How to Choose a Small Business SEO Agency

A strong SEO proposal should help you understand how the work will bring customers to your business. Choosing a small business SEO agency gets easier when you compare its plan, evidence, costs, and accountability.

We recommend starting with business results, then checking whether the agency can support them. If you’re deciding how to choose an SEO agency, your goals are the best place to begin.

Define Success Before Comparing Agencies

Before you request proposals, write down what you want SEO to improve. More visibility is useful, but your goal needs to connect with how your business earns revenue.

Choose a meaningful customer action

For a service business, success might mean qualified calls, appointments, or quote requests. For an online store, orders and revenue provide a clearer picture than visitor counts alone.

Choose one primary outcome, then record your current performance. Share your service area, most profitable offers, and capacity with prospective agencies.

We also recommend discussing lead quality. More inquiries won’t help much if they concern services you don’t provide.

Match the strategy to your market

Local businesses and online stores need different priorities. A neighborhood contractor needs accurate business information and useful service pages. An online retailer also needs attention to product categories and duplicate URLs.

Google explains that local search rankings depend mainly on relevance, distance, and popularity. An agency should account for those limits when discussing geographic visibility.

A home-services storefront with a parked van on a quiet neighborhood street.

What a Small Business SEO Agency Should Assess

A useful recommendation starts with your existing website, customers, and competitors. We look for agencies that investigate before prescribing a package.

Ask for a prioritized website review

The agency should check whether search engines can access important pages. It should review broken links, redirects, and canonical tags, which identify the preferred version of similar pages.

Ask what needs fixing first and who will implement each change. An audit that leaves every repair to you may require a separate development budget.

For local businesses, a local SEO audit checklist helps you judge whether the proposed review covers business listings and customer contact options.

Check how the agency approaches content

Every proposed page needs a clear purpose. A service page should explain the offer and help visitors request it. A product page should answer buying questions.

Ask how writers will learn about your services, verify claims, and collect your approval. You should also know whether updating existing pages takes priority over publishing new ones.

Google’s SEO Starter Guide provides a useful baseline for search-friendly content and site organization. The agency should explain its recommendations in equally clear language.

A bakery owner and SEO consultant review printed pages at the counter.

Check Results Beyond Ranking Screenshots

Case studies help you assess experience, but they need context. A percentage increase means little without the starting point, timeframe, and type of traffic involved.

Ask for examples involving businesses with similar goals, website sizes, or local competition. Industry experience can help, but the agency should explain how its work applies to your situation.

We recommend asking what changed, who completed the work, and whether leads or sales improved. Also check whether paid advertising contributed to the reported results.

Google’s guidance for hiring an SEO recommends asking about previous work and success stories. It also says the provider should ask about your customers, competitors, and business differences.

Then request a client reference when confidentiality permits. Ask that client about communication, implementation, and unexpected charges.

A small business SEO agency should make its process understandable. Ahrefs, Semrush, and BrightLocal can support research, but access to software doesn’t prove effective execution. Ask to see how findings become practical decisions.

Compare Scope Before Comparing SEO Prices

The monthly fee tells you little without a clear scope. We recommend comparing proposals side by side before deciding which offers better value.

Ask each provider to separate discovery, implementation, ongoing work, and optional services.

These common arrangements cover different needs.

Arrangement	Useful when	Clarify before signing
One-time audit or project	You need a review or defined repair work	Whether implementation is included
Monthly retainer	You need recurring improvements and reporting	Monthly priorities and deliverables
Hourly consulting	Your team can complete the recommended work	Time limits and approval rules

The right arrangement depends on who will do the work after recommendations arrive.

Budget for implementation and maintenance

Confirm whether the quote includes writing, development, business listing updates, reporting, and meetings. Hosting, plugins, call tracking, and photography may sit outside the agency fee.

Ongoing SEO also needs room for content updates and technical maintenance. Spending the entire budget on a redesign can leave little for those improvements.

Make content deliverables clear

“Content optimization” can mean anything from title changes to a full rewrite. Ask which pages will receive attention and what approval process applies.

A small business content audit helps identify whether pages need revision, consolidation, or removal. Use those findings to discuss scope rather than buying a fixed volume of articles.

Agree on Reporting Before Work Starts

Good reporting answers three questions: What changed? What happened afterward? What should happen next?

We recommend asking for a sample report during the sales process. It should connect completed work with the outcomes you identified earlier.

Google Search Console shows how your site performs in Google Search. Google Analytics 4 can track website activity, while properly configured conversion events help measure actions such as submitted forms.

Ask how the agency will distinguish an inquiry from a qualified lead. Your sales records may be needed to connect website activity with booked work or revenue.

Rankings can provide context, but reports should also explain traffic quality and customer actions. For local rank tracking, ask which locations the tool measures because visibility varies geographically.

Lastly, agree on a reporting schedule and named contact. Set expectations for implementation milestones separately from search performance.

An agency should explain uncertainties without promising a fixed date for results. Reports should help you decide what to improve, not leave you interpreting charts alone.

Protect Ownership and Day-to-Day Flexibility

Your agreement should protect your ability to operate the business and change providers. We recommend reviewing access and ownership before granting permissions.

Keep business accounts under your control

Your business should control its domain registration, hosting, Google Business Profile, Google Search Console, and analytics accounts. Give the agency appropriate user access rather than handing over your only login.

Confirm ownership of published content, photography, and website files in writing. Also clarify what happens to subscriptions the agency supplies.

If reporting depends on an agency-owned tool, confirm what historical data you can export when the contract ends.

Check the website’s practical controls

Ask whether you can edit service information, hours, page titles, and contact details without requesting development work every time.

The agency should explain how redirects, indexing settings, and canonical controls work on your platform. These settings affect what search engines can access and which URLs they use.

If a rebuild is proposed, ask why your current system can’t support the plan. A platform change needs a clear business reason.

Recognize Promises and Risky Shortcuts

A reliable agency explains both opportunities and limits. Be cautious when a sales pitch promises guaranteed rankings or relies on secret methods.

Ask how the provider earns links and whether you can review proposed tactics. Buying links to influence rankings or publishing large amounts of thin content can create search-policy problems.

For local SEO, ask whether the plan follows Google’s business representation guidelines. Your profile should reflect your real business, not invented locations or keyword-filled business names.

Contract pressure also deserves attention. Read cancellation terms, notice requirements, and any early termination charges before signing.

Lastly, ask who does the work. Subcontracting isn’t automatically a problem, but responsibilities and quality checks should be clear.

We prefer a provider that welcomes practical questions. If explanations remain vague after follow-up, you don’t have enough information to make a confident purchase.

