TL;DR
Identity attributes like "Veteran-owned," "Women-led," "Black-owned," and "LGBTQ+ owned" can be added to your Google Business Profile to help your business appear in filtered local searches when customers specifically look for businesses with those designations. Adding these attributes directly impacts your relevance score for related search queries and can help you show up in the Google 3-Pack when users filter by these criteria. To use them effectively, make sure you claim all applicable attributes, maintain consistency across platforms, and combine them with accurate business categories.
What Are Identity Attributes on Google Business Profile?
Let's start with the basics. Identity attributes are special labels you can add to your Google Business Profile that tell customers: and Google's algorithm: something meaningful about who owns and operates your business.
These aren't your typical attributes like "free Wi-Fi" or "wheelchair accessible." Identity attributes highlight the people behind the business. They're designed to help consumers find and support businesses that align with their values or meet specific criteria they're searching for.
Think of them as digital badges that communicate your business's identity at a glance. When someone searches "Black-owned coffee shop near me" or filters Google Maps results by "Women-led businesses," your profile can show up because you've told Google exactly who you are.
Which Identity Attributes Are Available?
Google currently offers several identity attributes you can add to your profile:
- Women-led – Indicates the business is led or owned by women
- Veteran-owned – Shows the business is owned by military veterans
- Black-owned – Identifies businesses owned by Black individuals
- Latino-owned – Highlights Latino/Latina-owned businesses
- Asian-owned – Identifies businesses owned by Asian individuals
- LGBTQ+ owned – Shows the business is owned by members of the LGBTQ+ community
Google has been expanding these options over time, so it's worth checking your profile periodically for new attributes that might apply to your business.
"Identity attributes aren't just feel-good labels: they're functional search filters that directly connect businesses with customers who want to find them." : Local Search Association
How Do Identity Attributes Actually Impact Local Search?
Here's where things get interesting from an SEO perspective.
Identity attributes have a direct impact on local search ranking for keywords related to those attributes. When you add these designations to your Google Business Profile, they influence your relevance score in local search results.
What does that mean in plain English? When someone searches for "veteran-owned plumber in Austin" or uses Google Maps filters to find "women-led restaurants," Google prioritizes businesses that have those specific attributes checked off.
The Google 3-Pack Connection
You know that coveted 3-Pack of local results that shows up at the top of Google search? Identity attributes can help determine which businesses appear there: but specifically for searches that include those qualifiers.
So while adding "Black-owned" to your profile won't magically boost your ranking for generic searches like "best tacos near me," it absolutely will boost your visibility when someone searches "Black-owned tacos near me" or applies that filter in Maps.
This is targeted visibility at its finest.
How to Add Identity Attributes to Your Google Business Profile
Adding these attributes is pretty straightforward. Here's the step-by-step:
- Sign in to your Google Business Profile at business.google.com
- Select your business if you manage multiple locations
- Click "Edit profile" from your dashboard
- Navigate to "More" in the profile editing options
- Find the "From the business" section where identity attributes live
- Toggle on the relevant attributes that apply to your business
- Save your changes
Keep in mind that changes can take a few days to appear on your live profile. Google reviews these submissions, though approval is typically quick for identity attributes.
A Word About Honesty
This should go without saying, but only claim identity attributes that genuinely apply to your business. Misrepresenting your business identity isn't just unethical: it violates Google's guidelines and could result in penalties or suspension of your profile.
Strategic Benefits Beyond Search Visibility
Let's talk about why identity attributes matter beyond just showing up in filtered searches.
Building Trust and Connection
Many consumers actively want to support businesses that reflect their values or communities. A 2023 survey found that over 60% of consumers prefer to buy from businesses that share their values when given the choice. Identity attributes make it easy for these customers to find you.
Differentiating in Crowded Markets
In competitive local markets, anything that sets you apart helps. If you're one of three coffee shops in your neighborhood but the only veteran-owned one, that's a meaningful differentiator for a significant segment of customers.
Community Engagement Opportunities
Claiming identity attributes can open doors to community events, directories, and partnerships specifically designed for businesses with your designation. Many cities have "shop local" initiatives that highlight women-owned, minority-owned, or veteran-owned businesses.
Best Practices for Maximizing Identity Attribute Impact
Want to get the most out of these attributes? Here's what we recommend:
Complete All Relevant Attributes
Don't leave relevant attributes unclaimed. Partial completion limits your visibility in filtered searches. If you qualify for multiple identity attributes, add them all.
Maintain Consistency Across Platforms
Your identity attributes should be consistent everywhere your business is listed: Yelp, Facebook, industry directories, your own website. This consistency helps build stronger entity signals that help Google understand your business more clearly.
Combine with Accurate Business Categories
Identity attributes work best when paired with spot-on primary and secondary business categories. The combination creates stronger relevance signals for Google's algorithm.
If you're running multiple business locations, make sure each profile has the appropriate identity attributes configured.
Mention It in Your Business Description
Reinforce your identity attributes by naturally mentioning them in your business description. Something like "Proudly veteran-owned since 2015" adds context and reinforces the attribute to both users and search algorithms.
Track Your Results
Use Google Business Profile Insights to track your performance and see if you're getting discovery searches related to your identity attributes. This data can help you understand whether these attributes are driving meaningful traffic.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I've seen businesses trip up on identity attributes in a few predictable ways:
Forgetting they exist. Many business owners don't even know these attributes are available. Now you do: so don't leave free visibility on the table.
Inconsistent information. Claiming "Women-led" on Google but not mentioning it anywhere else on your digital footprint weakens the signal.
Over-relying on attributes for SEO. Identity attributes are one piece of a much larger local SEO puzzle. They won't compensate for missing reviews, incomplete profile information, or poor category selection.
Not updating when ownership changes. If your business ownership structure changes, update your attributes accordingly.
The Bottom Line on Identity Attributes
Identity attributes are a simple but powerful way to connect with customers who are actively looking for businesses like yours. They directly impact your relevance score for filtered searches, help you stand out in competitive markets, and communicate something meaningful about who you are as a business.
Adding them takes about two minutes. The potential upside: showing up in the 3-Pack for targeted searches, building loyalty with values-aligned customers, and differentiating from competitors: makes it an absolute no-brainer.
So if you're a veteran, woman, or member of any group that qualifies for identity attributes, claim them. Today.
Need Help Optimizing Your Google Business Profile?
At LocalBizGuys, we help local businesses squeeze every drop of visibility out of their Google Business Profiles. From identity attributes to review management to local SEO strategy, we've got you covered.
Reach out to our team and let's talk about how we can help your business stand out in local search.
