Local food service businesses with menus and local merchants with product catalogs can display them on Google Business Profile (GBP) to increase engagement and attract more local customers.
Whether you're optimizing Google Business Profile for a restaurant and want to highlight your dishes or managing GBP for a retailer and want to showcase your available products, having an accurate and up-to-date menu or product catalog can go a long way towards driving local business.
Why Should You Add a Product Catalog or Menu to Google Business Profile?
Hungry diners looking for nearby restaurants online are more likely to choose a restaurant with an online menu that they can check out beforehand.
Similarly, people searching for specific products online are more likely to visit a nearby store when they know it has the products they're looking for in stock.
By showcasing your menu or products directly on your GBP listing, you make it easier for potential customers to see exactly what you have to offer, leading to higher chances of them choosing your business over competitors in local search.
How To Add a Menu to Google Business Profile (+FAQs)
Any food and drink business can add a menu to its Google Business Profile listing using Google's Menu Editor feature. Here's how:
- Log in to Google Business Profile and select the "Edit menu" option
- Add each menu item individually, along with its description and price
- Group menu items into organized sections (e.g., appetizers, main courses, beverages, etc.)
As an alternative to following the steps above, you may be able to have Google create a menu for you from a photo of your menu, using its generative AI.
To do so, go to "Photos of menu" from the "Edit menu" section of your Business Profile, select a photo of your menu, then choose the "Generate menu" option.
Make sure to review the Google Business Profile menu content afterwards to ensure it is complete and accurate.
Keep in mind that this feature may not be available for all users, so if you don't see it, you'll have to manually add menu items following the steps outlined above.
What if You Don't See an Option To Add Menu Items To Google Business Profile?
The option to add a menu to Google Business Profile only appears for businesses with certain primary categories selected. These include restaurants, bars, cafes, and clubs.
If your business falls into one of those categories, but you don't see an option to add menu items to your Google Business Profile, double-check that your primary category is the best one for your business.
If your primary category is right, don't change it to try and make a menu option appear, as this could negatively impact your local SEO.
Instead, you could upload a link to your menu on your business website, or upload photos of the menu.
How Long Does It Take for My Google Business Profile Menu to Update?
According to Google, changes to menu items may take up to 24 to 48 hours to appear in your GBP listing on Google Search and Google Maps.
Should I Add Photos of Menu Items To Google Business Profile?
In addition to adding descriptions and pricing for menu items, it's a good idea to upload high-quality photos of them, as well.
Photos are one of the top ways to boost user engagement with your Google Business Profile, and can help entice hungry or thirsty customers to choose your business even more than a menu on its own.
How To Add Products To Google Business Profile (+FAQs)
Small and medium-sized local retail businesses in most categories can display products on their Google Business Profile listings, showcasing inventory that's currently available in their stores to attract more in-person business. Here are the steps to follow:
- Sign in to your Google Business Profile and go to the "Products" section
- Select "Add product" or "Edit products"
- Fill out all the required fields to add a new product to your Google Business Profile catalog
Before you finish adding a product to your Google Business Profile, you can click "See it on Google" to get a preview of how it will look to customers.
How Long Does It Take for Products To Appear on Google Business Profile?
Google states that recently added products should appear on your listing in just a few minutes. If you don't see them right away, wait a little bit and try refreshing the page.
Are There Any Products Not Allowed on Google Business Profile?
Google does not permit users to list products in certain highly regulated verticals on their Google Business Profiles. These include alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical products, as well as some unapproved supplements and health-related or medical devices.
Trying to add a banned product to your Google Business Profile catalog can result in the whole catalog getting removed, so make sure to review Google's Shopping Ads Policy to avoid any issues.
Should I Add Photos of Products To Google Business Profile?
When you add products to Google Business Profile, it's a good idea to upload some high-quality photos of the products as well.
High-quality photos of products can help optimize a retail store's Google Business Profile listing, improving engagement and enticing shoppers to pay the business a visit.
Wrapping Up
Displaying a Google Business Profile menu or product catalog can significantly enhance the quality of your profile, contributing to visibility and engagement in local search and ultimately attracting more customers to your business.
By following the steps for adding products or menu items to GBP outlined in this guide, you can ensure that potential customers searching for restaurant or retail businesses like yours have all the information they need to choose your business over its competitors.
Make sure to keep your menu or product catalog up to date whenever anything changes, continue to add more high-quality photos, and make the most of Google Business Profile's other features to maximize your local SEO efforts and drive more traffic to your business.