How to Optimise Your GBP Products

Most local businesses treat their Google Business Profile as a set-and-forget listing: name, address, phone number, done.

But there’s an entire product catalogue feature sitting right inside your GBP that most business owners either ignore or fill in half-heartedly.

That’s a missed opportunity.

When someone searches for a service you offer in your area, Google can display your products directly in the local results, complete with images, descriptions, and prices.

Getting this right means more clicks, more calls, and more customers walking through your door.

The businesses that consistently rank well on Google Maps tend to be the ones treating every section of their profile as a chance to convert, and the product editor is one of the most underused tools available.

If you’ve been wondering how to optimise your GBP products so they actually drive results, this guide breaks down the practical steps that make a real difference.

We’re not talking theory here: these are the specific changes that move the needle for small service businesses across the UK.

In-house Professional Local SEO Specialist Guidance

Add Your Most Important Products or Offerings

Don’t add products randomly. Start with the products or clearly defined offerings that are most commercially important to the business and that customers are most likely to be looking for.

For example, a window company could showcase uPVC Windows, Aluminium Windows, Composite Doors, French Doors and Bi-Fold Doors, rather than having an empty Products section despite these being major parts of its offering.

Create Separate Products for Distinct Offerings

Avoid combining several important offerings into one generic product when customers would benefit from seeing them separately. Each product gives you an opportunity to explain a specific offering and direct customers towards it.

For example, a heating company could create separate products for Boiler Installation, Worcester Bosch Boilers, Vaillant Boilers and New Boiler Packages rather than creating a single product called “Boilers”.

Write Detailed Product Descriptions

Use the available description to explain exactly what the customer is getting, including important features, options and differentiators. Don’t simply repeat the product name.

For example, a kitchen company listing Shaker Kitchens could explain the available finishes, worktop options, design service and installation rather than using a generic description such as “High-quality Shaker kitchens available”.

Link Each Product to the Most Relevant Website Page

Don’t send every product to your homepage. Where the product supports a website link, direct customers to the page containing the closest matching information and conversion opportunity.

For example, a garage door company showcasing Sectional Garage Doors should link directly to its sectional garage doors page rather than making customers navigate from the homepage to find the product themselves.

Use High-Quality Images for Every Product

Give each product a clear image showing the genuine product or finished result rather than repeatedly using your logo or generic stock photography.

For example, a flooring company listing Engineered Wood Flooring could use a high-quality photograph of an actual completed engineered-wood installation, helping customers understand the product and demonstrating the quality of work the company provides.

The Strategic Value of Google Business Profile Products

Your GBP product catalogue isn’t just a digital shelf. It’s a signal to Google about what your business actually does, and it’s a conversion tool that puts your offerings directly in front of people who are actively searching. Too many businesses overlook this section entirely, which means there’s a genuine competitive advantage for those who fill it out properly.

Enhancing Visual Real Estate in Search Results

When a potential customer finds your business on Google Maps or in the local pack, your products can appear as scrollable cards right on your profile. This is prime real estate. Instead of a bare listing showing just your hours and reviews, you get a visual showcase that immediately communicates what you offer. A locksmith in Manchester listing emergency lockout services, lock replacements, and security upgrades as individual products gives searchers a reason to tap on their profile rather than a competitor’s. Each product card acts as a mini advertisement, and the more space your profile occupies in search results, the more likely someone is to engage with it.

Driving Direct Conversions via the Product Editor

The product editor lets you attach a call-to-action button to every product you list. That means someone browsing your GBP can go from discovering your business to landing on a specific service page on your website in two taps. This is a direct conversion path that bypasses the usual friction of someone having to search your website for the right page. For a Bristol-based plumber, listing “Boiler Installation” as a product with a “Get quote” button linking to their boiler page is far more effective than hoping visitors find it themselves. The product editor turns your GBP from a passive listing into an active sales tool.

Crafting High-Conversion Product Descriptions

The text you write for each product matters more than you might think. Google reads these descriptions to understand what your business offers, and customers read them to decide whether to contact you. Getting the copy right is worth the effort.

Incorporating Localised Keywords Naturally

Your product descriptions are a chance to include the search terms your customers actually use, without stuffing keywords awkwardly. If you’re an estate agent in Leeds, a product called “Property Valuations” could include a description mentioning “free property valuations for homeowners across Leeds and West Yorkshire.” This tells Google where you operate and what you do, while reading naturally to a human. Think about the phrases someone would type into Google when looking for your service, and weave those into your descriptions. Tools like VisiLocali’s GBP Audit can help identify where your profile might be missing keyword opportunities, flagging gaps you’d otherwise overlook.

Focusing on Benefits and Unique Selling Points

Don’t just describe what the service is: explain why someone should choose you. “We offer carpet cleaning” is forgettable. “Professional carpet cleaning with same-day availability and eco-friendly products, trusted by over 500 households in Glasgow” gives the reader a reason to pick up the phone. Lead with the benefit to the customer, mention what makes you different, and include a trust element like experience or volume of work completed. Every description should answer the question: why you, and why now?

Adhering to Character Limits for Mobile Clarity

Google truncates product descriptions on mobile after roughly 150 to 200 characters, depending on the device. Most people searching locally are on their phones, so your most important information needs to appear in those first two lines. Front-load the description with your key selling point and location, then add supporting detail afterwards. Writing a 500-character description where the value proposition only appears at the end means most mobile users will never see it. Keep it tight, keep it benefit-led, and test how it looks on your own phone after publishing.

