By Barion McQueen, Owner and Visibility Strategist, Big Reach PR
For a long time, we were told that SEO lived almost entirely on a website. Keywords, blogs, backlinks, page speed. All of that still matters, but it is no longer the full picture.
What has changed everything is AI, not just how people search, but how Google decides who gets seen.
From managing Google Business Profiles for businesses across different industries, I have seen this shift firsthand. The businesses gaining visibility are not always the ones with the best websites. They are the ones actively using their Google Business Profile the right way.
Google Business Profile is no longer a basic listing. It is a platform, and most businesses are still treating it like a set it and forget it asset.
Google Business Profile has become the real first impression
When someone searches for a business today, especially locally, they often never make it to the website. They see the map results, scroll through photos, read reviews, check services, and decide within seconds.
In many cases, your Google Business Profile is your homepage.
When I manage profiles for clients, this is the first thing I look at. Is the profile active? Are there recent photos and videos? Are reviews being answered? Are services clearly explained?
Google pays attention to these details, and so do potential customers.
Google Business Profile is the social platform businesses overlook
One of the biggest mistakes I see is businesses pouring energy into Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube while completely ignoring Google Business Profile.
The irony is that much of the same content belongs there.
Photos
Short videos
Updates and announcements
Service explanations
Answers to common questions
The difference is intent. People on social media are often scrolling. People on Google are searching with purpose. They are closer to making a decision.
When I consistently post, update, and optimize profiles for clients, visibility improves. Rankings stabilize. Calls and website clicks increase. Not because of tricks, but because Google sees activity and relevance.
AI rewards businesses that stay active
AI does not reward inactivity.
Google’s systems look for signals that a business is real, responsive, and engaged. That comes from regular updates, accurate information, and interaction with customers.
When I manage profiles that post weekly, respond to reviews, and keep services updated, they outperform profiles that rely only on a strong website.
Your website supports authority. Your Google Business Profile proves you are active.
Reviews are more than reputation
Most businesses see reviews as something to collect and move on from. In reality, reviews are one of the strongest content assets inside Google Business Profile.
Reviews are fresh, keyword-rich, and written by real customers. When you respond to them, you add context and reinforce what your business actually does.
From experience, profiles that respond to reviews consistently tend to build more trust, not just with customers, but with Google.
Services tell Google exactly who you help
Another overlooked area is the services section. Listing services without descriptions is a missed opportunity.
When I optimize this section for clients, I focus on clarity. What do you do? Who is it for? What problem does it solve?
AI favors businesses that make this easy to understand. Clear services lead to better visibility.
Posting inside Google matters more than most realize
Google posts are not decorative. They are signals.
Regular posting shows consistency and gives Google fresh content to work with. It also reassures customers that the business is paying attention.
If you are posting multiple times a week on social media but never posting on Google Business Profile, you are ignoring the platform with the highest intent.
SEO is no longer passive
What managing multiple Google Business Profiles has shown me is simple. SEO today is active.
It lives where Google wants engagement, and that is increasingly inside its own ecosystem.
Google Business Profile is not secondary to your website. It works alongside it.
The businesses winning local search are not doing anything complicated. They are showing up consistently, communicating clearly, and treating their Google Business Profile like the platform it has become.
Final thought
SEO did not disappear. It evolved.
If you want visibility in an AI-driven search environment, you have to stop treating Google Business Profile like a static listing and start treating it like a core channel.
From experience, the businesses that do this early gain an edge. The ones that ignore it eventually fall behind.
