Most local business owners focus on the things they can directly control — completing a GBP profile, collecting reviews, building citations. All important. But there’s a second layer of ranking factors that’s harder to control yet highly influential: real user behaviour signals.
Google increasingly uses data about how people actually interact with your business — whether they click your profile, call, request directions, or come back — as evidence that your business is genuinely relevant and trusted in that area.[^1]
Here’s an honest rating of 8 signals based on real ranking impact — including the most underrated one and the most overrated.
Quick Reference
| Signal | Impact | Score |
|---|---|---|
| CTR from Local Pack | Very High | ⭐ 9.5/10 |
| Phone calls from GBP | Very High | ⭐ 9/10 |
| Direction requests | High | ⭐ 8.5/10 |
| WhatsApp clicks from GBP | High | ⭐ 8.5/10 |
| Website clicks from GBP | High | ⭐ 8/10 |
| Review responses | Very High | ⭐ 9.5/10 |
| GBP photo views | Medium | ⭐ 7/10 |
| Website bounce rate | Medium (Overrated) | ⭐ 5/10 |
Why User Behaviour Signals Matter
Google’s three pillars of local ranking are: Relevance, Distance, and Prominence.[^2] User behaviour signals are the strongest evidence for Prominence — how well-known and trusted your business is in that area.
The straightforward logic: if hundreds of real users click your profile, call you, and request directions every month, that’s a powerful signal your business is genuinely relevant and trusted. These signals are harder to fake than on-page optimisation or citations — so Google weights them significantly.
Signal #1 — CTR from the Local Pack
Impact: Very High | Score: ⭐ 9.5/10
Click-Through Rate from the Local Pack measures how often your GBP gets clicked when it appears in the top three Google Maps results. This is the most direct user behaviour signal — and likely the strongest ranking influence.
Google’s reasoning: if Business A consistently gets more clicks than Business B when both appear for the same search, Business A is more relevant to users and should rank higher.[^1]
Factors that affect Local Pack CTR:
- Rating and review count (visible directly in search results)
- Quality and relevance of the primary profile photo
- How well your business name matches the search intent
- Correct business category
- How complete the information looks in the result snippet (hours, attributes)
How to improve CTR:
- Optimise your primary GBP photo — photos showing actual products/services get more clicks than generic logo images
- Raise your average rating — businesses with 4.5+ ratings receive 28% more clicks than those below 4.0
- Ensure your category is correct — the right category ensures you appear for the most relevant searches
Monitor your CTR in GBP Insights → Performance → compare “Search impressions” vs “Direction clicks + website clicks + calls.” A healthy interaction-to-impressions ratio is above 5%.
Signal #2 — Phone Calls from GBP
Impact: Very High | Score: ⭐ 9/10
The “Call” click from GBP is one of the strongest conversion signals Google monitors. This isn’t just a business metric — it’s proof that your profile drives real action from real users.
For the Indonesian market, phone calls remain a dominant contact channel — particularly for the 35+ age segment that’s more comfortable calling than messaging.[^3]
How to increase calls from GBP:
- Ensure the registered phone number is always active and answered
- Add accurate operating hours so prospective customers know when to call
- Consider adding a second number (e.g., WhatsApp) as an alternative
- Monitor weekly call volume in GBP Insights
Unanswered calls are a double negative signal: a disappointed customer and a missed positive interaction signal. Have an SOP ensuring GBP calls don’t go unanswered.
Signal #3 — Direction Requests
Impact: High | Score: ⭐ 8.5/10
Every time someone taps “Directions” on your GBP, Google records it as evidence that a real user intends to physically visit your location. This is a strong intent signal — stronger than a website visit.
GBP Insights shows this data including the origin of direction requests (from which city or area) — valuable for understanding your actual geographic reach.
