Latest / The Local Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Small Business, Google Maps, and Local SEO / How a Vintage Shop Uses Google Maps Attributes to Attract Local Shoppers
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, have you ever opened Google Maps, searched for something like 'vintage mid-century sofa', and seen a listing that just says 'Furniture Store'? Luna: All the time. And I immediately scroll past because I have no idea if they actually carry what I want. Lucas: Right. That's the gap most small businesses leave open. And it's a shame because Google gives you a tool that's almost custom-built to solve it — attributes. Luna: Attributes. Like the little tags under a listing — 'women-owned', 'pet-friendly', 'free Wi-Fi'? Lucas: Exactly. But most businesses treat them as an afterthought. They check two or three defaults and move on. I want to talk about a shop that did the opposite — a vintage furniture store in Portland called RetroFit. Luna: RetroFit — I've actually heard of them. They have that bright turquoise storefront on Alberta Street. Lucas: That's the one. So last fall, their owner, a woman named Jenna, decided to go deep on attributes. She sat down with her team and listed every single thing a customer might care about before walking in. Not just 'furniture store' — but 'mid-century modern', 'vintage', 'eco-friendly', 'handmade', 'locally owned', 'pet-friendly', 'family-friendly', 'appointment available', 'curbside pickup', 'women-owned', 'lgbtq friendly', 'wheelchair accessible', 'free parking', and 'credit cards accepted'. Luna: Fourteen attributes. That's a lot. Lucas: It is. And she told me she was nervous it would look spammy. But here's the thing — attributes aren't keywords in the spam sense. They're structured data. You're not writing sentences. You're checking boxes that Google already defined. So the risk of over-optimization is basically zero. Luna: And what happened after she added them? Lucas: Over the next three months, RetroFit's Google Business Profile views went up 22 percent compared to the previous quarter. More importantly, direction requests — people asking Google how to get to the store — increased 18 percent. Jenna said the biggest change she noticed was the type of customer. Fewer tire-kickers, more people who walked in already knowing they wanted mid-century or eco-friendly pieces. Luna: So attributes act as a pre-filter. They save the business owner from explaining the basics to every single person who walks in. Lucas: Exactly. And there's data that backs this up beyond one shop. A local SEO study from early 2025 looked at 10,000 Google Business Profiles across the US. They found that profiles with 10 or more attributes received 40 percent more direction requests on average than profiles with fewer than three. Luna: Forty percent. That's not a marginal gain. Lucas: No. And the effect was even stronger for retail and hospitality — businesses where the customer's intent matters before they arrive. A restaurant that checks 'vegan options', 'outdoor seating', and 'family-friendly' is going to get a different, more satisfied crowd than one that just says 'restaurant'. Luna: I want to ask about the ones that are easy to miss. Like 'women-owned' or 'lgbtq friendly'. Some owners might not think to add those, or they might worry it's divisive. Lucas: Jenna told me she almost didn't check 'lgbtq friendly' because she thought it was obvious from their vibe. But then a customer mentioned they chose RetroFit specifically because they saw that attribute. It signaled safety and welcome. So it matters. And Google doesn't penalize you for having them — it's simply a signal. Luna: What are the most common attributes that businesses forget? Lucas: Based on what I've seen, 'appointment required' or 'appointment available' is a big one. If you're a shop that takes walk-ins but also books consultations, having that attribute clears up confusion. Another is 'curbside pickup' — lots of retailers added it during the pandemic but then removed it. If you still offer it, keep it. And 'free parking' is huge for urban stores. People will skip a listing if they think they'll have to hunt for a spot. Luna: What about the ones that are negative? Like 'limited street parking' — does Google allow that? Lucas: Google does have some negative attributes — 'paid parking', 'limited street parking' — but they're less common. I'd say use them if they're true, because honesty builds trust. But the majority of attributes are positive descriptors. They're there to help you tell your story. Luna: Okay, so for a business owner listening right now, what's the first step? Do they just go into their Google Business Profile and start checking boxes? Lucas: Pretty much. But I'd recommend a quick audit first. Open your profile, look under the 'Info' tab, and scroll down to 'Attributes'. Google will show you a default list based on your primary category. For a furniture store, you'll see things like 'vintage', 'mid-century', 'eco-friendly'. But don't stop there. Click 'See all attributes' — there are dozens. Go through each one and ask: does this apply to us? If yes, check it. Luna: And if an attribute isn't available that you think should be? Like 'sustainably sourced' or 'local artisans'? Lucas: You can't add custom attributes — Google controls the list. But you can use other fields to convey that information. For instance, you can add 'sustainably sourced' in your description, or use Google Posts to highlight a local artisan collection. Attributes aren't the only tool, but they're the most structured. Luna: Let's talk about the risk of overdoing it. Is there any downside to checking every single attribute that even remotely applies? Lucas: I haven't seen a penalty, but there's a practical downside: inaccurate attributes create unhappy customers. If you check 'wheelchair accessible' but your entrance has a step, that's a real problem. So be truthful. Also, if you check both 'family-friendly' and 'adult-focused', you're sending a confused signal. Stick to what genuinely describes your business today. Luna: Makes sense. So the takeaway is: attributes are free, they take 15 minutes to set up, and they can measurably increase the quality and quantity of your foot traffic. Lucas: Exactly. And I'd add one more thing: attributes are one of the few elements on your profile that Google doesn't let users edit. Reviews can be gamed, photos can be uploaded by anyone — but attributes are set by the owner. So they're a reliable signal for both Google's algorithm and for customers. Luna: That's a good point. It's like you're speaking directly to Google's understanding of your business. Lucas: You are. And it costs nothing. Which brings me to something I've been thinking about — it's funny how the smallest changes often have the biggest impact. And honestly, if today's episode was worth a coffee to you, that's the link — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Just a way to keep these conversations ad-free and focused on practical stuff like this. Luna: Yeah, I love that it's a tiny gesture that really adds up. And it keeps us independent, so we can keep digging into exactly this kind of detail. Lucas: Exactly. So back to attributes — if you own a local business, this week, open your Google Business Profile and spend 15 minutes on attributes. Check the ones that fit. Remove any that are outdated. See if it changes who walks through your door. Luna: And if you're a customer, next time you search on Maps, notice the attributes. They're telling you a lot. Lucas: They really are. Alright, that's it for this episode of The Local Marketing Podcast. We'll be back with another angle next week.