Software, Coaching, or Full Service: Which Map Labs Plan Is Best For You?

Your Google Business Profile is the most visible landing page you have. 80% of the views it gets come from non-branded search – people typing “coffee near me,” not your business name. They’re choosing between you and your competition.

It’s also the one result that shows up no matter where the search starts. Google.com, Google Maps, social media, an AI search, a voice assistant – the starting point keeps changing, but the destination doesn’t. People usually end up looking at a Google Business Profile. That makes your GBP the closest thing you have to a single source of truth: the one place worth getting right, because it’s the one place everyone lands.

Google Business Profile is your highest-intent marketing channel, and most teams are leaving it on autopilot.

Map Labs exists to fix that. We’re the #1 Maps Marketing software and service – we help businesses get found on Google and Apple Maps, turn views into calls and visits, and track every bit of it. We do it through three levels of support: Software, Coaching, and Full Service.

Which level of support is right for your business? Read on to find out.


TL;DR: Your Google and Apple Maps profiles are your most visible and durable marketing assets. Map Labs offers three ways to manage, optimize, and measure your business’s growth on Google and Apple Maps:

  • Software – run it yourself with tools built for the job.
  • Coaching – build the skill in-house with expert guidance.
  • Full Service – hand the day-to-day to a dedicated team.

Not sure which one is right for you? Start with a free GBP Analysis, and we’ll discuss where you are and which plan is best for you.


Three ways to work with Map Labs

Managing your Maps presence well takes the right tools, a clear strategy, and consistent execution. How much of that you take on yourself is up to you – and we meet you wherever you are with three levels of service. Some teams want the Software to run it themselves. Some want an expert Coaching them as they build the skills in-house. And some want to hand the execution to a dedicated Full Service team.

Same channel, same goal (more customers), just different levels of support depending on your business’s needs.


Software: You run it, we give you the tools

Our software is proprietary, built specifically for Google and Apple Maps. It’s best for marketers who’ve been through our Coaching program and are ready to manage Maps independently.

Google gives you a basic dashboard and stops there. No protection against unwanted listing edits, no bulk actions across locations, no reporting that ties back to revenue. Our software picks up where Google leaves off – a review assistant that speeds up responses, Listing Defender to stop unwanted profile changes, and performance reports that pull calls, direction requests, and bookings into one place in seconds. For most teams, that reporting alone saves them 5 to 10 hours per profile each month.

Managing multiple locations? The Bulk Features add-on is built to scale with you – roll-up reports that aggregate performance across every location, bulk updates to hours, menus, and photos in one move, and bulk posting that publishes everywhere with a single click. (From $80/mo per profile)

  • Software is the right fit for marketing teams who have completed the Map Labs Coaching program, and are ready to manage the channel independently.

Starting at $45/mo.


Coaching: We teach you how, and you build the skill

Coaching is for the team that wants to run Maps in-house with an expert in their corner while they learn. We give you the strategy, the roadmap, and the answers – you execute, and your team walks away knowing exactly how to grow the channel.

We start by getting you organized and optimized – profiles verified, categories and services dialed in – the fundamentals Google rewards. Then we’ll build and execute a content and review strategy that actually drives results – more calls and visits, more customers. All of this while teaching you how to read the data – performance insights, comparison reports, keyword trends – so you know what’s working and what to do next. Coaching adapts to you and your business’s specific needs; we’ll meet you where you are and go after the biggest opportunities first.

The coaching sessions are yours to shape. Most teams start with a few months of regular meetings, then adjust to a check-in cadence that works for them once they’ve found their footing. There’s no limit on who joins – bring your whole team on the call if they want to become experts too.

  • Coaching is the right fit if you want to own the channel management long-term and build real expertise on your team.

Starting at $250/hr.


Full Service: We handle it all, you get the results

Full Service provides end-to-end management of your Google and Apple Maps marketing, custom-built for your business’s needs. You approve the strategy and direction, and our team handles all execution: setup, verification, optimization, posts, photos, menus, reviews, troubleshooting, and the reporting that ties it all back to revenue. Everything in Software and Coaching is included – you’ve just got a dedicated team of experts doing the work for you.

