How a complete Google profile took a self-storage facility's occupancy from 70% to 83%
A real case shows what happens when a local business stops leaving its profile half-finished.
In short
Over 6 months, Anthem Self Storage, in the US, went from occupancy around 70% to 83%, with clicks up +169.7% and Google Maps appearances rising from 34% to 44%. The change didn't come from paid ads, it came from keeping the Google Business profile complete, up to date and consistent. It's the kind of foundation that also matters for AI to recommend a business.
The problem wasn't the business, it was the profile
Anthem Self Storage, in Everett, Washington (USA), had a common problem: storage units available, but occupancy stuck around 70%. The business ran fine, it's just that people searching weren't finding it, or found an incomplete version of it online.
Source: BrightLocalThe change didn't come from paid ads, it came from keeping the profile complete, up to date and consistent.
What changed in 6 months
With the Google Business profile fully filled in and updated (real photos, correct hours, correct categories, review responses), clicks on the profile rose 169.7%, impressions grew 305.8% and appearances in the local Map Pack went from 34% to 44%. Occupancy, the metric that actually paid the bills, went from just over 70% to 83%.
The parallel with generative AI
The same data that made Google trust this business more, complete, up-to-date, contradiction-free information, is exactly what a generative AI looks for before recommending someone. It's not a coincidence: both cross similar signals to decide who to trust.
Frequently asked questions
Is this case about a MerbIQ business?
No. It's a public case, documented by BrightLocal, a reference company in local SEO, about one of its clients in the United States. We're bringing it here because the principle behind the result, complete, up-to-date, consistent profile, is exactly what also helps a business get recommended by AI, not just by Google.
Does this kind of result only apply to big businesses?
No, it's the opposite. Anthem Self Storage is a single local unit, not a national chain. What changed the result wasn't marketing budget, it was keeping basic data correct and up to date, something any small business can do without hiring an agency.
How long does it take to see a similar result?
In this specific case, the most visible gains appeared after 6 months of steady profile upkeep. Timing varies from business to business, but the first step is always the same: find out clearly where your information stands today, before knowing what to fix.
Our take
This isn't a MerbIQ customer case, and we won't pretend it is. It's a real, documented case that shows something we believe: small businesses don't need to reinvent anything to grow, they need to stop leaving their own information half-finished. That's basically the work MerbIQ does, just also thinking about how generative AI reads that same data.
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