Key Takeaways

Keep these priorities in front of you when reviewing your shortlist:

Connect the SEO plan with qualified leads, bookings, or sales.
Compare implementation responsibilities and total costs.
Check relevant results, reporting, and client references.
Keep control of business accounts and website assets.
Choose clear explanations over ranking guarantees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you hire an SEO agency or a freelancer?

We recommend choosing based on the work required. A freelancer can suit a focused assignment or a business with in-house implementation support.

An agency may be a better fit when you need coordinated technical work, content, local search support, and reporting. Compare the actual team and responsibilities rather than assuming a larger provider offers better service.

What should you ask during the first consultation?

Ask what the provider needs to learn before recommending a plan. Then discuss your goals, current website, customer journey, and available budget.

We also suggest asking who will implement changes and what your team must contribute. Those answers reveal whether the proposed relationship fits your time, skills, and resources. Request a written scope before making a commitment.

Choose a Partner With a Clear Plan

The right small business SEO agency makes the work understandable and connects it with your business goals. Its proposal should show clear priorities, responsibilities, costs, and ways to measure progress.

We recommend reviewing your final shortlist against those points before signing. Choose the provider that gives you confidence in the ongoing work, not just the sales presentation.

A clear plan helps you stay informed as your website and customer needs change.

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How to Choose a Small Business SEO AgencyA strong SEO proposal should help you understand how the work will bring customers to your business. Choosing a small business SEO agency gets easier when you compare its plan, evidence, costs, and accountability. Table of Contents Toggle Define Success Before Comparing AgenciesChoose a meaningful customer actionMatch the strategy to your marketWhat a Small Business SEO Agency Should AssessAsk for a prioritized website reviewCheck how the agency approaches contentCheck Results Beyond Ranking ScreenshotsCompare Scope Before Comparing SEO PricesBudget for implementation and maintenanceMake content deliverables clearAgree on Reporting Before Work StartsProtect Ownership and Day-to-Day FlexibilityKeep business accounts under your controlCheck the website’s practical controlsRecognize Promises and Risky ShortcutsKey TakeawaysFrequently Asked QuestionsShould you hire an SEO agency or a freelancer?What should you ask during the first consultation?Choose a Partner With a Clear Plan We recommend starting with business results, then checking whether the agency can support them. If you’re deciding how to choose an SEO agency, your goals are the best place to begin. Define Success Before Comparing Agencies Before you request proposals, write down what you want SEO to improve. More visibility is useful, but your goal needs to connect with how your business earns revenue. Choose a meaningful customer action For a service business, success might mean qualified calls, appointments, or quote requests. For an online store, orders and revenue provide a clearer picture than visitor counts alone. Choose one primary outcome, then record your current performance. Share your service area, most profitable offers, and capacity with prospective agencies. We also recommend discussing lead quality. More inquiries won’t help much if they concern services you don’t provide. Match the strategy to your market Local businesses and online stores need different priorities. A neighborhood contractor needs accurate business information and useful service pages. An online retailer also needs attention to product categories and duplicate URLs. Google explains that local search rankings depend mainly on relevance, distance, and popularity. An agency should account for those limits when discussing geographic visibility. What a Small Business SEO Agency Should Assess A useful recommendation starts with your existing website, customers, and competitors. We look for agencies that investigate before prescribing a package. Ask for a prioritized website review The agency should check whether search engines can access important pages. It should review broken links, redirects, and canonical tags, which identify the preferred version of similar pages. Ask what needs fixing first and who will implement each change. An audit that leaves every repair to you may require a separate development budget. For local businesses, a local SEO audit checklist helps you judge whether the proposed review covers business listings and customer contact options. Check how the agency approaches content Every proposed page needs a clear purpose. A service page should explain the offer and help visitors request it. A product page should answer buying questions. Ask how writers will learn about your services, verify claims, and collect your approval. You should also know whether updating existing pages takes priority over publishing new ones. Google’s SEO Starter Guide provides a useful baseline for search-friendly content and site organization. The agency should explain its recommendations in equally clear language. Check Results Beyond Ranking Screenshots Case studies help you assess experience, but they need context. A percentage increase means little without the starting point, timeframe, and type of traffic involved. Ask for examples involving businesses with similar goals, website sizes, or local competition. Industry experience can help, but the agency should explain how its work applies to your situation. We recommend asking what changed, who completed the work, and whether leads or sales improved. Also check whether paid advertising contributed to the reported results. Google’s guidance for hiring an SEO recommends asking about previous work and success stories. It also says the provider should ask about your customers, competitors, and business differences. Then request a client reference when confidentiality permits. Ask that client about communication, implementation, and unexpected charges. A small business SEO agency should make its process understandable. Ahrefs, Semrush, and BrightLocal can support research, but access to software doesn’t prove effective execution. Ask to see how findings become practical decisions. Compare Scope Before Comparing SEO Prices The monthly fee tells you little without a clear scope. We recommend comparing proposals side by side before deciding which offers better value. Ask each provider to separate discovery, implementation, ongoing work, and optional services. These common arrangements cover different needs. ArrangementUseful whenClarify before signingOne-time audit or projectYou need a review or defined repair workWhether implementation is includedMonthly retainerYou need recurring improvements and reportingMonthly priorities and deliverablesHourly consultingYour team can complete the recommended workTime limits and approval rules The right arrangement depends on who will do the work after recommendations arrive. Budget for implementation and maintenance Confirm whether the quote includes writing, development, business listing updates, reporting, and meetings. Hosting, plugins, call tracking, and photography may sit outside the agency fee. Ongoing SEO also needs room for content updates and technical maintenance. Spending the entire budget on a redesign can leave little for those improvements. Make content deliverables clear “Content optimization” can mean anything from title changes to a full rewrite. Ask which pages will receive attention and what approval process applies. A small business content audit helps identify whether pages need revision, consolidation, or removal. Use those findings to discuss scope rather than buying a fixed volume of articles. Agree on Reporting Before Work Starts Good reporting answers three questions: What changed? What happened afterward? What should happen next? We recommend asking for a sample report during the sales process. It should connect completed work with the outcomes you identified earlier. Google Search Console shows how your site performs in Google Search. Google Analytics 4 can track website activity, while properly configured conversion events help measure actions such as submitted forms. Ask how the agency will distinguish an inquiry from a qualified lead. Your sales records may be needed to connect website activity with booked work or revenue. Rankings can provide context, but reports should also explain traffic quality and customer actions. For local rank tracking, ask which locations the tool measures because visibility varies geographically. Lastly, agree on a reporting schedule and named