GBP calls are phone calls generated directly from a Google business listing. When an Internet user searches for a business on Google Search or Google Maps, they can click on the “Call” button displayed on the company profile. This seemingly innocuous gesture is a powerful indicator of perceived service quality and the prospect’s intention to buy. For a retailer or self-employed person, every incoming call from the GBP represents an active approach on the part of the potential customer, far more engaging than a simple visit to a website. Managing calls from Google Business Profile therefore deserves strategic attention, as it lies at the crossroads of customer service, telephone marketing and digital reputation. In fact, Google has changed its policy by removing call history and chat from profiles, forcing professionals to rethink their approach to local telephone communication. Understanding how these calls work and their role in the customer journey has become essential for any company wishing to turn its visibility into sales.
Defining GBP calls and their role in a business
A GBP call is a phone call initiated by a user clicking on the phone number displayed on a Google Business Profile. This “Call” button appears on the listing when it is displayed in Google search results, in the Local Pack (the three highlighted local results) or on Google Maps. The term “GBP” here refers to Google Business Profile, not to the British pound. This clarification is useful, as confusion exists, especially in an international context where the abbreviation is widely circulated.
In concrete terms, when a plumber in Bordeaux or a baker in Nantes correctly enters his telephone number on his listing, Google prominently displays this number. One click is all it takes to initiate the call from a smartphone. This mechanism shortens the customer journey considerably. The prospect goes from searching to making contact in a single action, without having to look up a number on a website or directory.
Google keeps track of these interactions. Until recently, a dashboard in GBP tracked the number of calls received via the listing. Google has now abandoned the chat and call history features in the listing, forcing professionals to use third-party tools to measure this data. Nevertheless, the signal remains a key indicator of local performance.
Why phone calls from GBP count for visibility
Phone calls generated from a Google listing are more than just phone calls. They convey a strong signal of engagement in the eyes of Google’s local algorithm. A listing that regularly generates clicks on the call button sends a clear message: this company is responding to a real need, and users are interacting with it. According to a BrightLocal study published in 2023 (“Local Consumer Review Survey 2023”, BrightLocal, https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/), 76% of consumers who perform a local search on their smartphone contact a business within 24 hours. A significant proportion of these contacts use the GBP call button.
This call volume contributes indirectly to local SEO. Google does not officially publish the exact list of its local ranking factors, but Whitespark research (“Local Search Ranking Factors 2023”, Whitespark, https://whitespark.ca/local-search-ranking-factors/) identifies behavioral signals, including clicks on “Call”, “Directions” and “Website”, as factors of increasing influence. A virtual call center or a poorly configured toll-free number can confuse this signal if the number displayed on the card does not correspond to a locally identifiable direct line.
The link between GBP calls, e-reputation and customer trust
A business that picks up the phone quickly, responds with professionalism and deals with the inquiry from the very first call builds its reputation call after call. Telephone communication remains an irreplaceable vector of trust for local businesses. Whether it’s a customer calling a restaurant to check availability of a table, or a patient contacting a physiotherapy practice to find out about available slots, each exchange determines the next stage in the relationship. If the call results in a positive experience, the probability of receiving a favorable review on Google increases significantly.
On the other hand, an unanswered number, a saturated answering machine or a sloppy telephone reception deteriorate the perception of the company. The prospect goes back to Google, clicks on the next competitor and sometimes leaves a negative review such as “Unable to reach them”. This mechanism directly links call handling to the average rating displayed on the listing. The social proof built up by customer reviews is partly based on the quality of the telephone interactions that precede them. Technical support or after-sales service accessible by telephone reinforces this positive dynamic.
Services listed on the GBP card and opening hours play a complementary role. Internet users who see consistent opening times and a precise description of services are more inclined to call, as they perceive an organized and reliable establishment.
Interaction between GBP calls and Google local listings
The phone number entered on the Google Business Profile must match the company’s main number, the one that appears on the website, directories and communication materials. This consistency, known as “NAP consistency” (Name, Address, Phone), is a pillar of local SEO. Even a minor inconsistency between the number displayed on the listing and that shown in the Yellow Pages or on the company website can weaken positioning in the Local Pack.