How to increase direction requests:
- Ensure your Google Maps pin is accurate and points to your actual entrance
- Include clear exterior photos with visible signage — helps users confirm they’re in the right place
- Mention nearby landmarks in your business description to aid navigation
Signal #4 — WhatsApp / Messaging Clicks from GBP
Impact: High | Score: ⭐ 8.5/10
The GBP Messaging feature that connects to WhatsApp Business is a particularly high-engagement channel in Indonesia — and every message click is an engagement signal recorded by Google.[^3]
Businesses that actively use GBP Messaging earn a “Fast responder” badge that appears directly on the profile — improving both trust and CTR simultaneously.
How to optimise:
- Activate the Messaging feature in GBP and connect it to an active WhatsApp Business number
- Set up an informative auto-reply for outside business hours
- Target a first response time under 1 hour during operating hours
- Monitor the “Fast responder” badge — maintain it once earned
Signal #5 — Website Clicks from GBP
Impact: High | Score: ⭐ 8/10
Every click from GBP to your website signals that a user was interested enough to seek more information. Google monitors this as a relevance and trust indicator.
To maximise the value of this signal, ensure the website that receives these clicks delivers a good experience — fast loading, relevant information, and a clear CTA. Users who click from GBP and immediately bounce (because the website is slow or irrelevant) create a negative signal.
Where should the GBP website URL point?
- Service businesses: link directly to the specific service page
- F&B businesses: link to the menu page
- Clinics: link to the doctor and schedule page
- Not always the homepage
Signal #6 — Review Responses
Impact: Very High | Score: ⭐ 9.5/10 — The Most Underrated Signal
This is the most underrated signal in the entire local SEO ecosystem. Responding to reviews — positive and negative alike — directly signals to Google that your business is active, engaged, and customer-focused.[^1]
BrightLocal (2024) found: businesses that respond to all reviews earn 88% more trust from prospective customers than those that don’t respond.[^4]
From an algorithm perspective: businesses that actively respond to reviews send a consistent activity signal — and Google rewards active businesses.
Response targets:
- New reviews responded to within 24–48 hours
- All positive reviews get personalised thanks (not copy-paste template)
- All negative reviews get a professional response offering a concrete solution
Copy-paste identical responses to all positive reviews is noticed by users and feels hollow. Personalise by referencing something specific from their review.
Signal #7 — GBP Photo Views
Impact: Medium | Score: ⭐ 7/10
GBP Insights shows “Photo Views” — how many times your photos have been viewed compared to similar businesses in your area. While not as powerful as other signals, frequently-viewed photos indicate an engaging, relevant profile.
Businesses with more high-quality photos consistently receive more photo views, which contributes to overall profile engagement and activity signals.
How to increase photo views:
- Upload new photos at least every 2 weeks — recent photos receive broader distribution
- Use well-lit photos with appealing composition
- Include “behind the scenes” and team photos — these typically get higher engagement than generic product shots
Signal #8 — Website Bounce Rate (OVERRATED)
Impact: Medium | Score: ⭐ 5/10 — Don’t Obsess Over This
Bounce rate — the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page — is the most misunderstood metric in SEO, including local SEO.
Why bounce rate is overrated:
-
The definition changed in GA4 — Google Analytics 4 uses “engaged sessions” as its primary metric, which is fundamentally different from Universal Analytics bounce rate. Most cross-platform comparisons are now invalid.
-
Not all bounces are bad — A user who searches for your phone number, finds it, and closes the page after calling is a bounce — but it’s a successful conversion.
-
Correlation isn’t causation — Studies finding correlation between low bounce rate and high rankings don’t prove bounce rate directly influences ranking.
Focus on these instead:
- Engaged session rate in GA4 (over 10 seconds or a CTA click)
- Real conversions: calls, form submissions, WhatsApp clicks
- Pages per session for long informational content
Monitor “Conversion rate” in GA4 — the percentage of sessions that produce a valued interaction (call click, WhatsApp click, form fill). This is far more relevant for local businesses.