Full Service is built for teams running Maps across dozens or hundreds of locations – where the bandwidth to manage it all in-house isn’t there. You get a dedicated account manager, specialists working across all your locations, weekly or monthly strategic reviews, and unlimited support whenever you need it.

Most full-service agencies treat Maps as a one-line item on a checklist. We focus on it specifically to bring more customers to your business. Specialists beat generalists, every time – and you’ll always know exactly what we’re doing and why, because we develop the strategy alongside you and keep you in the loop the whole way.

  • Full Service is the right fit if you’re managing Maps across multiple locations, and want an expert team handling the day-to-day execution.

Why your Maps management matters

Think about how people actually find a business now. They’ll search something like “coffee near me.” They check reviews after seeing a TikTok. They ask ChatGPT for the best auto shop in town. Every one of those journeys ends in the same place: your Google or Apple Maps profile. It’s the first impression most customers get, and often the last one before they call, book, or drive over.

It’s also the most visible result on the page. Search almost anything local, and the first thing Google shows isn’t a website – it’s the map pack, the cluster of business profiles sitting right at the top. Your profile appears above the traditional search results, where customers are actually looking, instead of buried in a list your business has to fight its way up.

That makes it different from the rest of your marketing channels. Social platforms come and go – the channel you built an audience on five years ago isn’t the one you’re on today. Maps don’t work like that. Google and Apple have spent two decades mapping the real world, and that profile isn’t going anywhere. Manage it well, and it compounds – it’s less a channel you rent and more an asset you own and build.

And it sits at the center of your marketing ecosystem. When your profile is complete, current, and active, the rest of your marketing works harder – every paid click, every bit of social buzz, every SEO gain points a customer toward a profile that’s ready to convert them. When it’s neglected, that’s where the journey quietly breaks.

Most businesses set up their profile once and never touch it again. The ones that treat it as the asset it is – kept fresh, optimized, and measured – are the ones turning all those views into calls, directions, and revenue.


So… which one is right for you?

It comes down to how much support you want:

  • Software – if you’ve got the time and want to run Maps in-house.
  • Coaching – if you want to build that expertise with an expert guiding you.
  • Full Service – if you’re managing Maps at scale and want a dedicated team to handle the day-to-day execution.

Still not sure?

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to pick perfectly today.

Whether you run it yourself with Software, build the skill with Coaching, or hand it to our team with Full Service, every path starts the same way – by understanding where your Maps presence stands right now.

That’s what the free GBP Analysis is for. We pull up your profiles, show you how many customers Google Maps sent you last year, put a dollar value on that traffic, and give you clear next steps to get more. No cost, no commitment – just a real look at what your most valuable marketing asset is doing for you, and which tier makes sense from there.

Want to see what goes into it first? Our free GBP Masterclass walks through everything GBP management involves – so you know exactly what you’re working with.


Want to know more?

🎥 Watch “What Does Map Labs Do? (Why We’re #1 for Google & Apple Maps Marketing)” below!


Free GBP Analysis: See How Your Maps Profiles Are Performing

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is already at work – generating calls, direction requests, website visits, and bookings. But do you know how many?

Most businesses don’t. They know their profile exists. They see reviews come in. But the actual volume of customers their GBP is sending them (and what they’re worth in revenue) is a number most have never seen.

This number exists. We pull it on every analysis call we do – and it surprises even the most sophisticated marketers. Most businesses have no idea how many customers they are already getting from Google Maps (and how they can easily get even more).


TL;DR: Most businesses are guessing at how their Google Business Profile is performing – and what you don’t know is costing you customers. Map Labs’ free GBP analysis shows you exactly where you stand:

  • 12 months of real performance data
  • Your Maps presence in dollars
  • And a clear path to get more from your GBP

We show you how you’re doing right now. No commitment required.


