Google Business Optimizer

Automate management of your Google Business Profile, including review responses, hours updates, competitor tracking, and local search rank monitoring.

Security Scan

The skill appears to implement Google Business Profile automation, but there are multiple inconsistencies between the docs, manifest, and code (OAuth vs API key, required env vars, claim of being instruction-only vs included code, placeholder support domains), so review before installing or granting credentials.

Purpose & Capability

The declared purpose (manage Google Business Profile: reviews, hours, competitor tracking, rank monitoring) aligns with the code's behavior (uses Google API endpoints, webhooks, local state and logs). However there are inconsistencies: SKILL.md instructs an OAuth flow with a downloaded credentials.json and treats GBP_ACCOUNT_ID as required, while the code and skill.json primarily expect an API key (GBP_API_KEY) and list GBP_ACCOUNT_ID as optional. The registry metadata at the top claimed 'no homepage' but skill.json lists a homepage; support/contact URLs in the docs are placeholder domains. These mismatches reduce confidence that manifest/instructions and implementation are coherent.

Instruction Scope

SKILL.md confines runtime actions to expected tasks: calling Google APIs, sending notifications to configured webhooks/email, storing state under ~/.openclaw/skills/google-business-optimizer, and running scheduled heartbeat tasks. It does ask users to supply credentials and configure webhooks. There is no instruction to read unrelated system files, but the docs ask for credentials.json (OAuth) while the code uses an API key—this scope mismatch is notable.

Install Mechanism

The registry metadata states 'No install spec — instruction-only', yet the package contains a TypeScript 'index.ts' and a runtime node entry in skill.json. There is no install/build step or dependency declaration. This inconsistency raises questions about how the code will be executed in the platform (TypeScript runtime, compilation, or bundling). The skill imports child_process.execSync (present in code) but the visible code doesn't show how/if external binaries are used — this should be confirmed before install.

Credentials

The skill legitimately needs Google credentials and location identifiers to operate. However SKILL.md and skill.json disagree on which env vars are 'required' (SKILL.md lists GBP_API_KEY, GBP_LOCATION_ID, GBP_ACCOUNT_ID as required; skill.json marks GBP_ACCOUNT_ID optional; initial metadata said 'none required'). The code reads GBP_API_KEY, GBP_LOCATION_ID, GBP_ACCOUNT_ID from config or process.env. The optional OPENAI_API_KEY, SLACK_WEBHOOK, EMAIL_TO, etc. are proportional for AI responses and notifications. Because of the conflicting statements about required secrets and the OAuth vs API-key mismatch, users should be cautious about which credentials they provide and prefer least-privilege keys.

Persistence & Privilege

The skill persists state, logs, and data under the user's home directory (~/.openclaw/skills/google-business-optimizer), and the HEARTBEAT automation is enabled in the manifest. It does not request 'always: true' and does not attempt to modify other skills or global agent settings. Persisting state and scheduling periodic tasks is coherent with the described automation features, but the user should be aware the skill will write files to their home directory and can run scheduled tasks until disabled.

What to consider before installing

This skill mostly looks like a legitimate Google Business Profile automation tool, but there are several mismatches you should resolve before installing or providing credentials: - Confirm the credential method: SKILL.md instructs OAuth (credentials.json + auth --login) while the code and skill.json expect an API key (GBP_API_KEY). Ask the author which method is supported and avoid uploading a full OAuth credentials file unless you trust the source. - Verify required env vars: SKILL.md marks GBP_ACCOUNT_ID as required whereas the manifest marks it optional. Only supply the minimum privileges (e.g., a service/API key scoped to the GBP operations) and avoid giving broad account credentials. - Source and support: The package metadata contains placeholder/local support URLs (e.g., *.local) and the registry 'Source' was 'unknown'. Prefer installing code from a known repository or vendor and verify the repository URL in skill.json before use. - Review code for exec usage and PDF/report generation: index.ts imports child_process.execSync (potential to run shell commands) — ask for or review the full source to confirm there are no arbitrary command executions or downloads. - Sandbox and audit: If you proceed, run the skill in a safe environment (or sandbox) first, monitor network activity, and inspect created files under ~/.openclaw/skills/google-business-optimizer. Provide webhooks and API keys that are revocable and have least privilege. Revoke or rotate keys if you later uninstall the skill or suspect misuse. If the author can clarify and fix the OAuth vs API-key inconsistency, harmonize required env vars, and point to a verifiable repository/homepage, the concerns here would be largely resolved.

