Your Google Business Profile is either attracting or repelling customers

Most bakery and coffee shop owners think of Google as a place people find you.

That’s still true.

But what’s changed is this:

Your Google Business Profile is no longer just discovery. It’s where customers decide.

And now, it’s also where AI pulls information to recommend businesses.

According to the latest State of Google Business Profile 2026 report from Birdeye, that shift is accelerating.

Let’s break down what actually matters for a walk-in business like yours.

The report shows 76% of businesses have verified Google Business Profiles. But that figure represents Birdeye customers who are likely larger, enterprise businesses.

Many small businesses still haven’t done this. In fact, other reports cite only 44% of local GBPs are verified.

And here’s the impact:

So when someone searches “best coffee shop with oat milk near me,” Google favors businesses it trusts.

That’s what verification signals.

Takeaway:
Verification isn’t optional. It’s how you show up when it counts.
Google is King, but this also applies to Yelp, Tripadvisor, Bing, and Facebook.

Google and AI are filtering harder.

You’re being shown less often, but in higher-intent moments.

So when someone finds you now, they’re much closer to ordering ahead or walking in.

Takeaway:
This is about conversion, not visibility.

86% of searches are “near me” or category-based

Customers are not looking for your brand.

They’re choosing between options for a category or menu item.

That means your profile has to answer one question quickly:

“Why this place?”

Takeaway:
You’re winning or losing in a side-by-side comparison.

For the hospitality sector:

All forms of engagement are great. For bakeries and coffee shops, direction requests are the signal to care about.

That means:

“I’m coming right now.”

Website visits are another sign of purchase intent: it can indicate that the customer is ready to order ahead, verify something about your menu, or inquire about catering and custom orders.

Your job is to remove roadblocks at that moment.

This is where things are changing fast.

Google still dominates reviews (77%–90% of all reviews), but now:

Reviews are also feeding AI-powered search results.

When someone searches:

“best croissant near me”
“cozy coffee shop to work from”

Google and AI systems are pulling language from:

So if your reviews say:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

That’s flattering, but it doesn’t help much.

But if they say:

“Best almond croissant I’ve had! Super flaky, great latte, and cozy seating perfect for remote working.”

Now Google understands what you’re known for.

And by replying to reviews, you reinforce that.

Example:

“Thanks for the kind words! We bake our almond croissants fresh every morning and love that you enjoyed the complimentary WiFi and the space. Come back next time to try our kougin-amann. It’s another customer favorite.”

You’re adding context. Keywords. Clarity.

Takeaway:
Detailed reviews + thoughtful replies help Google (and AI) recommend you.

The report found something surprising:

Across all industries, the average profile has less than one photo. So…zero?

To be fair, restaurants and coffee shops do tend to have more.

But here’s the key: Most still don’t have enough.

Go ahead and look at your own profile right now. Are there less than 10 or 20 photos? Are they recent or were they last uploaded two years ago?

Google’s own data shows:

For a walk-in business, this is huge.

People don’t read deeply.

They scan and decide.

Photos (and videos) answer:

Takeaway:
Photos and videos are your best selling tool. They remove uncertainty and actually drive foot traffic.

If you keep this simple, here’s what matters most:

This alone can move the needle.

Don’t just ask for stars.

Prompt for detail:

Your Google Business Profile is doing three jobs now:

And for bakery and coffee shop owners, this is one of the highest-leverage places to focus.

Because when someone searches for food, they’re hungry and ready to choose.