Key Takeaways:
Understand how customers find your business on Google (direct vs. discovery searches) and what that reveals about your visibility and growth opportunities
Learn how to use real search terms, actions, and timing data in your Google Business Profile to improve marketing and attract higher-intent customers
Identify which insights—like photo performance and behavior trends—can help you optimize your listing and make smarter, data-driven decisions
Most retailers check their Google Business Profile for the basics: views, calls, and directions. But there’s more data available than most realize. And more importantly, there’s data most businesses aren’t using to make decisions.
We see this all the time. A jewelry store owner logs in to check how many people requested directions, then moves on.
The problem isn’t a lack of data. It’s a lack of using the data that’s already there.
So, you don’t need more tools. You need to use the data already in front of you.
“Your Google Business Profile also shows the actual search queries people use to find your business. This is one of the most valuable (and least used) insights available.”
– Technology Therapy® Group
How Customers Are Actually Finding You
One of the most overlooked insights in your Google Business Profile is how customers are finding you — specifically, the difference between direct and discovery searches.
Direct searches mean someone already knows your business. Discovery searches mean they found you while searching for something more general, like “engagement rings near me”. This distinction matters more than most retailers realize.
For example, a local jewelry store might see mostly direct searches. That tells us customers already know the brand. But it may also mean the store isn’t showing up enough for broader searches like “custom engagement rings” or “diamond jewelry near me”. (Per recent data from Consumer Search Behavior, 46% of consumers said they “always” or “often” add the phrase “near me” to their local search queries.)
If you don’t know how people find you, you can’t grow it.
When we review this data, we’re looking for imbalance. Low discovery traffic often signals that categories, keywords, or content need improvement. High discovery traffic suggests an opportunity to double down on local SEO and visibility strategies.
What Search Terms Trigger Your Listing
Your Google Business Profile also shows the actual search queries people use to find your business. This is one of the most valuable (and least used) insights available.
Instead of guessing what customers are searching for, you can see it directly. For example, a boutique gift shop might discover it’s showing up for searches like “last-minute birthday gifts” or “unique hostess gifts near me”. That’s valuable insight into how customers think and what they need in the moment.
In many ways, your customers are already telling you what they want. You just need to listen and use that language across your marketing.
We often take these insights and apply them across channels. Search terms can inform Google Ads campaigns, shape website copy, and influence product descriptions, helping you align your messaging more closely with real customer intent.
Where Customers Are Viewing You
Not all visibility is the same. Google Business Profile separates where customers are seeing your listing (for instance, Google Search versus Google Maps).
This distinction gives insight into intent. For example, a local coffee shop might see a majority of its visibility coming from Google Maps. That tells us customers are nearby and ready to act—looking for directions, hours, or quick decisions. In contrast, stronger visibility in Google Search typically reflects earlier-stage research.
When we see a business with strong Maps visibility, we focus on local SEO factors like reviews, proximity, and accurate business information. When Search visibility dominates, we shift toward content and overall website experience.
What Actions Customers Take (Beyond Clicks)
Views are helpful. But they don’t tell the full story. Your Google Business Profile tracks higher-intent actions like calls, direction requests, and website visits. These are the moments that signal real interest.
For example, a salon or spa might notice that while profile views remain steady, call volume spikes late in the week as customers book weekend appointments. These actions reveal what’s actually driving business.
Instead of focusing only on views, we look at which actions matter most and align marketing efforts accordingly. If calls are the primary driver, messaging should make it easy to reach out. If directions matter more, location-based visibility becomes critical.
Views don’t grow your business. Actions do.
When Customers Are Engaging with Your Listing
Timing is another insight hiding in plain sight. Your Google Business Profile shows when customers are engaging with your listing by day and time. This data can reveal patterns that many retailers overlook.
Consider a fashion boutique that sees a peak engagement on Thursday evenings, when customers are planning outfits for the weekend. That insight can guide when to post updates, launch promotions, or send reminders.
When we align marketing efforts with these patterns, performance improves.
Photo Performance: An Often Untapped Insight
Google Business Profile is highly visual, yet photo performance is often ignored. Your profile provides insights into how your photos perform compared to competitors and how customers engage with them. Photos influence whether customers click, call, or visit.
For example, an independent artist selling custom commissions may notice that listings with finished artwork and in-progress shots get significantly more engagement than static product images alone.
When we review this data, we look for gaps: outdated visuals, limited variety, or missed opportunities to show the experience behind the product.
“One of the most important insights in your Google Business Profile is how behavior changes over time. Looking at trends, rather than snapshots, helps you understand seasonality, growth, and shifts in customer behavior.”
– Technology Therapy® Group
Customer Behavior Trends Over Time
One of the most important insights in your Google Business Profile is how behavior changes over time. Looking at trends, rather than snapshots, helps you understand seasonality, growth, and shifts in customer behavior.
For example, an eCommerce home décor shop with a local showroom might notice increased searches and engagement in early spring as customers start refreshing their spaces. That pattern can guide when to launch campaigns or promote seasonal products.
These trends allow you to plan proactively. And by comparing performance over time, you can align campaigns with demand, adjust your strategy, and identify changes early.
Trends matter more than snapshots.
Better Decisions Start with the Data You Already Have
Most retailers don’t need more data. They need to look deeper, ask better questions, and use what’s already available.
When you start connecting these insights—how customers find you, what they search for, when they engage—you begin to see a clearer picture of your business. And that clarity leads to smarter decisions.
If you want to go deeper into how to approach your data more strategically, we recommend starting here. Then reach out to us for some data-focused coaching sessions so you can really dominate your GBP data.
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