Expertly Managed Google Business Profile (GBP)

Below is the gold-standard example of what an expertly managed Google Business Profile (GBP) should look like — the kind of profile Google rewards, customers trust instantly, and top digital marketers point to as the “best of the best.”

Because Google doesn’t publish an official “top profile,” what experts do is study patterns. The best GBP profiles in the world share the same traits, regardless of industry. I’ll show you what those traits are and give you concrete real-world examples that professional marketers frequently cite as models.

THE BEST EXAMPLE OF AN EXPERTLY MANAGED GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE

1. The “Apple Store” Standard (Widely Cited by Digital Marketing Experts)

Professionals often cite Apple Store locations as a master class in GBP optimization. Their profiles consistently include:

Fully branded, high-quality photos

Exterior
Interior
Team
Products
“What’s in the store today” photos
Updated frequently

Google LOVES consistent photo updates — it signals freshness and activity.

2,000+ reviews with regular new ones

The Apple Store in Nashville or Austin gets multiple reviews per day.

Review velocity is the #1 ranking signal for GBP.

Fast responses

Every review receives a reply — positive or negative — typically within 24–48 hours.

Complete services section

Apple lists every service:

iPhone repair
Mac hardware support
Battery replacement
Setup help
Today at Apple sessions

Most businesses leave this section empty. Apple doesn’t.

Weekly updates posted

Their “Posts” tab is always alive with:

Events
Promotions
Tutorials
Workshops

This alone puts them in the top 1% of GBPs.

Accurate hours, holiday updates, and real-time info

Apple updates hours instantly for holidays, events, closures, or special promotions.

Shortname link properly activated

They always use the simplified URL for reviews and show consistency across directories.

Why marketers cite Apple:
Because everything is consistent, updated frequently, and fully utilized. Google rewards this level of completeness.

2. The “Ritz-Carlton” Standard (Top-tier hospitality example)

Digital marketing experts in travel and hospitality frequently point to The Ritz-Carlton because they manage GBP like a digital storefront.

The Ritz-Carlton’s best locations (Napes, Laguna Niguel, Half Moon Bay) show:

5,000+ reviews

With fresh reviews weekly.

Stunning photography

Professionally produced — not stock.
Photos drive CTR, and CTR drives ranking.

Perfect category assignments

Most businesses choose 1–2 categories.
Ritz uses all relevant categories for visibility.

Full Q&A section

They pre-answer common questions:

Parking
Amenities
Check-in
Pet policy

Most businesses ignore Q&A — Ritz owns it.

Posts with high-end branding

Fresh, consistent, seasonal posts.

Responses to reviews from management

Thoughtful, personalized, consistent.

This is hospitality GBP perfection.

3. The “Local Services Masterclass” — A Model You Can Copy

Beyond famous brands, here’s what expert marketers consider the perfect local GBP — drawn from the best-performing local listings:

Name

Clear, clean, consistent across all directories.

Categories

Primary + 3–5 supporting categories.

Description

Keyword-rich, human-sounding, 750 characters, value-first.

Photos

Minimum 30–50, updated monthly:

team
services
environment
before/after
product
behind-the-scenes

Reviews

High volume (300+ minimum)
Recent (last 7–14 days)
Consistent (5–20/month)

Responses

Every review gets a human-sounding reply within 48 hours.

Posts

1–4 per month.

Services

All services listed individually, each with:

description
price if applicable
photo if available

Questions & Answers

Owner-written answers to common questions before a customer asks.

Attributes

All relevant attributes correctly filled out.

Website UTM tracking

Professionals always track:
?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb

Call tracking number (but NAP consistent with website)

Professionals use a tracking number that forwards to the main number — without breaking NAP consistency.

WHO RECOMMENDS THESE BEST PRACTICES?

These standards come from the most respected Google Business Profile experts on the planet:

Joy Hawkins (Sterling Sky)

Considered the world’s leading GBP expert.
Runs the Local Search Forum.
Writes the most authoritative GBP rankings research.

Mike Blumenthal (“The Godfather of Local Search”)

Co-founded GatherUp (review platform).
Runs NearMedia and LocalU.
Often cites Apple and top hotels as GBP benchmarks.

Darren Shaw (Whitespark)

Creator of the most trusted Local Ranking Factors Report.
His work defines modern GBP optimization.

Ben Fisher (Steady Demand)

One of the few official Google My Business Product Experts.
Helps guide GBP policy and best practices globally.

Greg Gifford (SearchLab)

Known for teaching practical, real-world local SEO at conferences worldwide.

Every one of these experts says the same thing:

“A fully optimized Google Business Profile is the #1 local ranking factor and the highest-ROI digital asset a business can manage.”

Endorse the idea?
Leave a comment and share

Explore Our Digital Marketing Insights

Discover expert insights on digital marketing! Click below to explore our blog for valuable strategies, trends, and perspectives to grow your business