contact. Set expectations for implementation milestones separately from search performance. An agency should explain uncertainties without promising a fixed date for results. Reports should help you decide what to improve, not leave you interpreting charts alone. Protect Ownership and Day-to-Day Flexibility Your agreement should protect your ability to operate the business and change providers. We recommend reviewing access and ownership before granting permissions. Keep business accounts under your control Your business should control its domain registration, hosting, Google Business Profile, Google Search Console, and analytics accounts. Give the agency appropriate user access rather than handing over your only login. Confirm ownership of published content, photography, and website files in writing. Also clarify what happens to subscriptions the agency supplies. If reporting depends on an agency-owned tool, confirm what historical data you can export when the contract ends. Check the website’s practical controls Ask whether you can edit service information, hours, page titles, and contact details without requesting development work every time. The agency should explain how redirects, indexing settings, and canonical controls work on your platform. These settings affect what search engines can access and which URLs they use. If a rebuild is proposed, ask why your current system can’t support the plan. A platform change needs a clear business reason. Recognize Promises and Risky Shortcuts A reliable agency explains both opportunities and limits. Be cautious when a sales pitch promises guaranteed rankings or relies on secret methods. Ask how the provider earns links and whether you can review proposed tactics. Buying links to influence rankings or publishing large amounts of thin content can create search-policy problems. For local SEO, ask whether the plan follows Google’s business representation guidelines. Your profile should reflect your real business, not invented locations or keyword-filled business names. Contract pressure also deserves attention. Read cancellation terms, notice requirements, and any early termination charges before signing. Lastly, ask who does the work. Subcontracting isn’t automatically a problem, but responsibilities and quality checks should be clear. We prefer a provider that welcomes practical questions. If explanations remain vague after follow-up, you don’t have enough information to make a confident purchase. Key Takeaways Keep these priorities in front of you when reviewing your shortlist: Connect the SEO plan with qualified leads, bookings, or sales. Compare implementation responsibilities and total costs. Check relevant results, reporting, and client references. Keep control of business accounts and website assets. Choose clear explanations over ranking guarantees. Frequently Asked Questions Should you hire an SEO agency or a freelancer? We recommend choosing based on the work required. A freelancer can suit a focused assignment or a business with in-house implementation support. An agency may be a better fit when you need coordinated technical work, content, local search support, and reporting. Compare the actual team and responsibilities rather than assuming a larger provider offers better service. What should you ask during the first consultation? Ask what the provider needs to learn before recommending a plan. Then discuss your goals, current website, customer journey, and available budget. We also suggest asking who will implement changes and what your team must contribute. Those answers reveal whether the proposed relationship fits your time, skills, and resources. Request a written scope before making a commitment. Choose a Partner With a Clear Plan The right small business SEO agency makes the work understandable and connects it with your business goals. Its proposal should show clear priorities, responsibilities, costs, and ways to measure progress. We recommend reviewing your final shortlist against those points before signing. Choose the provider that gives you confidence in the ongoing work, not just the sales presentation. A clear plan helps you stay informed as your website and customer needs change. [...]
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Website Launch SEO Checklist for Small BusinessesA website can look ready while Google is blocked and your contact form sends nothing. We use a website launch SEO checklist to catch those problems before they cost you visibility or leads. Table of Contents Toggle Start your website launch SEO checklist with prioritiesBefore launch: check crawl access and staging settingsKeep the test site privateAllow access to important live pagesBefore launch: protect URLs, redirects, and sitemapsKeep useful URLs and test changed onesMake preferred URLs consistentBefore launch: review content and local business detailsGive every important page a clear purposeMake local information and contact options accurateBefore launch: test mobile pages and performanceFollow the customer journey on a phoneFix obvious loading and layout problemsBefore launch: verify reporting and lead deliveryImmediately after release: repeat the essential checksAfter release: monitor the first week and beyondRelease with a reliable foundation For a small business, the priority is working essentials: accessible pages, reliable redirects, clear service information, and a simple way to contact you. You don’t need an expensive audit package to check them. Start before release, then repeat the important checks on the live site. Start your website launch SEO checklist with priorities First, choose the pages that matter most. We start with the homepage, main service or product pages, contact page, and any page already bringing search traffic. Keep a shared spreadsheet with the URL, check, result, person responsible, and retest date. Record evidence, such as a screenshot or response code, rather than marking something “done” from memory. Use this order when time is limited. PriorityWhat to checkWhen to fix itLaunch blockerImportant pages are inaccessible, blocked, or brokenBefore releaseLead blockerForms, checkout, or phone links failBefore releaseSearch protectionChanged URLs lack relevant redirectsBefore releaseImprovementMinor wording or image refinements remainSchedule after release We also confirm that you control the domain, hosting, website editor, and reporting accounts. Save a working backup and identify who can restore it. Clear ownership makes urgent fixes easier. Before launch: check crawl access and staging settings Keep the test site private A staging site is a test copy of your website. Protect it with a password or restricted access while development continues. Don’t rely on robots.txt alone to keep that copy out of search results. Google explains in its robots.txt guidance that the file controls crawling, but blocked URLs can still appear in search. We also check whether staging-specific settings will carry into production. Password protection, noindex rules, and test-domain references need a clear release plan. Allow access to important live pages On the production version, confirm that your public service pages aren’t marked noindex. That instruction tells search engines not to include a page in their index. In WordPress, review Settings, then Reading, including the search engine visibility setting. Ask your developer to check page tags and server headers too. Next, review robots.txt for rules that block important pages or resources needed to display them. Keep intentional restrictions on private or low-value pages. We don’t remove every restriction simply because the site is launching. A page blocked by robots.txt may prevent Google from seeing its noindex instruction. Check both settings together. Before launch: protect URLs, redirects, and sitemaps Keep useful URLs and test changed ones Keep existing page addresses when the content and purpose remain the same. Unnecessary URL changes create extra work. For permanent changes, map each old URL to its closest relevant replacement and use a permanent redirect, usually a 301. Don’t send every removed page to the homepage. Test important old addresses individually. The destination should load successfully without a redirect loop or unnecessary extra hops. Chrome’s Developer Tools Network panel can show response codes. Update menus and internal links to point directly to final URLs. Our SEO site migration checklist adds checks for domain changes and larger redesigns. Make preferred URLs consistent Choose HTTPS and one domain format, either www or non-www. Other versions should redirect to that preference. Check canonical tags, which identify the preferred version of a page. Important standalone pages should normally point to their own final, live address, never the staging domain. Then open the XML sitemap. It should list canonical pages you want indexed, excluding redirects, errors, and noindex pages. Our XML sitemap best practices help