If you want more exclusive, high-intent leads from Google without paying per click, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the highest-return “fishing poles” you can put in the water. It takes work, tracking, and consistency, but when done right it drives calls for water, fire, and mold jobs—and it compounds over time.
Why the Map Pack still matters in 2026
Google’s Map Pack is still a primary source of emergency leads because people search with urgent intent—“water damage near me”—and call the top, trusted results. Google decides who shows up using three main signals:
- Relevance — How well your profile matches the search intent.
- Proximity — How close your business is to the searcher.
- Prominence — How established and trusted your business appears online.
Add AI-powered search into the mix and GBP matters even more. Large language models crawl GBP data—reviews, photos, business descriptions—to build trust signals. A well-built profile helps both traditional search and AI-driven summaries point customers at you.
The silent killer: incorrect hours (especially if you’re 24/7)
This is the simplest fix with one of the biggest upside swings. If you run 24/7 and your GBP shows you close at 4:30, Google will deprioritize you for emergency searches. Get your hours correct. If you answer calls overnight, set the profile to 24/7.
Reviews: ranking signal and conversion engine
Reviews affect both ranking and conversion. They tell Google what you actually do, and they influence whether a human caller trusts you enough to pick up the phone.
What matters
- Recency — Recent reviews are more valuable than old ones.
- Detail — “Great service” is okay, but a review that mentions “mold removal in attic” or “fast water mitigation” gives Google and AI useful context.
- Volume and rating — Aim for 4.7+ as a baseline. The closer to 4.9–5.0, the better your conversions.
How to get better reviews (without spam)
- Ask at the final walkthrough—this converts best.
- Use automation (email/text) to follow up, but keep messages simple and authentic.
- Consider gentle incentives for staff (monthly rewards for most five-star reviews) rather than paying customers directly.
- Respond to every review professionally—thank good reviewers and handle negative ones calmly.
GBP fundamentals and optimization checklist
Fill out the profile completely and keep everything consistent across the web. Google rewards clarity.
- Verify the profile and keep access secured.
- Correct hours and emergency availability (24/7 if you answer outside normal hours).
- Primary and secondary categories — set your most important service (e.g., Water Damage Restoration) as primary; add Fire Damage and other specialties as secondary.
- Services / Products — list mold removal, mitigation, content drying, etc., in the services section (don’t keyword-stuff).
- Photos and videos — real job photos, team photos, and geo-tagged images. Avoid generic stock images long-term.
- Business description — clear, professional, and natural; do not spam keywords.
- Enable messaging and ensure a fast response rate.
- NAP consistency — Name, Address, Phone must match everywhere (website, citations, directories).
- Service area accuracy — don’t spam with fake towns—reflect where you actually operate.
- Link to your website and use location-specific pages that match GBP locations.
How SEO supports your GBP
GBP and website SEO work together. Google crawls your GBP and then your site for context—use that.
- Create location pages for each market you serve (city-specific pages that demonstrate real jobs).
- Publish case studies and before/after posts with real photos (images often contain EXIF/location data).
- Earn backlinks and authoritative citations through local PR, press releases, and trusted directories.
- Use citations—consistent business listings across authoritative sites—to build prominence.
Advanced, but practical, tactics
- Use geo-tagged images and case studies so AI and Google can validate your local work.
- Consider cloud-based link stacks and controlled linking strategies if you have the skill to do it without spam.
- Test press releases and local news coverage to create authoritative backlinks to both your site and GBP.
Common mistakes that kill momentum
- Set-and-forget. GBP needs regular activity—posts, fresh photos, reviews.
- Keyword stuffing in descriptions or reviews. Google penalizes spammy text.
- Inconsistent NAP or mismatched services between GBP and your website.
- Wrong primary category for what you actually want to grow (e.g., listed as general contractor instead of Water Damage Restoration).
- Hiding a physical address when you actually have an office. Profiles with visible physical addresses generally rank faster and easier than service-area-only setups.
How AI search uses your GBP and site
Large language models and AI summaries pull GBP data to assess trustworthiness: reviews, service language, photos, and website content help AI decide who to recommend. Treat your GBP as structured data the AI reads to answer real human questions.
Metrics that matter: track these
- Calls and call-through rate from GBP.
- Messages and response time.
- Booked appointments from GBP leads.
- Close rate by source (map pack vs. paid leads vs. referrals).
- Cost per lead across channels—scale the low-cost, high-performing fishing poles.
Quick-win priority checklist (first 30 days)
- Correct and verify GBP hours and contact info.
- Confirm primary category is your top revenue driver (usually water damage restoration).
- Add 5–10 real job photos and a team photo—geo-tagged if possible.
- Ask for reviews during final walkthroughs; aim for at least 1–2 quality reviews per week.
- Create or improve a location-specific page on your website that matches GBP info.
- Enable messaging and set a phone-answering plan so Google sees good responsiveness.
Final notes
This is not an overnight game. GBP optimization compounds: consistent reviews, accurate hours and categories, real photos, and SEO support will grow your ranking radius and lead volume over time. Think of GBP as one of several fishing poles—tend it, track the numbers, and scale what works.
Fix the basics first, then layer in location pages, case studies, and targeted PR. Avoid shortcuts that look spammy. With the right tracking and consistency, GBP can become a steady, cost-effective source of high-intent restoration work.