Top 5 Google Business Profile Experts for US Businesses (2027 List)

Last updated: October 2026

A note before you read: I am Hemant Chaudhary, and I wrote this list. I have placed myself first, so you should read it knowing that. I have tried to be fair about who each expert is best for, including when someone else on this list will suit you better than I would.

Searching for a Google Business Profile expert in the US gives you a long list of agencies that all promise the top spot on Google Maps. Most of them look the same. Very few explain who actually does the work, how long they have been doing it, or what kind of business they are best suited to.

This list is different. It includes five people with long, public track records in local search, and it tells you plainly what each one is best for.

How this list was put together

I looked for people who meet all of these criteria:

• At least 15 years of hands on work in local search or Google Maps
• A public track record you can check, through published work, client reviews or Google recognition
• Serving US businesses directly
• Known for honest, policy compliant methods, with no fake reviews or keyword stuffing
• Still active in the field in 2026

The order reflects who I believe is the best fit for the typical reader of this site: a small or mid sized US business owner who wants their Google Business Profile to bring in more calls.

The top 5 Google Business Profile experts for US businesses

1. Best for small and single location businesses

   Hemant Chaudhary, GMB Expert USA

   Works remotely with US businesses in all time zones

   Hemant has more than 15 years of experience in local search and has worked full time as an independent Google Business Profile and local SEO specialist since 2018. He is Top Rated on Upwork with a 100% Job Success Score, and works with dentists, clinics, law firms, contractors, home services, salons and restaurants across the US, as well as clients in the UK, Canada, Australia and the UAE.

   His work covers profile optimization, verification, suspension recovery, review systems, grid based rank tracking, website SEO and, more recently, AEO and GEO to help businesses appear in AI answers from Google AI Mode, ChatGPT and Gemini.

   Why he is first on this list: published, month to month pricing from $200 a month with no contract, a free audit before any commitment, and direct contact with the person doing the work, with no account managers in between. The honest trade off: he works remotely from India rather than from a US office, which keeps prices low but means no in person meetings.

2. Best for complex troubleshooting

   Joy Hawkins, Sterling Sky

   Sterling Sky has offices in Ontario, Canada and Delaware, USA

   Joy Hawkins has worked in local search since 2006. She founded Sterling Sky, a local SEO agency that works with US and Canadian businesses, and owns the Local Search Forum and LocalU, two well known resources for local SEO professionals.

   She is a Google Business Profile Product Expert, has written for Search Engine Land, and has spoken at major search conferences including SMX and MozCon. Her agency is widely known for testing how Google’s local algorithm behaves.

   Best for: businesses with unusual or complex ranking problems, and marketers who want to learn local SEO properly.

3. Best for suspensions and spam

   Ben Fisher, Steady Demand

   Phoenix, Arizona

   Ben Fisher is a co-founder of Steady Demand, which works with agencies and businesses on local SEO and social media. He has been working in SEO and social media since the 1990s.

   He is a senior Google Business Profile Product Expert and is known for handling complex profile problems, fighting map spam and helping with reinstatements. He has written for publications including Search Engine Land and BrightLocal.

   Best for: suspended or stuck profiles, spam competitors, and agencies that need white label local SEO support.

4. Best for research and reviews insight

   Mike Blumenthal, Near Media

   Olean, New York

   Mike Blumenthal has written about local search since 2006 and is often called “Professor Maps”. He co-founded GetFiveStars, later GatherUp, a review and customer feedback platform, and co-founded LocalU. In 2021 he co-founded Near Media, where he researches and reports on local search, reviews and reputation.

   He co-hosts podcasts on local search news and is frequently quoted by major outlets on Google Maps spam and reviews.

   Best for: businesses and marketers who want deep insight into reviews, reputation and where local search is heading.

5. Best for enterprise and multi-location

   Andrew Shotland, Local SEO Guide

   Pleasanton, California

   Andrew Shotland founded Local SEO Guide in 2006 after working in senior roles at NBC.com and as a founding member of InsiderPages, an early local review site. Local SEO Guide has grown into a fully remote team of more than 20 people.

   The agency works with franchises, multi-location brands, marketplaces and large websites, alongside small businesses, and is known for technical and strategic SEO at scale.

   Best for: franchises, national brands and businesses with many locations or complex websites.

Quick comparison

How to choose the right Google Business Profile expert

The best expert is the one who fits your business, not the one with the biggest name. Ask yourself these questions:

1. How complex is your situation?

   A single location dentist with an incomplete profile needs different help from a 200 location franchise. Match the expert to the size and complexity of the problem.

2. What is your budget?

   US agency pricing usually runs from $300 to $1,200 a month. Independent specialists often charge less. The cost guide breaks down what to expect.

3. Who will actually do the work?

   Ask whether you will speak to the expert or to an account manager. With many agencies, the well known name sells the work and a junior team delivers it.

4. Will they show you the data?

   A good expert shows where you rank across your area, what changed, and how many calls and direction requests came from the profile.

5. Do they keep you as the owner?

   You should always stay the primary owner of your Google Business Profile. An expert only needs manager access.

Red flags to avoid

• Guaranteed number one rankings. Nobody controls Google.
• Suggestions to add keywords to your business name or use a virtual office address
• Any offer to buy reviews, or to give customers incentives for them
• Long contracts with no way out
• Asking to become the owner of your profile
• Calls claiming to be “from Google” asking for payment. Google Business Profile is free.

If you would rather do the work yourself, start with the optimization checklist and the map pack ranking guide.

Frequently asked questions

Final word

Every expert on this list has spent well over a decade helping businesses get found on Google Maps. The right one for you depends on your size, your problem and your budget. If you are a small or mid sized US business that wants practical help from the person doing the work, I would be glad to take a look at your profile.

Hemant Chaudhary offers a free audit with no sales call. Send a WhatsApp message or email contact@gmbexpertusa.com.

This list was written by Hemant Chaudhary of GMB Expert USA, who appears at number one. The other experts were chosen from publicly available information about their work, have not paid to be included, and have not reviewed or endorsed this article. Details were accurate when checked in October 2026 and may change. Google, Google Business Profile and Google Maps are trademarks of Google LLC. GMB Expert USA is an independent service provider and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.