Your Most Visited Page Isn’t Your Website

Before a customer ever reaches your website, they see your Google Business Profile. It drives clicks, calls, visits, and purchases – often in seconds. 80% of GBP views come from non-branded searches – they search “near me” and decide in that moment where to go.

Here are the facts:

  • Every month in 2025, Google drove more than 2.5 billion direct connections for U.S. businesses – phone calls, messages, bookings, direction requests, and reviews 1.
  • 88% of people who open a Maps listing call or visit within 24 hours.

This is high-intent traffic (people nearby, and ready to buy) landing on your profile every single day.

Most businesses have no idea how many customers they are converting from Maps (or losing). The free Google Business Profile Analysis walks you through exactly what’s currently working and what Map Labs experts would do differently to drive more customers through your doors instantly. 


What’s In the GBP Analysis

In a one-on-one call with a Map Labs expert, we pull up your real data and show you exactly where you stand. No fluff, no pitch decks. Just an honest take on where you’re leaving customers on the table, and what opportunities exist to get more.

You’ll walk away with three things:

  • 12 months of real-world GBP performance – the actual calls, direction requests, website visits, and bookings your profile drove over the last year.
  • The estimated dollar value of your Google Maps presence – what your current visibility is actually worth in revenue terms.
  • Clear next steps to drive more customers – the specific optimizations that will move the needle fastest for your business.

All your data, and a clear picture of where to go next. Use the information with or without Map Labs (though we hope you choose to work with us 😉)


Showing Up Isn’t the Same as Performing

Most businesses assume their GBP is fine. It’s live, it has reviews, and it shows up when someone searches their brand name. But… that’s the bare minimum.

Performing well means showing up for the customers who don’t know you yet. The ones searching “best [your category] near me” – people who are nearby, ready to buy, and about to choose between you and your competitor.

The gap between showing up for your brand name and showing up for new customers is where most businesses are quietly losing. Our GBP analysis shows you exactly how well your profile is performing today, so you know where the real revenue growth opportunities are.


Ready to See Your Numbers?

Map Labs’ free GBP analysis is a one-on-one expert consultation – real data and real recommendations – no commitment required. It’s the fastest way to go from guessing how your Google Maps presence is performing to knowing.


Want to learn how to optimize your profile yourself? Take our 🎓 FREE GBP Masterclass. It walks you through every section of your Google Business Profile step by step – so you know exactly what to improve and why.


Want to know more?

🎥 Watch Google Business Profile is Your New Landing Page‘ below!

  1. https://economicimpact.google/resources/ ↩︎

Free GBP Masterclass: Get More Customers from Google Maps

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is live right now. Customers are finding it, judging it, and choosing between you and a competitor – often in seconds. There’s a big difference between just showing up and standing out, and that gap is costing you customers.

Most businesses set up their profile once and move on. Meanwhile, there are dozens of optimization opportunities sitting untouched – reducing your visibility and leaving potential customers on the table.


TL;DR: Map Labs’ free GBP Masterclass teaches you exactly how Google Business Profile works, what actually moves the needle, and how to turn your profile into your highest-performing marketing asset. No fluff, no guesswork – just the step-by-step strategy we’ve used with 10,000+ businesses.

🎓 Enroll in the FREE Masterclass


What is the GBP Masterclass

Over the last 10 years, the Map Labs team has worked with over 10,000 businesses across a variety of industries – restaurant, automotive, healthcare, real estate, legal, and more – helping them generate more visibility and more customers from Google and Apple Maps.

The GBP Masterclass is built on everything we’ve learned so far – a foundation of proven strategies to help you get more out of your GBP. It covers everything from the basics of your profile to the more advanced features most businesses never touch – each one with a direct and measurable impact on your visibility.


What It Covers

After auditing tens of thousands of Google Business Profiles over the years, we’ve learned exactly where the biggest opportunities are and what gaps show up almost every single time. This Masterclass shows you everything from initial profile setup to fine-tuning optimizations for maximum channel results.

