Here’s something that surprises a lot of Memphis business owners: your Google Business Profile might be actively working against you right now — even if you didn’t set it up wrong on purpose.
Between outdated information pushed in by third-party data sources, photos uploaded by customers you didn’t approve, questions left unanswered for months, and a listing that hasn’t been touched since it was first claimed, most Memphis businesses have a GBP that falls somewhere between “not helping” and “actively losing customers.”
This post walks you through the most common GBP problems we see from Memphis businesses — and exactly how to fix them.
What Is a Google Business Profile and Why Does It Matter So Much?
Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is what appears in Google Search and Google Maps when someone searches for your business or for a business like yours. It shows your name, address, phone number, hours, photos, reviews, and services — and for most searchers, it’s the very first impression your business makes.
In a city the size of Memphis, where a single Google search for “restaurants near Wolfchase” or “dentist Germantown TN” returns dozens of options, your GBP is often the thing that determines whether a potential customer calls you or your competitor. And most businesses are leaving it on autopilot.
The gap between a complete and an incomplete Google Business Profile isn’t cosmetic — it’s revenue. Businesses with a fully optimized profile get 7x more clicks and 70% more in-store visits than those with incomplete listings, according to Google Business Profile data compiled by Searchlab (2026). If your profile is half-finished, you’re handing that traffic to a competitor.
The gap between a complete and an incomplete Google Business Profile isn’t cosmetic — it’s revenue. Businesses with a fully optimized profile get 7x more clicks and 70% more in-store visits than those with incomplete listings, according to Google Business Profile data compiled by Searchlab (2026). If your profile is half-finished, you’re handing that traffic to a competitor.
5 Google Business Profile Problems That Are Costing Memphis Businesses Customers
Problem 1: Wrong or Outdated Information
This is the most common — and most damaging — GBP issue we see. Business hours that haven’t been updated since before a schedule change. An old address from when you moved locations. A phone number that goes to a line you don’t actively monitor. Every piece of wrong information is a potential customer lost.
Google also pulls business information from third-party data sources like Yelp and data aggregators — and that information isn’t always accurate. You need to actively monitor your profile to catch and correct unauthorized changes.
Problem 2: No Photos, or Only Old Photos
Google reports that businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for driving directions and 35% more website clicks than businesses without photos. Yet most Memphis GBPs either have no photos, or photos that are years old and don’t reflect the current business.
Upload recent, high-quality photos of your exterior, interior, team, products, and work. Update them regularly. Google rewards active profiles.
Problem 3: Unanswered Reviews
Both positive and negative reviews left unanswered send a signal to potential customers: this business isn’t paying attention. Responding to reviews — thanking positive reviewers, professionally addressing negative ones — shows that you’re engaged and that you care about customer experience. It’s also a ranking factor.
Problem 4: Wrong Business Category
Your primary business category is one of the strongest ranking signals in your GBP. If you’re a family dental practice but your category is set to “Dentist” instead of “Family Dentist” or “Cosmetic Dentist,” you’re missing relevant searches. Research which categories your top-ranking Memphis competitors use and optimize accordingly.
Problem 5: No Posts, No Activity
Google GBP Posts are short updates — offers, announcements, events, new products — that appear directly on your listing. Posting regularly signals to Google that your business is active. Businesses that post consistently are rewarded with better visibility over businesses that haven’t touched their profile in months.
How to Audit Your Memphis Google Business Profile in 10 Minutes
Search for your business on Google and look at your profile as a customer would
Check that your name, address, and phone number are exactly correct
Verify your hours — including holiday hours if applicable
Count your photos and check when the most recent ones were added
Read through your last 10 reviews and check if any are unanswered
Look at your business categories and ask whether they match your most profitable services
Check your “From the Owner” description for Memphis-specific keywords
Look at your Q&A section — are common questions answered?
Check when you last published a Post
The Bigger Picture: GBP Is Your Most Powerful Free Marketing Tool
A fully optimized, actively managed Google Business Profile can put your Memphis business at the top of local search results without spending a single dollar on ads. But it requires ongoing attention — not a one-time setup.
That’s where most Memphis businesses fall short. They claim the profile, fill out the basics, and forget about it. Meanwhile, a competitor who’s actively managing theirs is showing up first, capturing the clicks, and building a growing review advantage that compounds every month.
Big River Digital actively manages Google Business Profiles for Memphis businesses — optimization, posts, review monitoring, photo updates, and reporting. If you’d like to know exactly where your profile stands, book a free GBP audit below.
Get a Free Google Business Profile Audit. Learn more: Google Business Profile management, GBP optimization checklist, and Free SEO audit.
Sources
Searchlab — Google Business Profile Statistics 2026