Glossary
Google Business Profile — plain English explanation
Your free listing on Google Maps that shows your reviews, hours, and contact details to anyone nearby.
What it is
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free tool that allows businesses to manage how they appear on Google Search and Google Maps. When someone searches for a business type near them — "hair salon near me" or "plumber downtown" — the businesses that appear in the map results (the "Local Pack") are those with a Google Business Profile. The profile shows your business name, address, phone number, opening hours, photos, and — most importantly — your customer reviews and average star rating.
Why it matters for small businesses
For any business that serves local clients, Google Business Profile is the single most important free marketing tool available. It directly determines whether your business appears when someone nearby is actively searching for exactly what you offer — the highest-intent audience that exists. Businesses in the top 3 of Google Maps results receive 70-80% of all local search clicks. Reviews are the primary ranking factor: more reviews and a higher average rating both improve your position.
How Genju implements it
Genju integrates with Google Business Profile to pull in your reviews, display them in the Reputation dashboard, and allow you to reply to them from within Genju. The AI generates reply suggestions in your brand voice. Review request automations send clients directly to your Google Business Profile review page after every completed appointment.
In practice
A dentist in Mosta has 8 Google reviews. Her competitor three streets away has 94 reviews and a 4.8 rating. When someone in Mosta searches "dentist near me", the competitor appears in the top 3 results. The dentist with 8 reviews appears further down or not at all. Genju's review automation gets the 8-review dentist to 50+ reviews within 90 days — changing her entire local visibility overnight.