How to Get More Visibility and Customers for Free With Google Business Profile

Patrick McFadden • August 19, 2023

Are you looking for more visibility on Google? Hungry for increased sales? Crafting an effective Google business profile could be your ultimate answer. And guess what? It's absolutely free! Today, I'm diving deep into the world of Google Business Profiles, unraveling a treasure trove of tips to supercharge your profile's performance.


#1. Strategically Select Categories

Google lets you pick 10 business categories. Nail the primary one to skyrocket your ranking for desired search terms. Survey your rivals' categories for inspiration.


Think of business categories as labels that describe what your company does. These labels help people find you when they're looking for products or services like yours.


For instance, let's say you're a local contractor who specializes in fixing up homes. If you're listed as a "Remodeler" business, when folks search for things like "Fixing Houses," "Handyman Services," or "Home Makeovers," your business might pop up in their search results. Just remember, your chosen label is just one of the things that affect how high up your business appears in local Google searches. Learn more about local ranking.


#2. Optimize GMB Landing Pages

Does the url you link to in Google Business Profile impact ranking in the local 3 pack? Yes. Link your Google business profile to the perfect landing page on your website. This is a major ranking factor. Identify the page with the highest organic ranking for your keywords.


The content you put on that particular URL you've linked to holds a lot of weight and can really sway your ranking in the local results game. In most cases, it's a no-brainer to link up with your homepage. That's where the real authority, backlinks, and relevance reside. But, here's the kicker - if your business fits the bill for having a bunch of listings, a tactic like this might just be your secret weapon for reaping even better results. It's all about playing the local game smart.


#3. The 10th Review Magic

Unlock the power of the 10th review. Passing this milestone can trigger remarkable improvements for your profile. It's like an exclusive achievement in the realm of business profiles.


So there seems to be a real kick in rankings once your listing hits that sweet spot of ten reviews. So, you've got to aim for that magic number – a minimum of ten reviews. But here's the scoop, going beyond that doesn't seem to have quite the same impact on your ranking. Now, don't get me wrong, reviews still hold their ground when it comes to importance. They're not just about boosting your rank, they're like trust-building nuggets that make conversions a whole lot smoother.


#4. Engage with Reviews

A review response holds incredible sway. According to Moz, 90% of customers are influenced by your responses. Don't be the silent owner when someone offers praise.


You've got to grasp this – over 90% of your customers are leaning towards doing business with you when they see that you, as the owner, are taking the bull by the horns. I'm talking about those owner responses that don't just brush issues under the rug but own up to them, apologize, and dish out solutions that fit like a glove, all with a personal touch and lightning-fast timing. This is the real deal, your ticket to unlocking the goldmine of owner responses. But remember, this isn't a one-time gig. It's all about building a routine, a review response program that's rock-solid, regular, and, most importantly, consistent. Time to dive in and reap the rewards!


#5. Visual Storytelling

Pictures carry immense weight. Businesses loaded with photos attract more directions and website visits. Share genuine pictures of your team, craft, or store to create an authentic connection.


A BrightLocal study found that Google My Business profiles with more than 100 images get 520% more calls, 2717% more direction requests, and 1,065% more website clicks than the average business.


#6.Identity Attributes

Don't miss this bonus tip. Fill out relevant identity attributes for your business. It's not just about telling your story; these attributes amplify your ranking potential and offer customers a deeper insight into your business.


Let's talk Google Business Profile (GBP) attributes – they're like your business's own little superpowers, showing customers what you're all about and setting those expectations straight. But here's the thing, they're not just about customers; they're about owning your local search game. The nitty-gritty? The more detailed your attributes, the better your chances of coming out on top for a specific targeted search. Think about it – [accessible restaurants near me] or [Miami hotels with free wifi]. It's all about painting the perfect picture for your customers and giving your search ranking a real boost. Time to unlock the power of attributes!


Wrap Up

By following these dynamic strategies, you'll wield the true potential of Google Business Profiles. Embrace them, and watch your business bask in the well-deserved spotlight.

