Google Values the “Services” Button Higher in Search Results than Calls or Website URLs
Google has been testing placing the “services” tab as the first action displayed when users interact with when viewing a local listing. This tab offers a quick look into what a business can provide a customer without them needing to navigate a business’s website. A house painter for example could list services such as “fence painting” or other such tasks that are not inherently provided by their business category. For businesses that utilize the services feature on their Google Business Profile (GBP), it provides a large SEO boost, one that Google is looking to emphasize even further.
As Google tries to match user queries with businesses in as few clicks as possible, those that list services often answer user questions without the need for further interaction. The service tab is being seen with such importance that Google is acknowledging that users may gain the information they need from that tab more quickly and efficiently than through calling the business or visiting their website. As such, this test may become a permanent feature of Google, when they see that displaying services first is the best method of connecting users with the type of business they are searching for.
Business which do not populate services on their GBP are missing out on both a point of optimization and will miss some leads entirely. As stated in the house painter example, those who are searching for the more specific and non-business-category of “Fence Painters” will only see the businesses that have specified that service. House Painters who provide that offering but do not list it on their GBP may not rank at all as Google cannot verify it as a business relevant to the user’s query. With this preexisting ranking factor as well as the additional emphasis Google is placing on services with this test, it is a sure sign that all businesses should populate the services section of the GBPs to the best of their abilities.
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