Impact vs. Effort Matrix
| Signal | Impact | Effort | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review responses | Very High | Low | 🔴 Start today |
| CTR optimisation (photos + rating) | Very High | Medium | 🔴 Start today |
| Active phone answered | High | Low | 🔴 Start today |
| Active GBP messaging | High | Low | 🔴 Start today |
| Regular photo uploads | Medium | Low | 🟡 This week |
| Direction request optimisation | High | Low | 🟡 This week |
| Website UX improvement | Medium | High | 🟢 This month |
| Stop obsessing over bounce rate | Not needed | — | ✅ Already done |
Action Summary
Week 1 (low effort, high impact):
- Respond to all unresponded reviews
- Set a daily reminder to check and respond to new reviews
- Activate GBP Messaging and connect to active WhatsApp Business
- Ensure the GBP phone number is always answered
Week 2:
- Upload 5–10 new quality photos to GBP
- Check pin location accuracy on Google Maps
- Review your primary profile photo — does it show actual products/services?
- Check GBP Insights — record your baseline for direction clicks, calls, and website clicks
Month 1:
- Optimise mobile website speed (target LCP < 2.5 seconds)
- Ensure the website URL in GBP points to the most relevant page
- Create an SOP for not missing calls from GBP
- Set up Google Analytics 4 if not yet installed
User behaviour signals can’t be directly manufactured — but they can be consistently earned by doing the right things. Businesses that deliver genuinely good real-world experiences naturally generate strong interaction signals.
The easiest thing to do today: respond to every unresponded review. One action that simultaneously improves trust signals, profile activity signals, and your reputation with prospective customers.
Want us to audit all user behaviour signals in your GBP and provide specific improvement recommendations? Free consultation →
References
- Whitespark. (2024). Local Search Ranking Factors. whitespark.ca/local-search-ranking-factors — Expert survey confirming behavioural signals as significant ranking factors.
- Google Support. (2025). How your business ranks on Google. support.google.com/business/answer/7091 — Official Google documentation on the three local ranking factors: relevance, distance, and prominence.
- DataReportal. (2025). Digital 2025: Indonesia. datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-indonesia — Digital communication behaviour data for Indonesian users.
- BrightLocal. (2024). Local Consumer Review Survey 2024. brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey-2024 — Data on how review responses affect consumer trust.
- Moz. (2023). Local Search Ranking Factors. moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors — Analysis of behavioural signals in local search ranking.
User Behaviour Signals and Local SEO — Common Questions
What are user behaviour signals in local SEO?
User behaviour signals are data about how people interact with your business profile and website — clicks from search results, direction requests, phone calls, website visit duration, and so on. Google uses these signals as evidence that your business is genuinely relevant and trusted by real users, not just technically well-optimised.
Does Google actually use clicks and user interactions as ranking factors?
Yes, though Google has never officially confirmed the specific weighting. Studies from BrightLocal, Moz, and Whitespark consistently find strong correlation between user interaction metrics (CTR, call clicks, direction requests) and Local Pack position. The logic is sound: a business that gets more clicks and calls from real users is demonstrably more relevant.
How do I improve CTR from the Google Maps Local Pack?
Three most effective approaches: (1) Optimise GBP photos — profiles with many high-quality photos get more clicks, (2) Increase review rating and count — businesses with 4.5+ ratings and many reviews receive significantly higher CTR, (3) Ensure your business category matches search intent precisely so you appear for the most relevant queries.
Does dwell time (website visit duration) affect Google Maps rankings?
Indirectly. Dwell time affects Google Search (web results) rankings. For Google Maps specifically, interaction signals within GBP itself (direction clicks, calls, photo views) more directly influence Local Pack ranking than website dwell time.
How do I see my business's user behaviour signal performance?
Use Google Business Profile Insights — the free dashboard showing direction clicks, phone calls, website clicks, message requests, and photo views from your GBP. For website behaviour detail (dwell time, engagement), use Google Analytics 4, also free. Together they give a complete picture of your user behaviour signals.