Top 8 Google Business Profile metrics to track in 2026

So if your clients want to rank higher in local search and generate more qualified leads, tracking Google Business Profile (GBP) metrics is non-negotiable. The challenge, though, is knowing which insights truly matter and how to manage multiple business profiles without anything slipping through the cracks.

That’s why we’ve compiled the top eight GBP metrics your agency should focus on. These data points will reveal where to optimize, how to measure real impact, and whether your client’s local performance is achieving its full potential. We’ll also cover the importance of using an automated tool to consolidate data across GBP, Google Analytics, and call-tracking software, especially for clients with multiple business locations.

What are Google Business Profile Insights? 

Google Business Profile (GBP) Insights provide valuable data on how customers discover and interact with a client’s local business online. They show how often the listing appears in local SERP results, the number of clicks it receives, and how users interact with it across Google Search and Maps.

Google Business Profile listings are a content goldmine for any local business owner, since they include everything from photos to news and even testimonials. They also provide the rare opportunity to share key messages even before customers reach your website.

Valerie Jennings, CEO, Jennings Social Media & MarTech (JSMM)

In a nutshell, GBP Insights reveal both how customers find the business and what they do once they reach the listing—whether they request directions, click to call, visit the website, or explore the business on Maps. It’s one of the most effective ways to understand local search performance and customer behavior.

Google Business Profile vs. Google Analytics: What’s the difference? 

GBP and Google Analytics both play an important role in evaluating local SEO performance, but each tool operates differently.

For quick reference:

On the other hand: 

So while they serve distinct functions, these two tools complement each other. Together, they help you track the full customer journey, understand local search behavior, and optimize both on-site and off-site performance. There are also local SEO reporting tools that automate multi-location GBP reporting.

How to access GBP metrics & insights

These insights are available directly within the Google Business Profile Manager. From the main dashboard, select the business location you want to review. Once inside the profile, navigate to the Performance section—this is where Google displays key metrics such as searches, impressions, direction requests, calls, website clicks, and more.

Note that this manual approach works fine when you're managing a single business. But once you’re responsible for multiple GBP listings, the process becomes slow and repetitive. Instead, use an automated reporting tool to consolidate GBP insights across campaigns or even SEO efforts across multiple locations. 

That way, you won’t waste time jumping between accounts, miss important changes, or risk inconsistencies in your reporting.

See how your client’s business profile shows up in organic search results and across multiple devices. Track interaction metrics, search visibility insights, and more–explore AgencyAnalytics, free for 14 days.

Google Business Profile metrics you need to know

Now that we’ve covered the basics, here are the top Google Business Profile insights your agency should keep track of.

1. Geographic visibility

See where customers are finding your client’s business on Google Search and Maps. With GBP’s Performance data, easily uncover visibility across cities, ZIP codes, and service areas. This is particularly useful for service-area businesses that rely on hyperlocal reach.

I use the Google Maps app to get to places I already know how to get to. Why? Because I don’t want to miss my turn if I happen to not be paying attention.

Trevor Shirk, CEO, and Founder, Terrayn

2. Webpage clicks and traffic

Monitor how many website visits originate from your client’s GBP listing. Because GBP shows clicks from Search and Maps, you’ll have a better understanding of how many people are moving from the listing to the site.

Next to a business's website, the GMB profile is the next most valuable piece of digital real estate.

Robert Messinger, Director of SEO, Dentalfone

It’s also helpful to add a UTM-tagged URL to the website link. This will help your agency to track sources such as google, organic, maps, and local, giving clearer insight into real local marketing performance. Need more guidance on setting up UTM tracking? Don’t worry–we’ll cover it later on.

3. Business Profile interactions

Business Profile interactions assess your client’s overall profile engagement before users ever reach their website. These actions reflect real customer intent, often showing how effectively a GBP listing is performing.

Key interaction types include:

• Website clicks

• Call clicks

• Direction requests

• Messages

• Food orders

• Completed bookings
  
  

Use this data to understand what customers do after viewing your client’s GBP listing. For example, a high number of direction requests may indicate visitors are ready to come in person.

On the other hand, if most users click through to the website, they may be seeking additional information. If users view your client’s GBP without further action, it could be a sign to make improvements (e.g., optimizing menu photos for mobile device users).

