The main catch is that Google Analytics only keeps this data for six months and combines all your locations into one view, so it is worth setting up now and keeping your own records alongside it.
What actually changed
Until now, Google Analytics could only see your Business Profile through UTM tags on your profile links, and those mostly caught website clicks. Every off-site action, like a phone call or a request for directions, was invisible. The native link fixes that. Once connected, a dedicated Google Business Profile collection appears in your reports, pulling in seven metrics from Search and Maps. For local SEO teams, this means the work you put into your local SEO audit can finally be measured beside your site performance.
| Metric in GA4 | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Interactions | Total engagements with your profile across Search and Maps |
| Website clicks | Visits to your site from the profile |
| Calls | Taps on the call button |
| Directions | Requests for directions to your location |
| Messages | Chat messages started from the profile |
| Bookings | Appointments booked through the profile |
| Menus | Views of your listed menu |
One quirk to expect. Analytics shows all seven metrics whatever your business type, so a solicitor may see an empty menus row. That is normal, not a fault.
How to set it up properly
Do not rush to connect a messy account. Tidy your measurement first, because plugging a new source into a cluttered property just creates noise. If your events are not in order, sort out the key events report in GA4 and check your wider GA4 event strategy before you link anything.
When you are ready, check the permissions. You need Editor or Administrator access on the GA4 property and Owner or Manager access on the Business Profile. Then go to Admin, open Product links, choose Google Business Profile links, and follow the prompts. Before you confirm, give your profile a once-over. Make sure your name, address, phone number, opening hours, services, and photos are accurate, because this is exactly where solid technical SEO expertise and clean local data earn their keep. After linking, allow a day or two for the data to start flowing.
Know the limits before you rely on it
This is a quality-of-life upgrade, not a new measurement model. Three limits matter. Analytics keeps Business Profile data for six months only, so export anything you want for longer-term benchmarking. The data is aggregated across all linked profiles, so multi-location brands cannot yet break it down by store inside GA4. And you cannot segment or customise these metrics the way you can with the rest of your Analytics data. The Business Profile dashboard still covers review trends, photo performance, and per-location detail, so keep using it for those.
What to do with the data
Picture a Bristol dental practice. After linking, it sees plenty of calls from the profile but few website clicks, which tells you a big share of enquiries never touches the site. If each new patient is worth several hundred pounds, that call volume suddenly looks like a serious channel worth protecting. You can also run a quick test. Add fresh photos or push for more reviews, then watch whether calls and direction requests lift in response.
Used well, this brings local activity into the same view as everything else, which makes proving value far easier. Pair it with GA4 for lead generation and the kind of dashboards stakeholders actually use, and your reporting tells one story instead of two. It also strengthens measuring SEO ROI for local work, supports your broader local SEO services, and, where you run paid campaigns, helps you see how local search and ads feed each other. A short full audit of your setup will tell you whether everything is tracking as it should, and as discovery shifts toward AI, it dovetails with generative engine optimisation support.
Frequently asked questions
How do I link Google Business Profile to Google Analytics?
In your GA4 property, go to Admin, open Product links, select Google Business Profile links, then follow the prompts to choose and confirm the profiles you manage.
What permissions do I need?
You need Editor or Administrator access on the GA4 property and Owner or Manager access on the Business Profile you are linking.
How long does Google Analytics keep Business Profile data?
Six months. Older activity will not show even if your Analytics date range goes back further, so export anything you want to keep.
Can I see each location separately in GA4?
Not yet. GA4 combines all linked profiles into one view, so use the Business Profile dashboard for location-level detail.
Get your local measurement working harder
If you rely on local search for enquiries, this is worth setting up properly rather than half doing it. Speak to the Totally Digital team and we will get your Business Profile and GA4 linked, your tracking clean, and your reporting telling the full story of how local discovery turns into real customers. Book a free consultation to get started. You can also read Search Engine Journal’s overview of the integration for more background.