Sasha Mason
If you’ve read my last blog, you know the problem. The diagnosis comes first. You find out what’s actually holding your bookings back, then you fix it.
Here’s the thing about Google Business Profiles. Most people think it’s a vanity project. A nice-to-have. Something you set up once and forget about.
It’s not. It’s usually the first place your customers look when they search for you. And if your profile isn’t right, they don’t book. They book someone else.
Where Most Profiles Fall Apart
A hotel owner came to me with a full calendar. Expensive campaigns running, good website, solid reviews. But they were consistently losing bookings to competitors. Same price point. Similar location. Similar offering.
We looked at their Google profile. Photos were outdated (from 2021). Opening hours were wrong. The booking button didn’t work. Availability wasn’t updated. Someone searching for accommodation at 12pm would see “closed” even though reception was open.
The profile wasn’t just wrong. It was actively turning people away.
That’s the pattern I see over and over. Not because business owners don’t care. But because they set it up once and assume Google keeps it current. It doesn’t. You do.
Here’s what actually breaks most profiles:
Outdated information. Hours change. Services change. Phone numbers get updated. Your profile doesn’t unless you tell it to. Someone calls at 6pm, gets voicemail, decides you’re closed and books elsewhere.
Photos that don’t match reality. Blurry photos. Photos from five years ago. Photos of empty rooms instead of rooms with people in them. Photos that make your business look small instead of inviting.
No booking system connected. This is the big one. Someone finds you on Google, wants to book, and has to leave Google to do it. Half of them don’t. They just book the competitor showing up right next to you with a working booking button.
Wrong keywords in your name. I see this constantly. A café adds “organic” and “artisan” to their business name thinking it’ll help SEO. Google flags it as keyword stuffing and suspends the profile. (Airbnb profiles are even worse because one keyword violation kills the whole thing.)
No reviews or damaged reviews. Google shows the review count prominently. No reviews signal no customers. Bad reviews signal something’s broken. Either way, people don’t book.
Inconsistent information across the web. Your website says your business is open Monday to Friday. Google says Monday to Saturday. A directory says something different. Google gets confused. Rankings drop. People get wrong info and don’t show up.
What Actually Matters
Your Google profile is often the deciding moment. Someone searches “accommodation Port Douglas” or “plumber near me” and your profile shows up. In that moment, they decide whether to click through to your website, call you, or book with someone else.
If your profile is broken, they book someone else. It doesn’t matter how good your actual business is. They never find out.
This is why it’s foundational. It’s not a marketing tactic. It’s a business system that’s either working or it’s not.
How to Fix It
Step 1: Claim your profile (if you haven’t already).
Go to Google Business Profile. Search your business name. Click “manage this business.” Follow the verification process. If someone else has already claimed it, request access. Google will ask them to confirm. (If they don’t respond in a few days, you can take it over.)
Step 2: Update everything.
Business name (no keywords. Just your name). Address. Phone number. Website URL. Hours (and mark holidays or days you’re closed). Services or products you offer. The booking URL if you have one.
Then go through each field. If it’s wrong or outdated, fix it.
Step 3: Add photos.
At least 10. Good lighting. Real photos. Show what customers will actually see. For hospitality, show the space. For services, show the work. For tourism, show the experience.
Step 4: Ask for reviews.
This is where most people fail. They hope reviews show up. They don’t. You have to ask. After a booking, a delivery, a transaction. Simple ask. “Would you mind leaving a review on Google? Takes two minutes.”
Step 5: Monitor it.
Set up notifications. When someone leaves a review, you’ll get an alert. Respond to every review, good or bad. People notice when you do. Google notices too.
The Real Impact
When your Google profile is right, three things happen:
You rank higher in local search. Google favours profiles that are complete and accurate.
People actually book. They see your hours are correct. Your photos look good. You’ve got reviews. They click the booking button and it works.
You get fewer “are you open?” calls. When everything is accurate, people find the answers themselves.
The 5 Changes That Actually Work (Specific to Your Business)
Here’s the thing: what works for a restaurant’s profile is different from what works for a hotel or a tourism operator. Same platform. Different strategy.
A restaurant needs reservation buttons and accurate seating times. A hotel needs booking calendars and room photos. A tourism operator needs availability that matches seasonal demand. A tradie needs service area mapping and quote request options.
Generic advice doesn’t work. You need the five specific changes that matter for your business type.
That’s why we built the Google Business Profile Playbook. It’s free. Five pages. Tells you exactly what to change on your profile based on the type of business you run.
Get your playbook:
- Restaurants & Cafes
- Hotels & Airbnbs
- Service-Based Businesses
- Tourism Operators
It’ll take ten minutes to read. Then you’ll know exactly what to fix on your profile to start bringing more bookings in.