Visual Optimisation and Photography Standards

Images are the first thing people notice on your product cards. A blurry photo or a generic stock image can undermine even the best description. Getting your visuals right is one of the simplest ways to increase engagement.

Choosing the Right Aspect Ratio and Resolution

Google recommends product images be at least 720 x 720 pixels, and square or near-square aspect ratios tend to display most consistently across devices. Anything below 400 x 400 pixels risks looking pixelated, especially on newer phones with high-resolution screens. Upload images in JPEG or PNG format, and keep file sizes under 5MB to avoid upload errors. If you’re photographing your own work, natural lighting and a clean background go a long way. You don’t need professional equipment: a modern smartphone in good light produces results that are more than adequate.

Using Real Photos vs Stock Imagery

Real photos of your actual work, team, or premises consistently outperform generic stock images. A potential customer can spot a stock photo instantly, and it erodes trust. If you’re a kitchen fitter, a photo of a real kitchen you installed in someone’s home is infinitely more persuasive than a glossy catalogue image. Take photos of completed projects, your team at work, or your products in real settings. This builds credibility and gives people a genuine sense of what to expect. VisiLocali’s GBP Management tool can help you turn uploaded photos into relevant Google Post content as well, getting more mileage from every image you take.

Organising Products with Categories and Collections

How you structure your product catalogue affects both user experience and how Google understands your business. A disorganised list of services is harder for customers to browse and gives Google less context about your specialisms.

Structuring the Catalogue for User Experience

Group related products into collections that make intuitive sense. An electrician might create collections like “Domestic Electrical Work,” “Commercial Services,” and “Safety Inspections.” Each collection then contains the specific products: rewiring, fuse board upgrades, PAT testing, and so on. This mirrors how customers think about their needs and makes it easy for someone to find the right service quickly. Google also uses collection names as additional context for matching your profile to relevant searches, so choose names that reflect how your customers describe what they’re looking for.

Prioritising Best-Sellers and Seasonal Items

The products listed first in each collection get the most visibility, so put your highest-converting or most-searched services at the top. If you’re a heating engineer and it’s October, “Boiler Servicing” should sit above “Air Conditioning Installation.” Revisit the order quarterly to reflect seasonal demand. A gardening business might push “Lawn Care Packages” to the top in spring and “Leaf Clearance and Winter Prep” in autumn. This keeps your profile feeling current and relevant, which matters both to Google’s algorithms and to the people reading your listing.

Implementing Effective Calls to Action

Every product you list should have a clear next step for the customer. Without a call to action, you’re relying on someone to figure out how to contact you on their own, and that friction costs you enquiries.

Selecting the Correct Button Type

Google offers several CTA button options for products, including “Learn more,” “Order online,” “Buy,” “Get offer,” and “Call now.” Choose the one that matches the actual next step for that specific product. A “Buy” button makes sense for a product with a fixed price that can be purchased online. For most service businesses, “Learn more” or “Get offer” tends to work best, directing people to a page where they can understand the service and request a quote. Using “Buy” when there’s nothing to purchase online creates a poor experience and wastes the click.

Linking to Relevant Landing Pages

This is where many businesses go wrong: they link every product back to their homepage. Each product’s CTA button should point to the most relevant page on your website for that specific service. If you list “Loft Conversions” as a product, the link should go to your loft conversions page, not your general services page. This reduces bounce rates, improves the chance of conversion, and sends Google a clearer signal about what each page on your site covers. If you don’t have dedicated pages for each service, that’s a sign you should create them.

Maintaining and Auditing Your Product Feed

Setting up your products once and forgetting about them is a common mistake. Your GBP product catalogue needs regular attention to stay accurate and effective.

Updating Pricing and Stock Availability

If you display prices on your products, they need to be current. Nothing damages trust faster than a customer seeing £150 on your GBP listing and being quoted £250 on the phone. Review your product prices at least quarterly, or whenever your rates change. For businesses that sell physical products, stock availability matters too: listing something as available when it’s out of stock creates a frustrating experience. Set a recurring calendar reminder to audit your product feed. Even fifteen minutes each month can prevent outdated information from costing you business.

Analysing Performance via GBP Insights

Google provides data on how people interact with your profile, including which products get views and clicks. Use this data to understand what’s working and what isn’t. If a product is getting views but no clicks, the description or image might need improving. If it’s getting clicks but you’re not seeing enquiries, the landing page might be the weak link. VisiLocali’s Local Rank Tracker can complement this by showing whether your profile visibility is improving across your target area after you make changes to your products, giving you a clearer picture of what’s actually driving results. Pairing GBP Insights with rank tracking data removes much of the guesswork from optimising your product listings.

Making Your GBP Products Work Harder

The businesses that get the most from their Google Business Profile are the ones that treat it as a living, breathing part of their marketing. Your product catalogue is one of the most direct ways to tell both Google and potential customers exactly what you offer, where you offer it, and why they should choose you. The steps covered here: writing benefit-led descriptions, using real photography, organising collections intelligently, linking to the right pages, and reviewing performance regularly: are all things any small business can do without a huge time investment.

If you’re unsure where your profile currently stands or what to prioritise first, running a proper audit is the smartest starting point. VisiLocali offers a 14-day free trial across all plans, giving you access to GBP auditing, management tools, and local rank tracking so you can see exactly where improvements will have the biggest impact. It’s built by a local SEO specialist with over ten years of experience, and there’s a 90-day improvement guarantee backing it up. Start with what’s measurable, fix what matters most, and let the results compound from there.