By Patrick McFadden May 2, 2025
Everyone is scaling outputs. Almost no one is scaling judgment.
By Patrick McFadden May 2, 2025
Ask anyone in tech where AI is headed, and they’ll tell you: “The next leap is reasoning.” “AI needs judgment.” “We need assistants that think, not just answer.” They’re right. But while everyone’s talking about it, almost no one is actually shipping it. So we did. We built Thinking OS™ —a system that doesn’t just help AI answer questions… It helps AI think like a strategist. It helps AI decide like an operator. It helps teams and platforms scale judgment, n ot just generate output. The Theory Isn’t New. The Implementation Is. The idea of layering strategic thinking and judgment into AI isn’t new in theory. The problem is, no one’s been able to implement it effectively at scale. Let’s look at the current landscape. 1. Big Tech Has the Muscle—But Not the Mind OpenAI / ChatGPT ✅ Strength: Best-in-class language generation ❌ Limitation: No built-in judgment or reasoning. You must provide the structure. Otherwise, it follows instructions, not strategy. Google DeepMind / Gemini ✅ Known for advanced decision-making (e.g., AlphaGo) ❌ But only in structured environments like games—not messy, real-world business scenarios. Anthropic (Claude), Meta (LLaMA), Microsoft Copilot ✅ Great at answering questions and following commands ❌ But they’re assistants, not advisors. They won’t reprioritize. They won’t challenge your assumptions. They don’t ask: “Is this the right move?” These tools are powerful—but they don’t think for outcomes the way a strategist or operator would. 2. Who’s Actually Building the Thinking Layer™? This is where it gets interesting—and thin. Startups and Indie Builders Some small teams are quietly: Creating custom GPTs that mimic how experts reason Layering in business context, priorities, and tradeoffs Embedding decision logic so AI can guide, not just execute But these efforts are: Highly manual Difficult to scale Fragmented and experimental Enterprise Experiments A few companies (Salesforce, HubSpot, and others) are exploring more “judgment-aware” AI copilots. These systems can: Flag inconsistencies Recommend next actions Occasionally surface priorities based on internal logic But most of it is still: In early R&D Custom-coded Unproven beyond narrow use cases That’s Why Thinking OS™ Is Different Instead of waiting for a lab to crack it, we built a modular thinking system that installs like infrastructure. Thinking OS™: Captures how real experts reason Embeds judgment into layers AI can use Deploys into tools like ChatGPT or enterprise systems Helps teams think together, consistently, at scale It’s not another assistant. It’s the missing layer that turns outputs into outcomes. So… Is This a New Innovation? Yes—in practice. Everyone says AI needs judgment. But judgment isn’t an idea. It’s a system. It requires: Persistent memory Contextual awareness Tradeoff evaluation Value-based decisions Strategy that evolves with goals Thinking OS™ delivers that. And unlike the R&D experiments in Big Tech, it’s built for: Operators Consultants Platform founders Growth-stage teams that need to scale decision quality, not just content creation If Someone Told You They’ve Built a Thinking + Judgment Layer™… They’ve built something only a handful of people in the world are even attempting. Because this isn’t just AI that speaks fluently. It’s AI that reasons, reflects , and chooses. And in a world that’s drowning in tools, judgment becomes the differentiator. That’s the OS We Built Thinking OS™ is not a prompt pack. It’s not a dashboard. It’s not a glorified chatbot. It’s a decision architecture you can license, embed, or deploy— To help your team, your platform, or your clients think better at scale. We’ve moved past content. We’re building cognition. Let’s talk.
By Patrick McFadden May 2, 2025
In every era of innovation, there’s a silent bottleneck—something obvious in hindsight, but elusive until the moment it clicks. In today’s AI-driven world, that bottleneck is clear: AI has speed. It has scale. But it doesn’t have judgment . It doesn’t really think . What’s Actually Missing From AI? When experts talk about the “thinking and judgment layer” as the next leap for AI, they’re calling out a hard truth: Modern AI systems are powerful pattern machines. But they’re missing the human layer—the one that reasons, weighs tradeoffs, and makes strategic decisions in context. Let’s break that down: 1. The Thinking Layer = Reasoning with Purpose This layer doesn’t just process inputs— it structures logic. It’s the ability to: Ask the right questions before acting Break down complexity into solvable parts Adjust direction mid-course when reality changes Think beyond “what was asked” to uncover “what really matters” Today’s AI responds. But it rarely reflects. Unless told exactly what to do, it won’t work through problems the way a strategist or operator would. 2. The Judgment Layer = Decision-Making in the Gray Judgment is the ability to: Prioritize what matters most Choose between imperfect options Make decisions when there’s no clear answer Apply values, experience, and vision—not just data It’s why a founder might not pursue a lucrative deal. Why a marketer might ignore the click-through rate. Why a strategist knows when the timing isn’t right. AI doesn’t do this well. Not yet. Because judgment requires more than data—it requires discernment . Why This Is the Bottleneck Holding Back AI AI can write. It can summarize. It can automate. But it still can’t: Diagnose the real problem behind the question Evaluate tradeoffs like a founder or operator would Recommend a path based on context, constraints, and conviction AI today is still reactive. It follows instructions. But it doesn’t lead. It doesn’t guide. It doesn’t own the outcome. And for those building serious systems—whether you’re running a company, launching a platform, or leading a team—this is the wall you eventually hit. That’s Why We Built Thinking OS™ We stopped waiting for AI to learn judgment on its own. Instead, we created a system that embeds it—by design. Thinking OS™ is an installable decision layer that captures how top founders, strategists, and operators think… …and makes that thinking repeatable , scalable , and usable inside teams, tools, and platforms. It’s not a framework. It’s not a chatbot. It’s not another playbook. It’s the layer that knows how to: Think through complex decisions Apply judgment when rules don’t help Guide others —human or AI—toward strategic outcomes This Is the Missing Infrastructure Thinking OS™ isn’t just about better answers. It’s about better thinking—made operational. And that’s what’s been missing in AI, consulting, leadership development, and platform design. If you’re trying to scale expertise, install judgment, or move from tactical to strategic… You don’t need a faster AI. You need a thinking layer that knows what to do—and why. We built it. Let’s talk.
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