If you run a small service business, you may be wondering: Does being listed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) help with your Google rankings? The answer is yes—but there’s nuance to it.
How the BBB Impacts Google Rankings
Google uses a select number of trusted online directories, also called citations, to verify and assess the legitimacy of local businesses. Among these is the Better Business Bureau—a well-known and respected source.
But here’s the kicker:
You don’t need to pay for a BBB-accredited listing to get SEO benefits. A free BBB listing is often more than enough—as long as your business information is accurate and consistent with your Google Business Profile.
Real-World Example
This all came up recently when a longtime client asked if he should continue paying $700 per year for BBB accreditation. His concern was whether that accreditation helped maintain his local Google rankings.
My answer? Absolutely not.
Google doesn’t care whether you’re an “accredited” BBB business. What matters is that your basic business info matches—your business name, website URL, phone number, address (if applicable), and the principal contact person. This consistency helps Google trust your online presence.
For example, my own business, Big West Marketing, has a BBB listing that appears at the top of search results when you type in “Big West Marketing BBB.” You’ll see that it’s not accredited—and that’s okay. We’re still ranking and doing just fine.
Why Google Respects the BBB
There are a few strong indicators that Google sees the BBB as a trusted source:
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During Google Business Profile verification or re-verification, Google occasionally asks business owners to refer to their BBB listing.
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SEO agencies and experts across the country—especially those involved in forums like Local U—routinely confirm that the BBB is one of the top five citations Google still values.
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After 16 years in the SEO industry, we’ve seen firsthand that BBB listings help clients rank higher and get reinstated faster if their Google Business Profile is ever suspended.
What Other Citations Still Matter?
In the early days of local SEO, it was important to be listed in 50–100 directories. That’s no longer the case. Google has narrowed its focus to just a handful of trusted platforms. Besides the BBB, here are the other key citations to focus on:
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Google Business Profile (your top priority)
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Secretary of State listing
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Facebook Business Page
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Yelp
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Nextdoor (in some cases)
You can still clean up other listings if your business name or website has changed over the years, but don’t expect it to give you an SEO boost. At this point, those are more about branding consistency than rankings.
Final Takeaway
If you haven’t already, claim your free BBB listing and make sure every detail matches what’s on your Google Business Profile. There’s no need to pay for accreditation unless you feel it might boost consumer trust—but from an SEO standpoint, it’s not required.
