Vasileios Vasileiadis — The Field Notes https://vvasileiadis.com/blog/ Writing on marketing, strategy, and the work itself. Long-form essays on positioning, channels, measurement, and audience behavior. en © Vasileios Vasileiadis Sun, 13 Sep 2026 18:17:56 +0000 tools/build-feed.py The Complete Guide to Google Business Profile in 2026 https://vvasileiadis.com/blog/google-business-profile-guide https://vvasileiadis.com/blog/google-business-profile-guide Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Local SEO Most small businesses I work with treat Google Business Profile (GBP) as a one-time setup task. They fill it in, verify the address, and forget. Then they wonder why a competitor with a worse product ranks above them in the local pack.

GBP is not a directory listing. It's a living surface that Google reads weekly. If you treat it like a website you maintain — posts, photos, reviews, Q&A — it compounds. If you don't, it decays.

1. The settings that actually matter

Categories first. Your primary category is the single biggest ranking signal in GBP. "Restaurant" and "Italian restaurant" produce different results pages. Pick the most specific category that fits.

Secondary categories

Add up to nine secondary categories — but only if they're genuinely relevant. Adding "Caterer" because you occasionally cater dilutes your relevance for "Italian restaurant" searches.

Specificity beats coverage. One narrow primary category outranks ten broad secondaries every time.

2. Photos: quantity, then quality

Google's algorithm rewards profiles with fresh, diverse photo uploads. Aim for one upload per week. Cover photo, interior, exterior, team, products, and "by owner" tagged shots all weight differently.

3. Reviews — the real ranking factor

Review velocity (how often new reviews come in) and recency matter more than total count. A profile with 40 reviews from the last 90 days outranks one with 200 reviews from three years ago. Build a workflow.

For full setup, scripts, and a quarterly playbook — get in touch.

]]> Meta Ads vs Google Ads: Which Should You Start With? https://vvasileiadis.com/blog/meta-ads-vs-google-ads https://vvasileiadis.com/blog/meta-ads-vs-google-ads Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Paid Advertising Every week a founder asks me: "Should I start with Google or Meta?" The honest answer is "it depends" — but the framework for deciding is simple, and most consultants overcomplicate it.

1. Start with intent

Google Ads captures existing demand. Someone types "plumber Reykjavík" and you appear. Meta Ads creates demand — it interrupts someone scrolling and convinces them they want what you sell.

If people already search for your product, Google first. If they don't yet know they want it, Meta first.

2. Then look at price point and decision cycle

Higher price + longer consideration = harder to close on Meta from cold. Lower price + impulse-friendly = Meta can shine. A €1,500 sofa sells on Instagram. A €50,000 kitchen renovation sells on Google.

Pick the channel that matches where your buyer's head already is.

3. Budget reality check

Below €1,000/month, pick one and run it well. Splitting €500 across both buys you noise on both. I'd rather see a tight Google Search campaign with €1,000 than a "balanced portfolio" that learns nothing.

Want help picking? Send me your details and I'll come back with a recommendation in 48 hours.

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