” as secondary categories, thereby broadening their reach without compromising relevance.

3. Aim for 100% profile completion

Every photo, service list, and post you add signals to AI models that your business is active and trustworthy. Completing your profile not only helps improve your SERP rankings but also enhances your chances of being featured in AI assistant responses.

4. Leverage the data

Use tools such as Whitespark’s GBP audit or Google’s “Business Profile” dashboard to track category performance and profile completeness. Regular adjustments—especially after introducing new services or seasonal offerings—are essential.

5. Future-proof for AI

AI assistants represent the next frontier in search. A well-structured GBP serves as a data source for these assistants. If your profile is incomplete or misclassified, AI might overlook your business altogether, even if it ranks highly in traditional search results.

In summary, the analysis of 1.8 million profiles reinforces what many experienced local SEO professionals have long suspected: specificity and completeness are vital for enhancing visibility, both in Google's algorithm and in AI-driven search tools. For small and local businesses, even minor investments in category research and profile updates can lead to significant gains in discoverability and citations.

By aligning your GBP strategy with these insights, your business is well-positioned to excel not just in conventional Google Maps results, but also in the evolving landscape of AI-driven queries reshaping how customers find local services.