you review those entries. We also check that the sitemap contains live-domain URLs and opens without an error. Before launch: review content and local business details Give every important page a clear purpose What should someone accomplish on this page? We want the answer to be obvious. A service page should explain the service, where you provide it, useful limits or requirements, and the next step. Add genuine project photos or relevant customer questions when available. Check that each important page has a descriptive title, a clear main heading, and a useful meta description. Remove placeholder copy and titles carried over from the old template. Use descriptive image alt text where it helps explain the image. Avoid adding keywords to decorative images or forcing the same phrase everywhere. Make local information and contact options accurate Compare your business name, phone number, hours, and service area with Google Business Profile. Update outdated details before release. For businesses with a public location, check the address and directions. Service-area businesses should describe coverage accurately without publishing a private address unnecessarily. Then review the next step on each service page. “Request a quote” or “Schedule service” should lead to a working destination. If your site uses structured data, check that its business details match the visible page. We don’t add unsupported claims or promise enhanced search results. Before launch: test mobile pages and performance Follow the customer journey on a phone Open the site on an actual phone, not only a desktop preview. Test the menu, service pages, contact links, and forms. Can you read the text without zooming? Does a popup cover the contact button? Check whether sticky banners hide important content. For an online store, test product selection, cart updates, and checkout using the platform’s supported test process. If you’re changing hosting or DNS, test before switching DNS so you can catch layout and form problems before visitors reach the new server. Fix obvious loading and layout problems Run PageSpeed Insights on the homepage, an important service page, and a product or article page if applicable. We prioritize oversized images, unnecessary scripts, and visible layout shifts. Check mobile results first when phone visitors are important to your business. Core Web Vitals cover loading performance, responsiveness, and visual stability through LCP, INP, and CLS. A new site may lack real-user performance data. Use available test results to find problems, but don’t treat one score as proof of search success. Before launch: verify reporting and lead delivery Set up and verify Google Search Console before release. It helps you monitor search performance and identify indexing problems. We also check Google Analytics 4 where it’s part of the measurement plan. Confirm that the correct property receives activity through Realtime or DebugView during a test, subject to your consent settings. Track meaningful actions, such as successful form submissions, completed bookings, or purchases. A button click alone doesn’t prove that a customer completed the process. Submit each important form and check the actual inbox or customer management system. Review spam folders, confirmation messages, and notification recipients. For phone links, confirm that tapping the number opens the correct number on mobile. Recording a phone-link click doesn’t confirm that a call connected. Keep a brief record of test results. A website launch SEO checklist should cover both search access and the actions that turn visits into business. Immediately after release: repeat the essential checks Staging tests don’t confirm that production works. Hosting settings, caching, and deployment changes can affect the live site. We repeat this sequence as soon as the release finishes: Open the homepage and priority pages in a private browser window. Check HTTPS, images, menus, and contact links. Confirm that public pages aren’t password-protected or marked noindex, and review the live robots.txt file. Test important old URLs and confirm that redirects reach the intended replacements. Open the sitemap and submit its address in Search Console’s Sitemaps report. Inspect the homepage and main service pages with URL Inspection, then run the live test. Submit a real test inquiry and confirm delivery. Complete any supported checkout test. Check analytics activity and record unresolved issues with an owner and deadline. Google’s URL Inspection documentation distinguishes information about the indexed page from the live test. A successful live test doesn’t guarantee indexing. You can request indexing for important eligible pages after fixing issues. Don’t treat repeated requests as a substitute for solving access or content problems. If a launch blocker appears, pause promotion until it’s fixed. For a widespread outage, use the agreed restore plan. After release: monitor the first week and beyond We check priority pages daily during the first week. Look for broken forms, unexpected errors, redirect failures, and problems reported by customers. In Search Console, review sitemap status and inspect important pages that aren’t indexed. A sitemap marked successful confirms that Google processed it, not that every listed page appears in search. For an existing site, compare search clicks, impressions, and lead activity with the pre-launch baseline. Allow for reporting delays and normal variation before drawing conclusions from one day’s change. For a brand-new site, concentrate on accessibility, useful content, and whether Google discovers your important pages. There isn’t an existing traffic baseline to protect. Next, schedule regular maintenance. Our 90-day new website SEO plan helps organize the work after launch. Set aside time for updated service details, customer questions, fresh photos, and technical fixes. Your platform should let you make those changes without unnecessary developer work. Release with a reliable foundation We consider a site ready when important pages are accessible, old links reach useful destinations, and customer inquiries arrive correctly. Those checks deserve attention before cosmetic refinements. Keep your website launch SEO checklist as a repeatable routine for redesigns, hosting moves, and major updates. A polished website earns its value when customers can find it and contact you. [...]
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How to Track AI Search Referrals in GA4 for SEOYour website may already receive visitors from ChatGPT or Perplexity, but your usual SEO report can miss them. To track AI search referrals in GA4, we start with session-level source data, then connect those visits to leads and sales. Table of Contents Toggle What GA4 Can and Can’t Track From AI SearchFind AI Search Referrals in GA4 Traffic AcquisitionChoose Session Source/MediumSearch for Recognizable AI SourcesCreate a Custom Channel for AI ReferralsAdd Source-Based Channel RulesPut the AI Channel Before Broader MatchesBuild a Landing-Page Report in ExplorationsMeasure Leads and Revenue Alongside AI TrafficTrack Completed Actions as Key EventsCompare Rates and Lead QualityValidate Tracking Before Trusting the ReportTest Tags and Lead EventsCheck Referrers and RedirectsKey Takeaways for AI Referral ReportingFAQ About Tracking AI Search TrafficDoes GA4 Show Every Visit Influenced by AI?Should AI Referrals Count as Organic Search?Turn AI Referral Data Into Better SEO Decisions The setup is straightforward, but the numbers need context: GA4 only identifies AI referrals when it receives usable attribution information. First, let’s separate the visits you can measure from the discovery activity your reports can’t see. What GA4 Can and Can’t Track From AI Search GA4 can identify an AI platform when a visitor follows a link that passes referrer information. That visit may appear with a source such as chatgpt.com and a medium such as referral. However, source formats aren’t consistent across every platform, browser, and app. Missing referrers, copied links, and privacy settings can leave an AI-influenced visit without an identifiable AI source. Google’s explanation of campaigns and traffic sources describes how Analytics processes these signals. We use that distinction to keep reporting realistic. Clicks from Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode can arrive as google / organic. That source alone doesn’t separate AI-feature clicks from other Google Search clicks. GA4 also doesn’t reveal the prompt that produced a referral, every citation your business received, or answers viewed without a click. A dedicated AI channel organizes identifiable visits. It can’t recover AI discovery that arrived without a usable source. We treat observable AI referrals as one part of SEO performance, not a complete measure of AI visibility. Find AI Search Referrals in GA4 Traffic Acquisition Start with Traffic acquisition rather than User