Google uses interaction data to assess the relevance of a listing. An establishment that receives a steady stream of calls from its listing is interpreted as active and sought-after. This signal complements data from GBP photos, videos and reviews. Google’s deletion of call history in 2024 does not erase this signal from the algorithm. It deprives the record manager of a direct view, but the search engine continues to record clicks on the call button.
For a franchise network with several outlets, the telephone strategy needs to be thought out on an individual basis. Each outlet should have its own local number, not a centralized one. Google values geographical proximity between telephone number, physical address and declared service area.
Case studies for retailers and self-employed workers
Let’s take the case of a car garage in Toulouse. In his GBP statistics (before deleting the history), the manager notes that 40% of interactions on his form are via the “Call” button. He decided to assign a dedicated telephone receptionist during peak hours (8am-10am and 5pm-7pm). The result: the response rate climbs, requests for quotations multiply and three new 5-star reviews mention “telephone responsiveness”. This boost in reputation improves its ranking in local results for the query “garage auto Toulouse”.
Another situation: a freelance nutrition coach in Lyon. She includes a toll-free number on her profile to facilitate contact. Hesitant prospects are more likely to take the plunge. She uses a call forwarding service that redirects calls to her cell phone during her consultations and to a personalized answering machine outside the special times she has set on her profile. The answering machine message invites you to leave a text message or book an appointment online, avoiding the frustration of an unanswered call.
A florist in Strasbourg, meanwhile, notices that his calls increase by 60% during Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. He adjusts his opening hours accordingly and recruits temporary telephone reinforcements. This anticipation prevents him from losing orders to better-organized competitors. The product display on his GBP card supports this strategy, showing available bouquets even before the call.
Best practices and common mistakes on GBP calls
The first best practice is to check that the number displayed on the card is functional and corresponds to the main number of the establishment. A regular test, once a month, is enough to avoid unpleasant surprises. The second strategic practice is to train all employees likely to pick up the phone in professional telephone greeting techniques. Telephone marketing is not just for large companies with structured call centers. A craftsman who answers clearly, identifies the need and proposes an appointment slot makes as much of an impression as an advertising campaign.
The most common mistake is to display a landline number that is never picked up, or a personal mobile number that systematically switches to voicemail. According to a study by Marchex (“The State of Phone Calls in Local Business”, Marchex, 2022, https://www.marchex.com/resources/), prospects who receive an impersonal answering machine (“Hello, leave a message”) give up 80% of the time. This lack of service quality ruins the efforts invested in optimizing the form.
Another common mistake is using a premium rate number or a non-geolocated number. Google favors local numbers (identifiable area code) for local referencing. An 09 or 08 number may be perceived as less reliable by users and less relevant by the algorithm. The use of practical guides to telephone codes may seem far removed from the subject, but it illustrates a universal principle: the clarity of the number displayed conditions the caller’s confidence, whether the call is local or international.
Future developments and the impact of AI on calls from Google listings
Generative artificial intelligence is transforming the way users interact with search results. AI-generated answers in Google (via AI Overviews, formerly Search Generative Experience) synthesize information from multiple listings, and can direct the user to a direct phone call without even visiting the full listing. This development reinforces the importance of the telephone number as the main gateway to the company.
Voice assistants like Google Assistant are already capable of making calls on behalf of the user (Duplex project, deployed in certain English-speaking markets). If this functionality is extended to the French-speaking market, the quality of telephone reception will take on a new dimension: the calling AI will assess the availability and relevance of the answer to make a recommendation to the user. A lack of technical support on the phone could then directly penalize the listing’s ranking in AI-generated recommendations.
The GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) trend calls on professionals to ensure that all the information in their listing, including phone numbers, opening hours and service descriptions, is structured, up-to-date and consistent. AI-powered search engines draw on this data to build their answers. A wrong number or an incomplete information sheet is tantamount to making yourself invisible in an ecosystem where communication between company and customer takes place in a matter of seconds. Resources detailing telephone codes are a reminder of the extent to which the accuracy of a number determines the success of a call. This precision requirement applies just as much to the number displayed on your Google listing as it does to an international area code.
