Your Google Business Profile is now your AI business card. And most business owners don't know it.

Your profile is no longer working only for Google Maps

Imagine this. A potential customer asks ChatGPT: “Who is a good painter in Tilburg?” Or someone types into Gemini: “Which gardener can landscape my garden in Oisterwijk?” What do you think happens then? That AI reads your Google Business Profile. Not your website. Not your Instagram. Your Business Profile.

And that's exactly where it goes wrong for most local business owners. Because you created that profile once. Maybe you added a photo, entered your phone number, and then never looked at it again. You thought: that's for Google Maps, for when people want to look up my address. And that's correct, that's what it was for. Until the beginning of 2026.

From March 2026, “Ask Maps” has been live. This means users can ask Google Maps direct questions, and Gemini (Google’s AI) will provide answers based on the information in your Business Profile. Not based on your website. Not based on your ads. Based on your profile. And if that profile is half empty, you simply don't exist in those answers.

This is no longer a theory. This is how customers are already finding you. Or not finding you.

The figures that you cannot ignore

In 2026, SOCi conducted an extensive study into how AI assistants recommend local businesses. The results are sobering. Of all local businesses, only 1.21% are recommended by ChatGPT when someone asks for a service in a particular region. Gemini performs slightly better at 11.1%, and Perplexity stands at 7.41%. By way of comparison: the traditional Google Local Pack (those three map results you’re familiar with) displays 35.91% of local businesses.

But this is where it gets interesting. Gemini achieves 100% accuracy when using Google Maps data. This means that if your profile is complete and correct, Gemini provides the user with perfect information. ChatGPT, on the other hand, only achieves 68% accuracy. Why? Because ChatGPT does not always have access to up-to-date Google Maps data and more often relies on outdated sources or its own estimates.

What does this tell you? That your Google Business Profile is by far the most reliable channel for being found by AI. Not your website, not your social media, not your paid adverts. Your free Google Business Profile. Businesses with a fully completed profile receive 7 times more clicks and 70% more visits than businesses with a half-completed profile. That’s the difference between the phone ringing and silence.

The 6 layers that Gemini reads from your profile

Here's something most business owners don't know. When Gemini looks at your Google Business Profile to decide whether to recommend you, it doesn't just read your business name and address. It reads six different layers of information, and each layer counts.

The first layer is your Basic profile information. Name, address, phone number, opening hours, website URL. This is the foundation. If there are errors in this, or if things are missing, everything that follows will also fall away. Gemini relies on consistency. If your phone number on your website differs from that on your profile, it's a red flag.

The second layer is your Diensten en producten. Google has an entire section where you can specify exactly what you offer. Most entrepreneurs skip this. But Gemini does read it. If someone asks, “Who can install a fence in Goirle?” and you have “installing a fence” as a service in your profile, then you will be recommended. If that service isn't filled in? Then you don't exist for that search query.

The third layer is your Reviews and ratings. Not only the number of stars, but also the content of the reviews. Gemini really reads them. If customers write that you work neatly, arrive on time and communicate well, Gemini picks that up as positive signals. More on this later in this article.

The fourth layer is your photographs. Yes, really. According to Google, businesses with more than 100 photos receive 520% more calls than those without any photos. AI can analyse photos and determine what kind of work you do. A gardener with photos of landscaped gardens is recommended much more quickly than one with no photos at all.

De vijfde laag zijn je Questions and answers (Q&A). The section on your profile where anyone can ask questions. Many entrepreneurs completely ignore this. However, Gemini reads these questions and answers to understand the context of what your business does and how you interact with customers.

The sixth and final layer are your Google Posts. These are the updates you can post on your profile, similar to social media posts. A company that posts at least once a week sends an active signal to Google and to AI. It shows that your business is alive, active, and relevant. Companies that never post are seen as potentially inactive.

Empty fields are Invisible fields

This might well be the most important point of this entire article. An empty field in your Google Business Profile is not neutral. It's negative. AI can only work with information that is there. If a field is empty, that part of your business simply doesn't exist in the eyes of Gemini, ChatGPT, or any other AI.

Imagine two plumbers in the same city. Plumber A has their profile completely filled in. All services are listed, there are 40 photos of completed work, they have 85 reviews with an average of 4.7 stars, and they post on Google every week about a job they've done. Plumber B has their name, address, and phone number filled in. Nothing else. No services, no photos, 3 reviews from two years ago, never posted anything.

When a potential customer asks Gemini, “Who is a good plumber in my area?” Gemini will have a wealth of information to work with for plumber A. It can see what services they offer, it can quote positive reviews, it can analyse photos. For plumber B, it will have almost nothing. Even if plumber B is actually better, it won't matter. AI works with data. No data, no recommendation.

This is no different from how it works in real life, by the way. If you're at a networking event and someone asks what you do, and you just say “I'm a plumber” without further explanation, nobody will remember you. But if you talk about your specialisation, your approach, your recent projects, then you'll make an impression. Your Google Business Profile is that digital networking conversation. And it runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Reviews zijn je nieuwe AI reputation

Reviews have always been important. Everyone knows that. But what many entrepreneurs don't realise is that reviews now have a direct impact on how AI talks about you. It's no longer just about the star rating. It's about what people write in their reviews.

Gemini analyses the text of your reviews. If several customers mention that you “respond quickly”, “do a neat job” and offer “good value for money”, Gemini picks up on these patterns. When someone then asks, “Which painter in Tilburg responds quickly?”, Gemini can recommend you based on what your customers say about you. That’s powerful.

It works the other way around too. If your reviews contain complaints about poor communication or unfinished work, AI will also take those signals into account. Your reviews have literally become your AI reputation. And unlike a Google Ads campaign which you can pause, reviews are permanently visible.

The process here is quite simple. Actively ask your satisfied customers for a review. Not just once a year, but after every job. Send a WhatsApp message with a direct link to your Google review page. It takes 30 seconds and helps build your Online visibility in a way that no amount of advertising can buy.

What you this week whilst you can

The beauty of optimising your Google Business Profile is that you don't need a specialist. At least, not for the basics. These are the things you can do yourself this week, with no technical knowledge, no budget, and no outside help.

Start by opening your Google Business Profile. Go to Google Business or search for your business on Google Maps and click on “Manage business profile”. Then go through each tab and fill in any blank fields. Be specific about your services. Don’t just write “painting”, but also “interior painting”, “exterior painting”, “wood rot repair” and “wallpapering”. The more specific you are, the more search queries you’ll match.

Upload photos. Lots of photos. Photos of your work, of your van, of your tools, of your team if you have one. Google itself says that businesses with over 100 photos get significantly more interaction. You don't need to have 100 straight away, but start with 10 to 20 good photos and add a few each week.

1. Post your first Google Post. Write about a recent job, share a tip relevant to your customers, or announce something. It doesn't need to be a novel. Three to four sentences with a photo will suffice. But do it regularly. At least once a week is ideal. This sends an active signal to both Google and AI that your business is alive.

And finally: take a look at the Q&A section on your profile. Are there any unanswered questions? Answer them. If there aren’t any questions, ask some yourself (yes, you can do that) and answer them. Think of questions your customers often ask: “Do you work at weekends?”, “Do you offer a guarantee?”, “How soon can you start?”

If you do all this, you'll have a profile within a week that's ready to be recommended by AI. And that's exactly the point. Your competitors aren't doing this yet. Most local business owners have no idea their profile is now being read by AI. That's your advantage. But only if you do something about it.

Frequently asked questions about Google Business Profile and AI