acquisition. We want to understand the source attributed to a session and the actions recorded during that visit. Choose Session Source/Medium Open Reports, find Acquisition, and select Traffic acquisition. Depending on your report collection, Acquisition may appear under Life cycle or a business-objective grouping. Change the table’s primary dimension to Session source/medium. Set a date range with enough activity to review, such as the last 28 days. Google’s traffic-source dimension guidance explains the different scopes. First user source describes initial acquisition; session dimensions are the useful starting point for this workflow. Search for Recognizable AI Sources Search the table for known AI domains. These are useful starting points, not a permanent list. AI platformSource to checkChatGPTchatgpt.comPerplexityperplexity.aiClaudeclaude.aiGoogle Geminigemini.google.comMicrosoft Copilotcopilot.microsoft.com Review the actual source/medium combinations before building filters. Don’t require the medium to equal referral: identifiable AI sources can appear with other values. Record the source spelling, sessions, engagement rate, and relevant key events. Then check whether those visits reached useful pages. Zero results mean GA4 has no matching recorded sessions for that period. They don’t prove your business never appeared in an AI answer. Create a Custom Channel for AI Referrals Searching individual domains works for an initial check. A custom channel group makes ongoing comparisons easier. We recommend keeping the default channel group available while adding a separate view for identifiable AI sources. Add Source-Based Channel Rules Open Admin, then Data display, then Channel groups. Choose Create new channel group and give the group a clear name, such as “SEO Acquisition.” Add a channel named “AI Assistants.” Configure its Source condition using the domains you’ve verified in your reports. For exact domain matching, a starting regular expression is: ^(chatgpt\.com|perplexity\.ai|claude\.ai|gemini\.google\.com|copilot\.microsoft\.com)$ This matches those exact source values. Add other verified domains or subdomains as separate alternatives when they appear. Google’s custom channel group instructions explain how to create channels and arrange their rules. Put the AI Channel Before Broader Matches Move “AI Assistants” above broader channels that could capture the same sessions. Channel rules are evaluated in order, so placement matters. We don’t add a required referral medium condition unless there’s a reporting reason. A source-first rule keeps recognizable AI traffic together despite inconsistent mediums. Save the group, then select its session-scoped dimension in Traffic acquisition. Compare its sessions with the source rows you checked earlier. Custom channel rules can classify historical source data already available in GA4. They don’t change the original source values or reveal missing referrers. Revisit the rules monthly. If a new AI source appears, verify it before adding it to the channel. Build a Landing-Page Report in Explorations Next, connect AI referrals to the pages people enter. This helps you see which content attracts visits and what happens afterward. Open Explore and create a free-form exploration. Import Session source, Session medium, and Landing page + query string as dimensions. Add Sessions, Engaged sessions, Engagement rate, Key events, and Total revenue as metrics where relevant. Google’s dimensions and metrics reference provides definitions for these reporting fields. Then assemble the report: Place Landing page + query string in Rows and Session source in Columns. Add your selected metrics to Values. Filter Session source using the same verified AI-domain expression. Save the exploration with a clear name and review period. Keep the date range consistent with Traffic acquisition. Also use session-scoped source dimensions throughout, rather than switching to first-user acquisition halfway through the comparison. Don’t expect UTM parameters to appear in Landing page + query string. Use the appropriate campaign dimensions when reviewing tagged visits. We look for pages that attract engaged sessions and useful outcomes. A heavily visited article may need a clearer next step, while a lower-volume service page may produce stronger leads. Measure Leads and Revenue Alongside AI Traffic Traffic counts help you spot activity. Business outcomes help you decide where to invest. We recommend measuring the same completed actions across every channel. Then filter reporting to compare AI referrals with organic search, paid traffic, and other sources. Track Completed Actions as Key Events Use reliable events for successful form submissions, confirmed appointments, and purchases. Mark the actions that matter as key events in GA4. A generate_lead event should reflect a completed lead action, not a click on the submit button. Enhanced measurement can provide useful behavior signals, but form events still need validation. Keep phone-link clicks separate from completed calls. A phone_link_click event shows intent; it doesn’t prove someone reached your team. Call-tracking platforms such as CallRail can provide additional call information when configured to retain attribution. For sales reporting, connect those outcomes with your CRM. Our guide to SEO lead attribution explains that connection. Compare Rates and Lead Quality Review relevant key events, session key event rate, and revenue beside sessions. Choose the key event you’re evaluating instead of blending unrelated actions. Small samples need patience. One sale from a handful of AI sessions doesn’t establish a reliable channel conversion rate. For lead-generation businesses, ask whether inquiries were qualified, appointments happened, and jobs were booked. An estimated lead value is useful for planning, but keep it separate from actual revenue. Then review Google visibility alongside post-click behavior. Our Search Console Insights guide helps connect search trends with GA4 outcomes without treating the two tools as interchangeable. Validate Tracking Before Trusting the Report A useful report depends on a reliable implementation. We check collection first, then attribution. Test Tags and Lead Events Confirm the GA4 tag runs on relevant pages. Use Realtime for a quick collection check, then DebugView or Google Tag Manager preview for event testing. Submit a test form and confirm that its success event appears once. Duplicate tags or overlapping triggers can inflate results. Record events for all visitors, then segment by source in reporting. Restricting a lead-event tag to organic visitors prevents useful comparisons with AI referrals. Also check consent behavior. Consent choices and blockers can limit what GA4 observes; they aren’t gaps that a channel rule can repair. Check Referrers and Redirects Don’t add AI platforms to the unwanted-referrals list. Suppressing their referrers can hide the source information you’re trying to measure. Review redirects and cross-domain journeys when source data looks wrong. A booking system or payment service can interrupt attribution if the implementation isn’t configured correctly. Test an actual link from an AI platform when available, ideally in a fresh browser session. Capture the landing page, then check the processed session data later. A single test confirms that one click path works. Different apps and browsers can behave differently. Key Takeaways for AI Referral Reporting We keep the reporting routine focused on three priorities: Use session-scoped source dimensions to identify recorded AI visits without requiring a referral medium. Group verified AI sources, then compare landing pages, engagement, and meaningful key events. Review qualified leads and revenue alongside traffic, while keeping attribution limits visible. Maintain the domain rules and review performance monthly. That gives you a repeatable process without treating every short-term change as an SEO success. FAQ About Tracking AI Search Traffic Does GA4 Show Every Visit Influenced by AI? No. GA4 needs usable attribution signals to identify a platform as the source. Someone may discover your business in an AI answer, then search your name or type your address later. That journey doesn’t automatically appear as an AI referral. We report identifiable AI sessions separately and use other evidence, such as customer feedback and visibility monitoring, for the broader picture. Neither one should be presented as a complete record of discovery. Should AI Referrals Count as Organic Search? We keep identifiable AI-assistant referrals in a separate custom channel for clearer comparisons. GA4’s default classification depends on the source and medium it receives. Your custom channel is a reporting category, not proof of the visitor’s full journey. Google AI-feature clicks that appear as google / organic need separate context. Don’t move all Google organic traffic into an AI channel. That would mix ordinary search clicks with AI-assisted search activity. Turn AI Referral Data Into Better SEO Decisions Tracking AI search referrals in GA4 gives you a practical view of identifiable visits and their outcomes. The strongest report connects source, landing page, and business results. Start with the source data your property records. Then maintain the channel rules and validate the actions you measure. Your next SEO decision should follow the pages that bring qualified demand, with the limits of attribution kept clear. [...]
