You can track your Google Business Profile performance by accessing the built-in insights dashboard, which shows how customers find and interact with your listing. Monitor key metrics like profile views, impressions, search queries, and customer actions (calls, messages, website clicks, and direction requests). Pay attention to the difference between direct searches and discovery searches to understand customer intent. Track photo engagement and compare your performance against competitors appearing in similar searches. By analysing these metrics weekly, you'll identify optimisation opportunities and make data-driven decisions that boost your local visibility and conversions.

Key Points

• Access the Google Business Profile dashboard to monitor search queries, profile views, impressions, and customer discovery patterns weekly.
• Track customer actions including calls, messages, website clicks, and direction requests to measure conversion rates and engagement levels.
• Analyse search terms to distinguish between direct, discovery, and branded searches, revealing how customers find your business.
• Monitor visual engagement metrics by tracking photo view counts and comparing performance against competitors for optimisation insights.
• Use UTM parameters and analytics data to make informed marketing decisions and identify opportunities to improve visibility.

Understanding Your Google Business Profile Insights Dashboard

Anyone can access their Google Business Profile insights, but knowing what to look at makes all the difference.

Your dashboard reveals how customers find you, what actions they take, and where you're gaining traction. Focus on search queries that trigger your profile—these show real intent.

Search queries triggering your profile reveal real customer intent—the gold standard for understanding what actually drives people to your business.

Track discovery metrics to understand if people find you through direct searches or category browsing. Monitor customer actions like calls, direction requests, and website clicks.

Don't just collect data; use it to break free from guesswork. These insights empower you to make strategic decisions that actually move your business forward.

Key Metrics That Matter for Local Business Growth

You'll want to focus on two fundamental metrics that reveal how customers find your business: profile views and impressions.

Profile views show how many people actually clicked to see your full listing, while impressions indicate how often your business appeared in search results.

Understanding the difference between search traffic (customers looking for specific services) and discovery traffic (customers browsing nearby options) helps you identify which customer acquisition channel performs better for your business.

Profile Views and Impressions

When you open your Google Business Profile insights, profile views and impressions serve as your first indicators of local visibility.

These numbers reveal how many people discover your business and how often you appear in search results. You'll see whether customers found you through direct searches or discovery searches, giving you freedom to adjust your strategy.

Track these metrics weekly to identify patterns and opportunities. Rising impressions without corresponding views? You're appearing but not compelling clicks.

This data empowers you to break free from guesswork and make informed decisions about your local presence.

Search vs. Discovery Traffic

Understanding the difference between search and discovery traffic reveals the real story behind your visibility numbers.

Search traffic means customers actively looked for your business name or category—they're ready to buy.

Discovery traffic shows people stumbling upon your profile while browsing nearby options—you've captured their attention, but they're still exploring.

You'll gain power by knowing which drives your results. High search numbers validate your brand awareness.

Strong discovery metrics prove your Google Business Profile attracts new audiences.

Track both separately to identify where you're winning and where you need optimisation.

This knowledge lets you control your growth strategy.

Monitoring Customer Actions and Engagement Patterns

Your Google Business Profile generates valuable data every time a customer takes action, whether they're calling your business, requesting directions, or clicking through to your website.

These engagement patterns reveal which aspects of your profile drive the most conversions and where potential customers drop off in their journey. By monitoring call volumes, message frequencies, website clicks, and direction requests, you'll identify opportunities to optimise your profile and capture more leads.

Call and Message Tracking

As customers interact with your Google Business Profile, their calls and messages reveal critical insights about how effectively your listing drives real business actions.

You'll access this data through your profile's performance dashboard, where you can track call volumes, peak contact times, and message response rates.

Don't just collect these metrics—analyse them to identify patterns that indicate what's working. When you notice spikes in calls after specific posts or updates, you've discovered what resonates with your audience.

This intelligence empowers you to optimise your profile and break free from guesswork-driven marketing decisions.

Website Click Analytics

Beyond tracking calls and messages, clicks from your Google Business Profile to your website represent another powerful engagement metric that deserves your attention.

You'll gain freedom from guesswork by monitoring which pages visitors access, revealing what truly captures their interest.

Set up UTM parameters to track these clicks in Google Analytics, giving you complete visibility into user behaviour after they leave your profile.

This data empowers you to refine your messaging, optimise your website, and eliminate assumptions about customer preferences.

You're no longer operating blindly—you're making informed decisions that drive real results.

Direction Request Monitoring

When potential customers request directions to your business through your Google Business Profile, they're signalling high purchase intent—they're ready to visit you right now.

Track these direction requests to understand peak demand periods and optimise your staffing accordingly. You'll discover which days and times generate the most foot traffic potential, empowering you to make data-driven decisions about operating hours and resource allocation.

Compare direction requests against actual conversions to identify gaps in your customer journey. This intelligence lets you break free from guesswork and take control of your business operations with confidence.

Tracking Search Queries and Discovery Methods

Understanding how customers find your business on Google provides invaluable insights into your online visibility strategy.

Your Google Business Profile shows exactly which search terms drive traffic to your listing. You'll discover whether people find you through direct searches (your business name), discovery searches (product or service categories), or branded searches.

Search terms reveal how customers discover you—through your business name, service categories, or branded queries.

This data reveals gaps in your keyword strategy and helps you optimise your profile description accordingly. Monitor whether customers locate you via Google Search or Maps—each platform requires different optimisation approaches.

Track these patterns monthly to identify trends and adjust your content strategy for maximum reach.

Analysing Photo Views and Customer Interaction Data

Visual content drives engagement on your Google Business Profile more than any other element.

You'll gain powerful insights by monitoring which photos resonate with your audience and drive action.

Track these critical metrics:

1. Photo view counts - Identify which images attract the most attention
2. Comparison with competitors - See how your visual content stacks up
3. Customer-uploaded photos - Measure authentic engagement and trust signals

You'll discover what truly connects with customers by analysing these patterns.

Focus on high-performing content types and replicate their success.

This data empowers you to optimise your visual strategy and break free from guesswork-based marketing.

Using Performance Data to Optimise Your Profile Strategy

Performance data transforms your Google Business Profile from a static listing into a dynamic customer acquisition tool.

You'll identify which posts generate searches, what photos attract clicks, and when customers engage most. Use this intelligence to double down on what works and eliminate what doesn't.

If certain keywords drive traffic, incorporate them into your business description. When specific hours show peak activity, schedule posts accordingly.

Track competitor insights to spot gaps you can exploit. You're not guessing anymore—you're making data-driven decisions that expand your reach and convert browsers into customers.

In Summary

You've now got the tools to transform your Google Business Profile from a static listing into a powerful growth engine. By regularly monitoring your metrics, understanding customer behaviour, and adjusting your strategy based on real data, you'll stay ahead of competitors who treat their profiles as "set it and forget it" afterthoughts. Isn't it time you started making data-driven decisions that actually move the needle for your local business? Your insights dashboard is waiting—put it to work today.