4. Direct, discovery & branded searches 

These search types show how customers are finding your client’s Business Profile on Google. Here’s what they mean: 

• Direct searches: Users look up a business by its name or address. High direct volume signals strong brand awareness and returning customers.

• Discovery searches: Users search for a general product or service (e.g., “roofing company near me”) and find the listing. This is one of the best indicators of strong local SEO visibility.

• Branded searches: Users search for a related brand or product (e.g., “Invisalign provider”), and your client appears as a relevant local option.

Track these customer searches to evaluate Google Business Profile performance, pinpoint popular search terms, and identify new opportunities for growth.

Want deeper insight into your client’s Google local search rankings? Look no further than the Google Search Console integration in AgencyAnalytics. Try it today, free for 14 days.

5. Reviews 

Reviews represent raw, real-time customer feedback posted publicly on your client’s Google Business Profile. Because they come directly from customers (and cannot be edited), they offer an honest view of how people experience the business.

Tracking reviews helps identify:

• How often customers share feedback.

• Sentiment trends (positive, negative, neutral).

• Common praises or recurring issues.

• How effectively the business responds.

• The impact of fresh reviews on local SEO visibility.

6. Business ratings and testimonials

Ratings and testimonials serve a different purpose–they shape first impressions and help convert potential customers.

For added context:

• Star ratings act as a quick trust signal. Oftentimes, this influences whether customers interact with a business or skip to another business listing.

• Testimonials are curated endorsements that businesses highlight intentionally. They may originate from GBP reviews, surveys, or customer feedback. Unlike raw reviews, they’re selected to reinforce credibility and brand strength.

7. Messages

When customers message a business directly from Search or Maps, they’re typically in the decision-making stage and looking for answers before taking the next step. Therefore, monitoring how many messages were received is especially important for service-based or appointment-driven local businesses. 

It’s also worth noting that businesses that respond quickly tend to build stronger trust, convert more leads, and create a better customer experience.

8. Call clicks

Call clicks measure how many times customers tap the “Call” button directly from a Google Business Profile.

Since most users clicking to call are ready to speak with someone immediately, this metric shows how effectively the listing is attracting real, conversion-ready leads.

For our clients, it's almost 100% focused on the number of calls we're able to generate. Our clients stick with us as long as we're able to generate leads via phone calls, so we pay close attention to that.

Ryan Burch, Managing Partner, Tobie Group

While GBP doesn’t confirm whether calls were connected or completed, pairing call clicks with call tracking software offers deeper insights into lead quality, call duration, and overall conversion performance.

Gain valuable insights into customer interactions. Track important metrics like answer rate and submissions by date range–try the call-tracking dashboard in AgencyAnalytics, free for 14 days.

Bonus: Google Local Service Ads metrics

Google Local Service Ads are technically not part of the core GBP. However, you can’t run local search ads without a complete GBP. That makes LSAs a natural extension of your clients’ local search strategy and an important set of metrics to track alongside GBP performance.

LSAs only appear to people actively searching for those services in the immediate area, making them a powerful way to capture hyper-local, ready-to-book customers. Eligible businesses can also earn the Google Guaranteed badge, which enhances credibility and fosters trust.

To simplify the tracking process, use an automated reporting tool with a Google Local Services Ads integration. Automatically pull in key performance data–such as cost per lead (CPL), lead volume, and reputation metrics–without having to toggle between platforms.

What you should be reporting for GBP performance 

Your GBP client reports should focus on the metrics that directly support the KPIs established at the start of the engagement. 

For example, say a client wants to increase their number of reviews. In this case, your reporting should highlight monthly volume, sentiment trends, and the impact of any related marketing efforts.

If they’re focused on broader SEO marketing strategies, prioritize metrics like search impressions, website clicks, and keyword visibility. 

The Google Business metric our agency cares the most about is reviews, as this can also help with website SEO as well as brand trust. Reviews come from real customers of yours and provide the best insight to Google (and potential new customers) about whether you’re the right fit and will deliver the best service for them.

Layne Sparks, Head of SEO, Kiwi Website Design

To simplify this more, here are three main areas to focus on:

• Key Google Business Profile analytics. 

• How those metrics relate to your client’s KPIs. 

• What your agency can do to meet those goals.