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How to Fix a Wrong Google Maps Pin for Local SEOA customer can have the right address and still end up at the wrong building. If your business has a wrong Google Maps pin, directions may send people past your entrance or to another street. Table of Contents Toggle Why a wrong Google Maps pin mattersCheck the address before you move the pinIf the address is wrongIf only the marker is wrongHow to fix a wrong Google Maps pin you manageCorrect an inaccurate business addressAdjust the marker for the correct addressHow to suggest a Maps edit when you don’t manage the listingHandle service-area businesses differentlyReview whether the address should be publicKeep the service area honestWhat to expect after submitting a correctionCheck the status before editing againIf Google doesn’t approve the editConfirm the public result and related listingsCheck the details people use to visitCompare other places that show your addressMeasure local SEO without expecting a ranking jumpKey TakeawaysFrequently Asked QuestionsCan a correct address have the wrong map pin?How long does a Google Maps pin correction take?Should a service-area business move its pin toward customers?Will fixing the pin improve local rankings?Give customers the right destination The fix depends on what’s wrong: the address, the marker, or both. We start by checking the public listing, then make the correction through the right Google tool. Why a wrong Google Maps pin matters A map marker is a practical piece of business information. Customers use it for directions, deliveries, and quick decisions about whether they can reach you. A pin across the street may be a minor nuisance. One several blocks away can make a visit much harder. For local SEO, the first goal is accuracy. Your Google Business Profile should describe the location where you operate, while your website and other listings should support the same facts. Correcting a marker helps customers find the real business. It does not guarantee a higher position in local results. Before you move a pin, check whether Google has the correct street address. Those are related problems, but they need different edits. Check the address before you move the pin Open your business in Google Maps as a customer would. Look at the address, zoom in on the marker, and request directions. Compare the result with your actual building and the place customers use to arrive. If the address is wrong Check the street number, street name, suite, city, and ZIP code. An outdated suite or an address left over from a move needs an address correction, not a pin adjustment alone. We also check the business website before submitting a change. If the contact page still shows an old location, update it as part of the same job. For a relocation, follow a fuller plan to update your Google listing after a move and correct other places where the old address appears. If only the marker is wrong The written address may be right while the pin lands on the wrong building or parcel. In that case, keep the accurate address and adjust the marker through the Business Profile location settings. Check at more than one zoom level. A marker that looks close on a city map can be misleading when you zoom into a shopping center or a block with several entrances. We want the correction to reflect the real business location, not the spot we wish would rank best. How to fix a wrong Google Maps pin you manage If you own or manage the listing, sign in to the Google account connected to its Business Profile. Google’s Business Profile editing instructions explain the account access and editing options. On a phone, you can also open the Google Maps app, tap Business, and choose Edit profile. Correct an inaccurate business address First, open Edit profile, then Location. Next to Business location, select Edit. Enter the complete, real address and save your change. Check the suite or unit details if they apply. Google’s business address guidance calls for accurate location information. Don’t substitute a nearby address because its marker looks better. Customers need to reach the place where your business operates, and Google may review the information you submit. Adjust the marker for the correct address If the address is accurate but Google can’t find its location correctly, use Adjust in the business location editor. Move the map until the pin points to your business location, then select Done and Save, as directed in Google’s address guidance. We recommend checking the building outline and nearby roads before saving. For a business in a larger property, compare the proposed position with the actual unit or building rather than dropping the marker in the middle of the complex. The objective is a useful, truthful location for anyone requesting directions. Keep the address and pin in agreement. Moving a marker while leaving an outdated street address in place can leave customers with conflicting directions. How to suggest a Maps edit when you don’t manage the listing What if the business is yours, but you can’t access its profile? Try to regain or request access to the existing Business Profile. Creating another listing for the same location can cause confusion instead of fixing the original problem. If you’re a customer or another Maps user, open the business listing in Google Maps and choose Suggest an edit. Select the location-related option shown in your app, provide the accurate information, and submit it for review. Menu wording can differ by device and app version. A suggested edit is different from changing a profile you manage. You can report an incorrect marker, but you can’t make an owner-level update to that business’s address. Google decides whether the suggested change appears publicly, so check the listing later rather than assuming submission completed the fix. Handle service-area businesses differently A service-area business may travel to customers instead of welcoming them at its address. A plumber working from home, for example, shouldn’t publish a residential address as a customer destination if customers don’t visit there. Review whether the address should be public Google’s business representation guidelines call for a precise address or service area that reflects how the business operates. They also prohibit remote P.O. boxes and mailboxes as business locations. If customers don’t visit your address, review the Show business address to customers setting in the Business Profile location editor. Hiding a home address may be the appropriate correction. Moving a public pin to a nearby commercial block would give people false directions. Keep the service area honest Check the places you actually serve and make your phone number and hours easy to find. A larger service area isn’t a substitute for a real location, and it won’t turn a distant business into a nearby one. The same rule applies to business names. Don’t add neighborhood names or service keywords to the name to compensate for a pin problem. Accurate business information is more useful to customers and avoids unnecessary policy issues. What to expect after submitting a correction Your edit may not appear right away. Google reviews Business Profile changes and can accept them, leave them pending, or decline them. According to Google’s explanation of edit statuses, pending reviews usually take 10 minutes but can take up to 30 days. Check the status before editing again Sign in to the account connected to the profile and review the change you submitted. If it’s pending, allow time for Google’s review. Meanwhile, keep a record of the correct address, the intended pin location, and the public listing you’re trying to fix. If Google accepts the edit, inspect the customer-facing result in Search and Maps. An accepted change is only useful if the address and marker now match the real location. If Google doesn’t approve the edit Recheck the details rather than repeatedly submitting the same change. Does the address match the actual premises? Is a suite number missing? Does the website show a different location? For a business that has moved, are you editing the existing profile rather than creating a replacement? Google may decline a change when it can’t confirm its accuracy. If that happens, review why Google Business Profile edits get rejected and correct any conflicting information before trying again. Review times and outcomes vary, so avoid promising customers