A booking link on your Google Business Profile lets customers schedule appointments directly from Google Maps, without ever visiting your website.
Every time I audit a GBP for a service business that takes appointments, the first thing I check is whether their booking link is set up. If it's not, and it usually isn't, that's 10–20% of potential conversions leaving through the back door.
Here's what a booking link does: it puts a "Book online" button directly on your Google Maps listing. When someone finds you in the Local Pack, they can tap that button and schedule an appointment without ever leaving Google. For mobile users, who make up the majority of local search traffic, this is the fastest path from discovery to conversion.
A GBP booking link is a URL that appears as a "Book online" or "Schedule" button on your Google Business Profile listing. When a customer taps it, they go directly to your appointment booking page, whether that's your own website, a scheduling platform, or Google's native Reserve with Google system.
The conversion case is straightforward: reducing steps between "I found this business" and "I have an appointment scheduled" increases the percentage of visitors who actually book. Every extra page, form field, or navigation step loses some customers.
Google's own data consistently shows that GBP listings with booking links receive more conversion actions than listings without them. For appointment-based businesses in competitive markets, this isn't a nice-to-have, it's a competitive disadvantage if your competitors have it and you don't.
📊 Flento Data: Based on Flento's analysis of service business GBP profiles, listings with active booking links receive 28% more appointment-type conversion actions (calls, direction requests, and booking clicks combined) than equivalent listings without booking links.
🛠️ Action Step: Open your Google Business Profile right now. Look for a "Booking" section under Info. If there's nothing there, or if the link is outdated, this guide walks you through fixing it today.
Google supports booking links through two mechanisms:
1. Manual URL booking link You add any URL directly to your GBP, your own website's booking page, a scheduling platform's booking page, or any URL where customers can schedule. This works with any scheduling platform: Calendly, Acuity, Square Appointments, Booksy, and hundreds of others.
2. Reserve with Google (direct integration) Google has direct API integrations with a growing list of scheduling platforms. When your booking platform is integrated, appointments booked through Google appear directly in your scheduling system in real-time, and availability syncs automatically.
Reserve with Google supported platforms include (partial list):
The full list is updated regularly by Google. If your scheduling platform isn't listed, you can still add a manual URL booking link.
Method 1: Manual URL (works for any scheduling platform)
Your booking link will appear on your GBP listing within a few hours.
Method 2: Reserve with Google (direct integration)
Testing your booking link: After adding the link, search your business name on Google Maps from your phone. Look for the "Book online" or "Schedule" button. Tap it, confirm it loads correctly, the page is mobile-friendly, and the booking process actually works end to end.
⚠️ Common Mistake: Adding a booking link that goes to a page that's no longer active or that requires login to access. Test your link from an incognito browser on a fresh device before assuming it's working.
Adding the link is step one. Making sure it converts the customers who tap it is step two.
The booking page must be mobile-optimized. Your GBP booking link will be tapped primarily on mobile devices. If your booking page requires zooming, horizontal scrolling, or is slow to load, you'll lose a significant portion of customers who tap through. Test on mobile before considering it done.
Minimize form fields. Every field you ask a customer to fill in before completing a booking reduces completion rate. For most service businesses, you need: name, phone or email, service type, and preferred date/time. Ask only for what you actually use.
Show your availability immediately. The first thing a customer should see after tapping your booking link is available time slots, not a homepage, not a login screen, not a product selection page. Time to availability should be under 2 taps.
Confirmation clarity. After booking, show a clear confirmation with the appointment details, a reminder of your address (or confirmation that you'll come to them), and a phone number in case they need to reschedule. Many businesses lose customers post-booking because the confirmation page is unclear.
💡 Pro Tip: If your booking page has a wait time display (next available: tomorrow at 2pm), make sure it's accurate. Customers who tap a "Book online" button and see "next available: 3 weeks from now" will call a competitor instead.
If your scheduling platform supports Reserve with Google, the direct integration offers additional benefits over a manual URL:
Real-time availability sync: Your GBP shows accurate availability without manual updates. Customers can see open slots directly in the booking flow.
No-show reduction: Google sends appointment reminders to customers who book through Reserve with Google. This typically reduces no-show rates.
Booking analytics: You can see booking volume and source data in your GBP dashboard, tracking how many appointments came directly from Google Maps.
Seamless checkout: For supported platforms, customers can complete the entire booking without leaving Google's interface on mobile. This is the lowest-friction booking experience available.
The tradeoff: Reserve with Google requires a supported scheduling platform. If you're using a custom or less common scheduling system, the manual URL is your option.
🛠️ Action Step: If you use any of the Reserve with Google supported platforms listed above, set up the direct integration instead of a manual URL. The real-time sync and reminder features are worth the 15-minute setup.
Salons and spas: Use Booksy, Vagaro, or Square Appointments, all have Reserve with Google integration. Set your booking page to show individual service types with duration and price visible. Customers choosing between salons make decisions based on service clarity and availability.
Healthcare practices: Zocdoc has Reserve with Google integration and is the most trusted healthcare scheduling platform. Include insurance acceptance information near the booking link. For practices not on Zocdoc, a custom booking page that shows specific appointment types (new patient consult vs. follow-up) reduces scheduling friction.
Fitness studios and gyms: Mindbody has Reserve with Google integration. Class schedule visibility is critical, customers want to see what class they're booking, not just a time slot.
Home service businesses: For HVAC, plumbing, and similar businesses, a quote request or service inquiry form is more appropriate than direct booking. Link to a form that collects: service type needed, preferred date range, and contact info. The "booking link" in this context is really a lead capture link.
Restaurants: OpenTable and Resy have Reserve with Google integration. Show real-time table availability. Include a brief note about wait times for walk-ins vs. reservations if relevant to your restaurant's model.
Flento's Google Business Profile Optimizer audits your entire GBP for conversion completeness, including whether your booking link is active, whether it's mobile-optimized, and whether it's resulting in booking actions.
The Flento GBP dashboard tracks conversion actions over time: calls, direction requests, website visits, and booking link clicks. This data shows whether your booking link is actually converting or whether there's a drop-off somewhere in the booking flow.
✅ Done? Track all your GBP conversion actions in one dashboard with Flento → Try Flento free
Does a booking link affect my Google Maps ranking? Adding a booking link doesn't directly improve your ranking. But it improves your conversion rate, more bookings, potentially more reviews, and stronger engagement signals. The indirect ranking effect of those outcomes is real over time.
Can I add a booking link if I don't use a scheduling platform? Yes, link to any page where customers can contact you to book. A contact form, a phone number page, or even your homepage is better than no link. The goal is reducing friction between finding your listing and initiating a booking.
What if my scheduling platform isn't on the Reserve with Google list? Use a manual URL. If you're choosing a new scheduling platform and Reserve with Google matters to you, check Google's current supported partners list before committing to a platform.
Should I use my website homepage or a specific scheduling page as my booking link? Always link to your specific scheduling page, not your homepage. Every extra step between tapping the button and seeing available times reduces conversion rate. Send them directly to the booking flow.
