Brands with physical stores have long had an invisible data gap. When consumers see a business on Google Search and Maps, call it or ask for directions, those interactions have only ever existed in the Business Profile’s own dashboard, in a separate world from website data. Since June 2026, Google has been gradually rolling out a new feature that lets GA4 link directly to Google Business Profile (GBP) and import Business Profile performance metrics into GA4 reports.
What this update shows, how to set it up and what limits Google has officially stated: this article sets it all out based on Google’s official documentation.
What is the GA4 link with Google Business Profile?
In short: GA4 has added a product link for Business Profile. Once linked, seven Business Profile performance metrics are imported, and a dedicated “Google Business Profile” report collection appears in your reports. For the first time, a business’s performance on Search and Maps lives under the same roof as its website data.
Before this, Business Profile numbers could only be viewed in its own performance dashboard. How many people called, asked for directions or clicked through to the website stayed there, disconnected from website behaviour in GA4. According to Google’s documentation, the purpose of this link is to complete the customer journey: from local interactions with the Business Profile to the traffic and engagement it brings to the website, viewed in the same report. It also lets you compare local advertising spend with Business Profile interactions.
Seven metrics are imported: interactions, website clicks, calls, directions, messages, bookings and menu.
What can multi-location brands do with it? Be clear on what it can and can’t do
What it can do: multiple Business Profiles can be linked to the same GA4 property, and reports show aggregated performance across all locations. For the first time, a brand-level overview doesn’t need to be compiled by hand. You should also know what it can’t do: Google states that only aggregated data is currently available, and it can’t be segmented or filtered by individual location.
For multi-location brands, this design is a glass half full. The overall volume of local interactions and trends in calls and direction requests can now be tracked in GA4. But this link can’t tell you which store is performing well or which trading area has a problem. Store-level analysis still has to go back to each profile’s dashboard, or to tools built specifically for multi-location business data. When assessing it, treat it as a brand-level gauge rather than a store-level diagnostic.
| Item | Before linking | After linking |
|---|---|---|
| Business Profile performance metrics | Viewed one by one in the Business Profile dashboard | Imported into GA4, with a dedicated report collection |
| Relationship with website data | In two separate dashboards, hard to compare | Relationship viewed in the same report |
| Multi-location data | Scattered across profiles | Aggregated overview available (cannot be segmented by store) |
| Data retention | As per the Business Profile dashboard | Retained for 6 months in GA4 |
How do you set up the link between GA4 and Business Profile?
The entry point is GA4’s Admin page: “Google Business Profile links” has been added under Product links, and you can complete it in a few steps by following the on-screen prompts.
- In GA4, click Admin in the bottom left and find “Google Business Profile links” in the Product links section.
- Click Link. The screen lists the Business Profiles this Google account has permission to manage.
- Select the profiles to link. One GA4 property can be linked to multiple Business Profiles.
- Review the data sharing information, confirm and complete the link.
Permission prerequisites: you need the Editor or Administrator role on the GA4 property, and Owner or Manager permissions on the Business Profile side. The two sets of permissions are often held by different people, so align them before you start. The feature has been rolling out in phases since June 2026. If you don’t see the option in your account yet, it usually just hasn’t reached you. Check again in a few days.
After linking, what actually appears in the reports?
A dedicated “Google Business Profile” report collection, containing summary cards and the seven metrics. It only appears for properties that have completed the link.
Three things are worth knowing before interpreting the data. First, GA4 shows all available Business Profile metrics, whereas the Business Profile’s own performance dashboard hides items that aren’t relevant to the type of business. The two lists look different by design, not because of a data error. Second, data is retained for only 6 months. Anything older can’t be seen, so brands that need annual reviews should get into the habit of exporting regularly. Third, these metrics can’t currently be used in custom explorations, comparisons or filters. Deeper analysis still relies on your existing website data.
Google only provides aggregated data. What about store-level traffic?
The practical solution is UTM parameters: tag every link in your Business Profiles, and when those clicks reach your site they appear in GA4 traffic reports with source and campaign information. Traffic for individual stores, and even individual posts, can then be separated. The official integration provides the aggregated brand gauge, and UTMs provide store-level detail. Put the two layers together and you get the full picture.
The method itself isn’t difficult. The hard part is maintenance. Website buttons, every post, and menu and booking links all need tagging. With many stores and regular posts, that quickly becomes dozens of links. Adding parameters by hand is hard to sustain, and naming conventions easily drift. Once naming becomes inconsistent, the reports start to lie. CloudAD’s CMB platform automates the consistent adding and checking of UTM parameters within its multi-location post and link management workflow, so each store’s Business Profile traffic can be segmented directly by source and campaign in GA4, filling the layer the official integration doesn’t cover.
Frequently asked questions
We’re a pure ecommerce business with no physical locations. Do we need to set this up?
No. This feature assumes you already have a Google Business Profile, which usually means you have physical stores or service locations. For pure ecommerce, the focus remains on your existing traffic sources and conversion tracking.
The Business Profile dashboard already has performance reports. Why link it to GA4?
The two offer different perspectives. The Business Profile dashboard shows local performance for a single profile, while GA4 puts Business Profile metrics and website data in the same report, so you don’t need to switch between two dashboards when reviewing marketing. Also note that the range of metrics shown on each side isn’t exactly the same: GA4 lists all available metrics, while the Business Profile dashboard hides items that aren’t relevant to the type of business.
How far back can the data go?
Google’s documentation is clear: Business Profile metrics are only retained in GA4 for the past 6 months. Even if you extend the report date range, only data from that period is shown. Organisations that need to keep data long term should export it regularly.
Can multiple stores be linked to the same GA4 property?
You can link multiple Business Profiles, but reports show aggregated data across all profiles, and it currently can’t be segmented or filtered by individual store. To see store-level performance, you still need to go back to each profile’s dashboard, or use a tool built specifically for multi-location data.
Do reviews and star ratings also come into GA4?
No. The metrics Google lists for import are the seven covering interactions, website clicks, calls, directions, messages, bookings and menu. Review content and star ratings stay on the Business Profile side. Day-to-day review management is part of Business Profile management, which is a separate matter from the data integration discussed here.
For help with how to combine multi-location Business Profile data with GA4, or how to set UTM naming conventions, get in touch, or start with an official GA health check to confirm the state of your existing tracking.
References
・Google Analytics Help | Link Google Business Profile to Google Analytics
・Google Business Profile Help | Connect your Business Profile to Google Analytics
・Search Engine Journal | Google Analytics Is Adding Google Business Profile Data