a date until you see the public listing change. Confirm the public result and related listings Once Google shows the new location, test it like a customer. Search for the business name in Google Search and Maps. Check the address and marker on a phone, then request directions to see where the route ends. Check the details people use to visit Look beyond the pin. Confirm the business name, phone number, hours, website link, and suite information. An accurate marker won’t help much if the listing says you’re closed when you’re open or sends visitors to an outdated contact page. We use a local SEO audit checklist to keep these checks together. For businesses with several locations, review each profile separately. One corrected branch doesn’t update the others. Compare other places that show your address Check your website, Apple Maps, Bing Places, and any directory listings customers use. Update old addresses and suite numbers where you control them. This matters most after a move, when several sources may still point to the former location. Keep a short record of when you checked the listing and what changed. If the marker shifts again, that record helps you identify whether the problem is new or whether the first correction never appeared publicly. Measure local SEO without expecting a ranking jump Fixing a wrong Google Maps pin gives customers better location information. We treat any ranking change as a separate question. Local results depend on factors that a pin edit alone can’t control, including the searcher’s location and how well a business matches the search. If you track visibility, compare the same searches and locations over time. One search from your office won’t show what people see across town. A grid rank tracker can reveal where visibility changes, but it can’t prove that a pin correction caused every movement. After the location is accurate, review the rest of your Google Maps optimization basics. Keep categories, services, hours, and contact details current. That work supports a useful profile without stuffing keywords into the business name or claiming places you don’t operate. Key Takeaways Check whether the address, pin, or both are wrong before editing. If you manage the profile, correct the address through Edit profile and Location. Use Adjust when the marker needs to point to the correct business location. If you don’t manage the listing, suggest a Maps edit and return to check the public result. Google reviews changes, and approval and timing can vary. Judge success by accurate customer directions, not a promised ranking increase. Frequently Asked Questions Can a correct address have the wrong map pin? Yes. The text address and map marker can disagree. Check both in the public listing and test directions before changing either one. If the address is already right, adjust the marker rather than replacing valid address details. How long does a Google Maps pin correction take? For Business Profile edits, Google says a pending review usually takes 10 minutes but can take up to 30 days. A submission isn’t a promise of approval. Check the edit status and the public map to confirm the outcome. Should a service-area business move its pin toward customers? No. Its location information should reflect where the business operates. If customers don’t visit the address, review whether the address should be shown publicly and keep the service area accurate. Will fixing the pin improve local rankings? There’s no guaranteed ranking increase. A correct pin improves the accuracy of your listing and helps customers follow directions. Track visibility separately with consistent searches, and keep the rest of the profile accurate. Give customers the right destination A customer shouldn’t have to guess which building is yours. Check the address first, correct the pin through the appropriate Google tool, and verify the public result after review. For local SEO, accurate directions are the immediate win. Keep the listing truthful and current, then measure visibility on its own terms. [...]
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Google Business Profile Video Guidelines for Local BusinessesA short video can answer a question your photos leave open: what will customers see when they visit or hire you? But a Google Business Profile video has different rules depending on whether you’re adding it to your public profile or verifying your business. Mix up those two jobs, and you can waste a good recording. Table of Contents Toggle Google Business Profile video guidelines at a glanceKeep the file clear and manageableShow the business customers will findProfile videos and verification videos have different jobsPublic videos answer customer questionsVerification footage proves you operate the businessPlan footage around what customers need to seeStorefronts can make a visit feel familiarService-area businesses can show the workRecord a video that’s easy to watchCheck the scene before you press recordEdit for clarity, then check the exportUpload and review your public videoIf the upload doesn’t workKeep the profile accurate around the videoHandle verification video as a separate taskShow location, operations, and your connectionProtect private informationKeep videos useful after they’re publishedKey takeawaysFAQCan a video longer than 30 seconds go on a public Business Profile?Does Google require an MP4 file?Will adding videos improve local rankings?Can a home-based business upload videos?Make every video earn its place We recommend starting with the purpose of the video. Once that’s clear, the length, footage, and upload process are much easier to get right. Google Business Profile video guidelines at a glance Google’s current Business Profile photo and video guidelines set three technical requirements for videos added to a profile: RequirementCurrent limit for profile videosDurationUp to 30 secondsFile sizeUp to 75 MBResolution720p or higher These are profile-media limits, not instructions for a video used to verify your business. Check Google’s help page before recording a batch of videos, since product requirements and upload screens can change. Keep the file clear and manageable We suggest recording at 1080p if your phone supports it, then checking the exported file’s size. Higher resolution is fine, but a large file still has to fit Google’s current size limit. A 20-second clip that exceeds 75 MB won’t meet the published requirement. Google’s cited guidance lists duration, file size, and resolution. It doesn’t specify a required file extension or codec on that page, so don’t treat a particular format as a universal rule. If an upload fails, try a common export setting supported by your device and check the current help instructions. Show the business customers will find Good footage makes your services easier to understand. A bakery can show the counter and fresh products. A plumber can show a branded vehicle, equipment, or a completed job with the customer’s permission. Keep the scene recognizable. We favor real spaces, staff, and work over stock clips or dramatic effects that could misrepresent the business. A clear view of what you do is more useful than a promotional montage. Profile videos and verification videos have different jobs The word “video” appears in both workflows, but the requirements aren’t interchangeable. We make this distinction before planning any shoot. Video typeMain purposeDuration requirementPublic profile videoHelp customers see the business, its people, or its workUp to 30 seconds under Google’s current media guidanceVerification videoHelp Google confirm the business and your connection to itAt least 30 seconds under Google’s verification instructions The 30-second point is easy to miss: it’s a maximum for regular profile media and a minimum for a verification recording. Google’s published profile-media size and resolution limits shouldn’t be assumed to apply to verification videos. Public videos answer customer questions Think of a public video as a quick look inside the business. What would help someone decide whether to call, book, or visit? Show a clean treatment room, an accessible entrance, a working crew, or the equipment used for a service. We’d give each clip one job. Trying to show every service in half a minute usually leaves customers with little they can identify. BrightLocal’s guide to Business Profile videos also covers how owners can add and manage this customer-facing media. Verification footage proves you operate the business A verification recording has a different audience: Google. It needs to show the location or service area, evidence that the business operates, and evidence that you manage or represent it. Google’s instructions call for a live, unique, unedited, complete recording of at least 30 seconds. You can’t prepare a polished public clip and assume it will work for verification. Follow the prompts Google shows for your business when you start that process. Plan footage around what