Business growth
How to See What Customers Searched to Find Your Business on Google (and Use It)
Google Business Profile shows the actual search terms people used before finding your profile on Google Search and Maps. Learn where to find them on mobile and desktop, how to read monthly counts and "<15" values, spot new opportunities and wrong traffic, and turn search terms into better categories, services, posts, website pages and review requests.
By Chamko Research Team Updated 5 min read
Quick answer
Open your Business Profile (search your business name on Google while signed in, or use Google Maps), go to Performance, and scroll to Searches or "Searches showing your profile". You'll see the terms people typed, with monthly counts. Look for three things: terms that bring many views but few calls (fix relevance), useful terms with low counts (add services, posts and pages for them), and irrelevant terms (tighten your category and description). Review it every month.
Quick answer: Open your Business Profile (search your business name on Google while signed in, or use Google Maps), go to Performance, and scroll to Searches or "Searches showing your profile". You'll see the terms people typed, with monthly counts. Look for three things: terms that bring many views but few calls (fix relevance), useful terms with low counts (add services, posts and pages for them), and irrelevant terms (tighten your category and description). Review it every month.
The search terms report is one of the most useful and least used features of Google Business Profile. It tells you exactly how customers describe what they want.
Where to find search terms
On a phone
- Open Google Maps or search your business name in the Google app while signed in.
- Tap your profile's management panel.
- Tap Performance.
- Scroll to Searches (or "How people searched for you").
On a computer
- Search your business name on Google while signed in.
- In the management panel, click Performance.
- Select the Search tab or scroll to Searches breakdown.
Choose the month or date range you want (performance insights explained).
How to read the report
- Each row is a search term, such as "dentist near me", "root canal treatment" or your brand name.
- The number is how many times your profile appeared for that term that month.
- Small numbers may show as "<15" to protect privacy.
- Terms are grouped, and spellings and languages vary.
If the section is empty or missing data, see performance data missing.
Three types of terms
1. Brand searches
Your business name, misspellings or the owner's name. These show awareness and word of mouth (misspelled names).
2. Category searches
"Bakery near me", "AC repair", "pharmacy open now". These are discovery searches from people who don't know you yet.
3. Specific service or product searches
"Eggless cake", "inverter battery replacement", "bridal mehendi". These signal strong intent (category vs service keywords).
Turning terms into action
Terms you want more of
If "eggless birthday cake" appears with a small count, you're barely visible for it. Add it as a product, write a post about it, mention it naturally in your description and add a website page (products and services, where to add keywords).
Terms that bring the wrong people
If "laptop repair" brings views but you only repair phones, check your categories and services, and clarify your description (wrong enquiries).
Local-language and Hinglish terms
You may see "dawai ki dukan", "mithai shop" or transliterated words. Use those naturally in posts and replies (Hinglish keywords, voice search).
Area and landmark terms
Terms like "near railway station" or a locality name show where demand comes from (near landmark searches).
Encourage reviews that match search terms
When customers naturally mention the service they used ("my AC gas refilling was quick"), reviews reinforce relevance. Ask them to describe their experience, without scripting keywords (keywords in reviews).
Track month by month
Create a simple sheet with your top 15 terms and monthly counts. Look for:
- Growth after adding services or posts.
- Seasonal patterns (AC repair in April, sweets before Diwali).
- Drops that may signal ranking issues (views dropped).
Combine with other data
- Google Search Console shows terms for your website (Search Console for local business).
- Google Trends shows seasonal interest (Google Trends).
- Ask customers what they searched.
Limits of the report
- It shows impressions, not clicks or calls.
- Small numbers are hidden.
- Some terms are grouped or simplified.
- It doesn't show your ranking position (check your ranking).
Example: a bakery
A bakery's report showed "eggless cake near me" growing each month, but its profile never mentioned eggless cakes. After adding eggless products with photos and posting about them, the term's count doubled and eggless orders increased.
Example: a mobile shop
A mobile shop saw many views for "laptop repair". It removed an irrelevant secondary category and stated "mobile phones only" in its description. Irrelevant calls dropped and views for "mobile screen replacement" rose.
Checklist
- Open Performance → Searches monthly
- Separate brand, category and service terms
- Add services, products and posts for valuable terms
- Fix categories for irrelevant terms
- Note local-language terms
- Track top terms in a sheet
Key takeaways
- Search terms show exactly how customers describe their needs.
- Use them to add services, posts and pages.
- Irrelevant terms point to category or description problems.
Sources and further reading
- Google Business Profile Help — performance reports: support.google.com/business
- Local keyword research
Search terms by business type
What you'll typically see, and what to do:
- Restaurants: dish names ("biryani", "momos"), "family restaurant", "pure veg". Add dishes to your menu and photos for each.
- Clinics: symptoms and treatments ("tooth pain", "skin allergy doctor"). Add treatments as services with simple explanations.
- Salons: "bridal makeup", "hair spa", "men's haircut". List each service with prices.
- Retail: brand and product names ("Samsung service", "school shoes"). Add top products with photos.
- Home services: urgent terms ("plumber near me", "AC not cooling"). Highlight response time and service areas.
Share the report with your team
Show staff the top terms each month. When they know customers search "same-day delivery" or "eggless cake", they mention those words in conversations, WhatsApp replies and review requests, which makes your whole business more relevant to what people want.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I see search terms?
Performance → Searches in your Business Profile.
Why does it say "<15"?
Small counts are hidden for privacy.
Do search terms show clicks?
No — they show how often your profile appeared.
How often should I check?
Monthly.
Can I rank for terms not on my profile?
Sometimes, but adding them as services and posts helps.
Why do I see irrelevant terms?
Broad categories or vague descriptions.