High-level, here’s what you’ll learn:

  • Location Information – Categories, Hours & Attributes

Categories are the single biggest ranking factor on Google Maps – and the most commonly misconfigured. Most businesses set them once and never revisit them. A single unanswered attribute can prevent you from showing up for an entire category of searches – and most businesses don’t know it’s happening.

We’ll show you how to choose the right primary category, when to add additional categories (and when not to), how opening hours affect your rankings, and why completing every attribute matters more than most businesses realize.

  • Menus & Services

This section is often where the most visibility is being left on the table. If your services are incomplete or your menu is outdated, it can directly damage your search performance. If you don’t manage your menu, Google and customers will fill the gaps – and it’ll be wrong.

You’ll learn how to write services that convert users and how Google indexes your menu keywords to determine what searches you show up for.

  • Photos & Posts

Google reads the objects and keywords inside your images. What you upload (and how often) both send signals that affect your visibility.

You’ll learn what content your audience actually wants to see when they land on your profile, and how to drive the engagement signals that move the needle.

  • Reviews

Responding only to negative reviews can actually make them more visible, not less. Responding to every review is a ranking factor, and consistency matters more than volume.

You’ll learn how to build a review strategy that works, and when it makes sense to automate.

  • Analytics

Ranking #1 for an ultra-specific long-tail keyword doesn’t mean you’re getting more customers. Direction requests, phone calls, and bookings are what actually correlate to revenue.

You’ll learn how to stop chasing rankings and start measuring what actually drives business results.


This is just a preview. The full Masterclass covers every section above in detail – with industry-specific best practices for setup, management, and optimization of your Google Business Profile. Each stage of setup and active profile management can make a measurable difference in your visibility.


The Results Look Like This

One restaurant group we worked with increased bookings by over 100% year over year – translating to $900K in incremental revenue tracked directly through their reservation integration. Another client connected a $250K contract back to a single lead from their Google Business Profile.

These aren’t outliers. This is what happens when a profile is fully optimized and actively managed.

Check out the Case Study here: Altamarea Group increased revenue by $907,257.22 at a single location with Map Labs


Ready to Get More Customers From Maps?

The free GBP Masterclass walks through every section of your Google Business Profile step by step – so you know exactly what to optimize and why.

Enroll now and turn your profile into your highest-performing marketing asset.

  • Have us do it with you – or for you.

If you want to take it a step further and have an expert from the Map Labs team look at your specific profile and walk you through exactly where the improvements and opportunities are, book a free GBP analysis. No commitment – use the insights with or without Map Labs.

If you choose to work with us, our professional services team offers coaching and full-service management – we’ll figure out together what’s right for your business.


Want to know more?

🎥 Watch “Why Maps Should Be Your Top Marketing Priority in 2026” below!

Special Hours on Google Business Profile

When a holiday weekend rolls around, your customers are already making plans—and they’re checking Google to see if you’re open. If your hours aren’t accurate, you’re not just missing out on sales; you’re risking bad reviews, broken trust, and lost traffic.

That’s where Google Business Profile’s Special Hours come in. Whether you’re closing for the Fourth of July, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or just changing hours for a one-time event—keeping your hours updated tells Google (and your customers) that your business is active, reliable, and ready.

In this guide, we’ll break down what Special Hours are, why they matter more than most businesses realize, and how to update them quickly; especially if you’re managing multiple locations.

Spoiler: there’s a much faster way than doing it one-by-one.


What are Special Hours?

Special hours on Google Business Profile allow you to specify temporary or exceptional operating hours for your business on specific dates, such as holidays or special events, that differ from your regular hours. These hours override your standard hours for those particular dates and help customers avoid confusion when they expect your business to be open or closed.

You can use special hours to indicate when your business will be open or closed for a short period, like a few hours or up to six consecutive days. Special hours are perfect for marking holidays, special events, or any other occasion where your business operates outside of its normal schedule. Special hours will be displayed on your Google Business Profile instead of your regular hours for the specific dates you’ve set.