By aligning your reporting with these elements, you’ll provide clients with a clear and strategic view of their local SEO performance. 

Compile all your clients’ local performance metrics into a single, streamlined report. Use this exact local SEO report template in AgencyAnalytics–try it free for 14 days.

GBP metrics you should probably ignore (according to experts)

Depending on your client’s business type, some Google Business Profile insights offer limited value or could even become misleading.

One metric that frequently causes confusion is “Users who viewed your profile.” While this number still appears for some long-standing accounts, it’s not always reliable.

"Users who viewed your profile” is muddy and can cause confusion due to how a "user" is actually counted.

Kira Krostag, CEO & Founder, Site Smart Marketing

Another common observation is that most clients care far more about engagement-driven actions than surface-level visibility. While impressions indicate that a listing is being seen, they don’t always correlate with calls, clicks, or conversions.

Most businesses care about clicks, calls, and direction requests. They don't care about how many times they've been ‘viewed.’”

Joey Randazzo, Owner, Portland SEO Growth Partners

Finally, some GBP metrics require additional tools to be truly useful. For example, Google only tracks call clicks, not whether calls connected, how long they lasted, or whether they resulted in qualified leads.

Google Business Profile will track the number of calls to your business from your profile. However, we find it valuable to also use a call tracking tool with a customized number to better identify qualified leads.

Valerie Jennings, CEO, Jennings Social Media & MarTech

The takeaway? Focus on the metrics that reflect real customer actions and business outcomes—don’t let vanity metrics distract from what actually drives results.

What changed during the Insights → Performance transition

As Google transitioned from the old Insights dashboard to the newer Performance view, many less actionable metrics were removed, renamed, or consolidated.

Here’s how some familiar data points changed during the transition (and what remained the same). 

For a full list of which metrics are offered for Google Business Profile, check out our GBP Integration page.

How to track GBP traffic in Google Analytics (GA)

Adding UTMs to the website link on your client’s GBP listing allows you to accurately segment website traffic inside GA and distinguish it from other organic sources.

To set this up, start by entering your client’s website URL into Google’s UTM builder. This is the link that will be placed on the Google Business Profile listing.

Next, complete the remaining fields. Common parameters include:

• utm_medium=organic

• utm_source=gbp

• utm_campaign=local

Once the form is complete, the builder will generate a URL with your tracking parameters attached. Add this UTM-tagged URL to the “Website” field in the GBP dashboard. From that point on, you’ll be able to see exactly how much traffic is coming from the listing in Google Analytics.

How to combine GBP, GA, and call tracking data for your clients and campaigns

To get a complete view of your client’s local marketing performance, you need to connect the dots between three key data sources: Google Business Profile, Google Analytics, and call tracking software.

When these tools work together, they provide a clear picture of how customers discover a business, how they behave on the website, and whether those interactions result in real leads.

Let’s face it–clients don’t have time to read individual reports. The solution? Use a tool like AgencyAnalytics to combine their GBP, GA, and call tracking metrics in one clean dashboard. Add metrics from 85+ platforms, generate white-labeled reports, and so much more.

Summary & key takeaways

As we’ve covered, Google Business Profile plays a critical role in driving local visibility and high-intent actions. To recap: 

• Focus on the metrics that matter: Prioritize insights directly tied to engagement and conversions, rather than surface-level or outdated metrics.

• Use GA4 and UTM parameters to track what happens after the click: This provides clients with deeper insight into how GBP traffic behaves once it reaches the website.

• Pair GBP with call tracking tools for complete lead visibility: GBP shows call clicks; call tracking reveals which calls became real opportunities.

• Combine all three sources—GBP, GA4, and call tracking—for end-to-end reporting: This approach connects discovery, engagement, and conversions in one unified view.

The real value lies in connecting local SEO data to your clients’ goals and presenting it in a way that’s easy to digest. However, pulling data manually from multiple data sources becomes overwhelming, especially as your client list grows.

That’s where a dedicated reporting platform like AgencyAnalytics makes all the difference. Automatically consolidate metrics across 85+ platforms, including GBP, Google Ads, Google Analytics, and more. Even access pre-built solutions, like this handy Google Business Profile dashboard template!

Ready to deliver better results, save hours each month, and scale your local SEO services? Try AgencyAnalytics today–it’s free for 14 days.