customers need to see A useful video starts with one simple question: what might a customer still wonder after reading your profile? The answer gives you a shot list without requiring a script or expensive equipment. Storefronts can make a visit feel familiar If customers come to your location, show what helps them recognize it. That might be your permanent sign, the entrance, the reception area, or the space where you provide the service. Keep walkways clear and film during normal operations when possible. For example, a dental office could show its exterior sign, then a welcoming view of reception. Customers get a better sense of where they’re going. We wouldn’t spend most of a 30-second video on an animated logo when the actual office is what they need to see. Service-area businesses can show the work If you travel to customers, focus on the service instead of exposing a private home. A cleaning company might film its team preparing equipment or show a finished space with permission. A contractor could show a branded vehicle and a completed project. A hidden home address doesn’t stop an eligible service-area business from using relevant photos or videos. It does mean you should watch backgrounds carefully for house numbers, personal mail, or anything else you don’t want public. Our Google Maps optimization guide has more ideas for showing real teams, equipment, and completed work. Record a video that’s easy to watch You don’t need a studio. You need stable footage, enough light, and a subject that makes sense on a phone screen. We usually find that one clear sequence beats several fast cuts. Check the scene before you press record First, look for clutter, private information, and people who shouldn’t appear on camera. Then check the light. If you’re filming indoors, avoid pointing the camera directly at a bright window while the subject stays dark. Hold the phone steady or use a simple stand. Move slowly if you’re walking through a room. Sound matters when someone is speaking, but your video should still make sense to a person watching without audio. Edit for clarity, then check the export For a public profile video, trim pauses and keep the strongest footage. We recommend opening with the business or service itself instead of a long title screen. Short, readable on-screen text can help, but it shouldn’t cover the work. Watch the exported file all the way through before uploading it. Check the duration, file size, and resolution against Google’s current video requirements. Then watch once more on a phone. A clip can meet the numbers and still be too dark or too busy to help customers. Upload and review your public video Sign in to the Google account that manages the Business Profile and open your business in Google Search or Maps. Look for the profile’s photo or media controls, choose the option to add media, and select your video. The labels and steps can vary by device and as Google updates the interface. If you don’t see an upload option, check that you’re using the right account and that you have access to manage the profile. Don’t assume every video will appear immediately after submission. Check the public profile later to confirm it displays as expected. If the upload doesn’t work Start with the checks you can control: is the clip within 30 seconds, no larger than 75 MB, and at least 720p? Confirm the file plays on your device before uploading. If it doesn’t, export a fresh copy and try again. A successful upload also doesn’t guarantee that the video will remain visible. If media is rejected or removed, review the notice and Google’s current content rules. We wouldn’t keep submitting the same file without finding the likely issue. Keep the profile accurate around the video A video should support the basic information customers rely on. Check your business name, category, hours, phone number, website, and services while you’re in the profile. A great clip won’t help someone who calls an outdated number. Our Google Business Profile SEO guide walks through those fields. We treat video as one part of a useful, accurate listing, not a substitute for it. Handle verification video as a separate task If Google offers business video as a verification method, follow its on-screen instructions. Typically, you’ll open the profile on a mobile device, select Get verified, choose Business video, and record through the profile’s verification flow. Give the device the permissions requested for recording. Google chooses which verification methods are available for a business. You may see other options instead, and live video verification may not be offered to everyone. Start verification early if you’re preparing a new listing; don’t plan around one guaranteed method or completion date. Show location, operations, and your connection The exact evidence depends on your business. For a storefront, Google may need to see the surrounding area, permanent signage, and access to a staff-only space. For a service-area business, relevant equipment, branded materials, or proof that you carry out the work may matter. Plan a continuous route before recording. The video must be live, unedited, unique, and complete. It also needs to show that you manage or represent the business, so a walk past an exterior sign alone may not be enough. Protect private information Keep bank details, tax numbers, IDs, and other sensitive records out of the frame. Don’t film private information about customers or employees. If your business operates from home and customers don’t visit, make sure your public profile doesn’t display your residential address. Hiding an address protects privacy; it doesn’t make an online-only business eligible for a local profile. If you serve customers only through Zoom, email, shipping, or a website, put your effort into the website and other channels that fit how you operate. Google says verification video review can take up to five business days, and rare cases take longer. If a recording isn’t accepted, check Google’s reason before making a new one. Keep videos useful after they’re published A video of an old office or a service you no longer offer can create the wrong expectation. We recommend checking public media whenever you change locations, update services, or review your profile for accuracy. Replace footage that no longer reflects what customers will find. Don’t expect a video upload alone to move your business up in Maps. Customers still need accurate service details, hours, and a website that explains what happens next. Google Business Profile performance data can help you watch broader activity, but avoid treating a change in calls or clicks as proof that one video caused it. A simple local SEO audit checklist helps us catch outdated profile details alongside old media. The goal is a consistent picture of the business wherever customers find you. Key takeaways Public Google Business Profile videos currently need to be 30 seconds or less, 75 MB or less, and at least 720p. Verification videos follow a separate process. Google’s instructions require a live, unedited recording of at least 30 seconds. Real footage should answer a customer question. For verification, it should provide the evidence Google requests. Check current instructions before filming, and confirm that public media appears correctly after uploading. FAQ Can a video longer than 30 seconds go on a public Business Profile? Google’s current guidance says regular profile videos can be up to 30 seconds. If your clip is longer, trim it before uploading. Don’t confuse that maximum with Google’s minimum length for a separate verification video. Does Google require an MP4 file? The cited Google media guidance states limits for duration, file size, and resolution but doesn’t name a required file extension or codec. We recommend checking the current upload instructions rather than relying on a format rule you saw elsewhere. Will adding videos improve local rankings? A video can help customers understand your business, but we wouldn’t promise a ranking increase. Keep your profile accurate and complete, and judge each clip by whether it shows something useful. A clear view of your location or work is a better starting point than a video made only for SEO. Can a home-based business upload videos? An eligible service-area business can show its team, equipment, and work without showing a home address to the public. Keep private details out of the frame. If you work only online and don’t meet customers in person, a Business Profile may not be the right tool. Make every video earn its place The best video for your profile is the one that clears up a real customer question. Keep public clips short and accurate, then confirm they meet Google’s current upload limits. If Google asks for video verification, start fresh with its instructions. Customer-facing media and verification evidence have different jobs, and treating them that way saves time. [...]
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