Latest / The Local Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Small Business, Google Maps, and Local SEO / How a Bike Shop Uses Google Maps Attributes to Win Cyclists
Transcript
- Lucas: You ever notice when you search for a bike shop on Google Maps, some listings show little icons like 'women-led' or 'free Wi-Fi'? Those aren't decorative. Luna: Right, those are Google Business Profile attributes. I think a lot of business owners ignore them or fill them out randomly. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a missed opportunity. I want to talk today about a bike shop in Portland called 'Cycle Portland'. They saw a 40% increase in calls and a 25% uptick in store visits just by optimizing their attributes. Luna: Forty percent? That's huge. What did they actually change? Lucas: So, before they had the basics — 'bike shop', 'bicycle repair' — that's it. Then they went through Google's attribute list, which has over a hundred possible options depending on your category, and they checked off things that actually mattered to their ideal customer. Luna: Like what? Lucas: They checked 'women-led' because one of the co-owners is a woman and they wanted to signal inclusivity to female cyclists. They checked 'LGBTQ+ friendly', 'free Wi-Fi', 'repair services', 'bike parking', and 'appointment required for repairs'. Luna: So basically they told Google exactly what they offer and what vibe they have. And Google rewards that with better visibility? Lucas: That's the theory. Google's algorithm uses attributes as relevance signals. If someone searches 'women-led bike repair Portland', and Cycle Portland has that attribute checked, they're more likely to appear. It's like adding keywords to your profile, but structured. Luna: I've seen studies that say businesses with complete profiles — attributes included — get 30% more clicks. But the attributes specifically might be even more impactful for niche searches. Lucas: Right. And what's interesting is that Google surfaces attributes in search results now — you'll see a little tag under the business name saying 'Women-led' or 'LGBTQ+ friendly'. That builds trust before a customer even clicks. Luna: Cycle Portland also started using seasonal attributes, didn't they? I remember seeing something about 'winter hours' or 'holiday services'. Lucas: Yes, that's another smart move. They added 'winter repair specials' as a Google Post, but also updated attributes like 'curbside pickup' during COVID, and kept 'appointment required' even after. It's about keeping the profile fresh. Luna: So how does a small business owner even find these attributes? Because I've checked my own Google Business Profile and the options aren't always obvious. Lucas: You have to go into your Google Business Profile dashboard, click 'Info', then scroll down to 'Attributes'. Google only shows attributes relevant to your primary category. So if you're a bike shop, you'll see 'bike repair', 'bike parking', 'women-led' — but you won't see 'outdoor seating' because that's for restaurants. Luna: That makes sense. But what if you're a bike shop that also sells coffee? Can you have both categories? Lucas: You can have multiple categories, and then you get attributes from each. So a bike shop with a cafe could have 'outdoor seating' and 'bike parking' and 'free Wi-Fi'. But Google recommends keeping your primary category as your main business type. Luna: Got it. Now, what about the attribute 'appointment required'? That can actually deter people if they prefer walk-ins, right? So you need to be strategic. Lucas: Exactly. Cycle Portland decided they wanted to reduce walk-in repair drop-offs because they were overwhelmed. So they turned on 'appointment required for repairs' and it actually improved customer satisfaction because people expected to book ahead. Luna: So it's not just about ranking — it's about managing expectations and converting the right customers. That's a double win. Lucas: Right. And there's another layer: attributes can be used in Google's local search filters. If someone filters by 'women-led' or 'LGBTQ+ friendly', businesses without those attributes get excluded entirely. Luna: That's a big deal. If you're a business that qualifies but you haven't checked the box, you're invisible to that audience. Lucas: Exactly. And the data backs it up. According to a 2025 study by BrightLocal, businesses with at least 10 attributes filled out saw a 20% higher click-through rate from search results compared to those with fewer than 5. Luna: So the takeaway is: go through every single attribute Google offers for your category and check the ones that honestly apply. Lucas: Yes. And don't stop there. Review them quarterly. If you add a new service — say, you start selling electric bikes — check 'electric bike repair' or 'ebike rental'. Luna: I want to bring up one more thing: attributes like 'free Wi-Fi' or 'gender-neutral restroom' might seem trivial, but they matter to specific audiences. And those audiences will travel further for a business that signals inclusion. Lucas: Absolutely. And if today's episode gave you a concrete action to take — like going into your Google Business Profile and checking a few attributes — that's the kind of value we want to deliver. Luna: Yeah, and if that kind of practical marketing help is useful to you, the way we keep these episodes ad-free and focused is through listener support. Lucas: That's right. So if you've gotten something out of this conversation, you can buy us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It helps us keep doing deep dives like this. Luna: Exactly. No pressure, just if you find it valuable. Now, back to attributes — one more thing I want to ask: what about businesses that don't have a physical storefront? Like service-area businesses? Lucas: Great question. Service-area businesses — plumbers, electricians, dog walkers — they still have attributes. They can set their service area and check things like 'emergency service', 'licensed', 'insured', 'free estimates'. Those are powerful trust signals. Luna: And they also can use 'online estimates' if they offer that. That's a big one for conversion. Lucas: Exactly. So if you're a plumber and you check 'emergency service' and 'licensed', you're more likely to show up when someone searches 'emergency plumber near me'. Luna: I think the key insight here is that attributes are a free, low-effort way to signal relevance and trust. It takes 10 minutes to fill them out, but the payoff can be huge. Lucas: And it's not just about Google — attributes also show up on third-party sites that pull Google data, like Apple Maps or Yelp, though Yelp has its own system. Luna: Right. So it's a one-time investment that multiplies your visibility across platforms. Lucas: Cycle Portland also added attributes like 'by appointment only' which might seem negative, but it helped them manage capacity and actually improved their Google rating because customers weren't frustrated by long waits. Luna: That's a smart trade-off. So the lesson is: attributes aren't just checkboxes — they're part of your customer experience strategy. Lucas: Exactly. And if you're a business that's been neglecting your Google Business Profile, start with the attributes. It's one of the quickest wins in local SEO. Luna: Alright, I'm going to go check my own profile right after this. Great episode. Lucas: Same here. Thanks, Luna. And for everyone listening, we'll be back next time with another local marketing deep dive.