Why Special Hours Matter

  • Rank Higher on Google

If there is a holiday coming up in your region, you must update your ‘holiday hours’ even if your hours are not changing for the holiday. This signals to Google that your business is active and has confirmed when you will or will not be open, allowing Google to display your GBP with confidence to consumers. Businesses that do not update their special or holiday hours will appear lower in search results than those that do.

  • Brand Image

Imagine making a reservation and arriving with your whole family, only to find the business is closed. This is not a good look for your brand and is guaranteed to create frustrated potential customers, especially if they have gone out of their way to visit your business. Keeping your special hours up to date ensures customers have accurate information, preventing wasted trips or negative reviews.

  • GBP is More Visible Than Your Website

Today, most customers make decisions directly on Google Maps, without ever clicking through to your website. This means your Google Business Profile is the first and often only touchpoint before someone visits your business. If your hours are out of date on GBP, it doesn’t matter that you updated them on your website—customers will likely not make it there.

  • Turn Interest into Action

Along with updating your special hours, use Google Posts/Updates to share your holiday offers, promotions, or closures. These posts show up directly in your profile and are a great way to communicate your unique offerings to potential customers during the holiday season. Check out these videos on how to use Google Posts!


How to Update Special Hours

Natively on Google Business Profile

On Google Business Profile native, you can set special hours through your Google Business Profile dashboard, typically by navigating to “Edit Profile,” then “Hours,” and then “Special Hours” or “Holiday Hours.”

Step 1: Click the “Edit Profile” tab on the home page of your GBP

Step 2: Click on the “Hours” tab at the top of the page.

This is where you’ll choose how your business hours appear on your Google Business Profile. Pick the option that best describes your current operating status.

Step 3: Set your day-to-day operating hours for each day of the week.

Add “More hours” if applicable

Step 1: Click the “More” Tab

Step 2: Scroll down to “Add more hours”

Set holiday and special hours

Step 1: Click the “More” Tab

Step 2: Scroll down to “Special Hours” and input the date of the holiday, and time you are open


Updating ‘Special Hours’ on Map Labs

Managing a single location?

Our software allows you to update Special Hours with just a few clicks. Visit the “Location Info” tab inside your Map Labs dashboard to easily manage your Regular Hours, More Hours, and Special Hours, all from one central page.

Bulk Updates on Map Labs

Map Labs makes it easy to update hours for a single location, but you can also bulk update dozens or even hundreds of locations in just a few clicks with our proprietary, industry-leading software. This bulk-hours feature is one of our most popular tools, saving time and reducing the chance of errors.

Step 1: Select locations you would like to update

Step 2: Choose what you would like to update in Bulk (in this example, special hours)

Step 3: Add your Special Hours and hit submit!

Whether you’re prepping for a holiday weekend or adjusting for a special event, Map Labs ensures your listings are up-to-date everywhere, all at once.


Get Started with Map Labs

Keeping your Google Business Profile “Special Hours” updated might seem like a small task, but it plays a big role in shaping how customers perceive your business—especially around holidays. In the fast-moving world of Maps Marketing, the details matter. When someone checks your hours and sees that you’re open, available, and reliable, that quick glance can be the difference between gaining a customer or losing them to a competitor.

In 2025, Google Maps isn’t just a navigation tool—it’s one of the most influential decision-making platforms for local commerce. Map Labs is powered by industry-leading proprietary software, built and continuously refined by a full-time, in-house development team dedicated to keeping us at the forefront of Google Maps Marketing. With over a decade of experience, we’re not just the #1 Maps Marketing software and service—we’re experts in a field we helped define.

But we offer more than just a tool. What sets Map Labs apart is our ability to pair powerful software with custom-built strategies, crafted by a team that’s spent 10+ years versed in the nuances of local search.

Did you know…

If your business wants to start leveraging the most powerful marketing channel available today, visit MapLabs.com to get started.


Want to know more? 

🎥 Watch ‘Why Every Business Needs Maps Marketing’ video below!

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