Automate your Google Business Profile and save 5-10 hours every week.

---

The Problem

Small business owners waste 5-10 hours per week manually managing their Google Business Profile:

• Responding to reviews - Checking daily, crafting responses, monitoring ratings
• Updating business info - Holiday hours, special events, temporary closures
• Tracking competitors - Manual research to see how you stack up
• Monitoring rankings - Checking where you appear in local search results

That's 20-40 hours per month spent on tasks that could be automated.

---

The Solution

Google Business Optimizer automates your entire Google Business Profile workflow:

✨ What It Does

Feature	What You Get
Review Automation	Auto-respond to reviews, get alerts for new reviews, track sentiment trends
Smart Updates	Bulk update hours, post updates, sync across multiple locations
Competitor Intel	Track competitor ratings, reviews, and ranking changes
Rank Tracking	Monitor your position for key local search terms

---

Commands

reviews

Manage and respond to customer reviews automatically.

# Check for new reviews
google-business-optimizer reviews --check

# Auto-respond to all new reviews
google-business-optimizer reviews --respond --template=professional

# Get review analytics
google-business-optimizer reviews --stats --last-30-days

# List reviews needing response
google-business-optimizer reviews --pending

Templates: professional, friendly, short, detailed

---

update-hours

Update business hours and special hours in bulk.

# Set regular hours
google-business-optimizer update-hours --location="Main St" \
  --monday="9:00-17:00" --tuesday="9:00-17:00" ...

# Set holiday hours
google-business-optimizer update-hours --holiday --date="2024-12-25" --closed

# Set special hours for event
google-business-optimizer update-hours --special --date="2024-07-04" --hours="10:00-14:00"

# Apply to all locations
google-business-optimizer update-hours --all-locations --holiday --date="2024-01-01" --closed

---

competitors

Monitor your competitors' Google Business Profiles.

# Add competitors to track
google-business-optimizer competitors --add "Competitor Business Name"

# Run competitor analysis
google-business-optimizer competitors --analyze

# Get weekly report
google-business-optimizer competitors --report --format=email

# Compare ratings
google-business-optimizer competitors --compare --metric=rating

---

rank-track

Track your ranking for local search keywords.

# Add keywords to track
google-business-optimizer rank-track --add "coffee shop near me"
google-business-optimizer rank-track --add "best pizza downtown"

# Check current rankings
google-business-optimizer rank-track --check

# View ranking history
google-business-optimizer rank-track --history --days=30

# Get ranking report
google-business-optimizer rank-track --report --keyword="coffee shop near me"

---

Setup

1. Get Your Google API Credentials

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Create a new project or select existing
3. Enable Google Business Profile API
4. Create OAuth 2.0 credentials
5. Download your credentials.json

2. Configure the Skill

google-business-optimizer config --credentials=/path/to/credentials.json
google-business-optimizer config --location-id="YOUR_LOCATION_ID"

3. Authorize

google-business-optimizer auth --login

---

Pricing

Plan	Price	Features
FREE	$0	1 location, 50 reviews/month, basic responses
PRO	$19/mo	5 locations, unlimited reviews, AI responses, competitor tracking (5)
AGENCY	$49/mo	Unlimited locations, unlimited reviews, white-label reports, API access, priority support

---

Automation (HEARTBEAT)

This skill integrates with OpenClaw's heartbeat system for hands-off automation:

• Daily: Check for new reviews and auto-respond
• Weekly: Competitor analysis report
• Monthly: Ranking report with trend analysis

See HEARTBEAT.md for configuration.

---

Environment Variables

Variable	Description	Required
GBP_API_KEY	Google Business Profile API key	Yes
GBP_LOCATION_ID	Your business location ID	Yes
GBP_ACCOUNT_ID	Your Google account ID	Yes
OPENAI_API_KEY	For AI-generated responses (PRO+)	No
SLACK_WEBHOOK	For notifications	No
EMAIL_TO	For report delivery	No

---

Examples

Auto-Respond to All New Reviews

google-business-optimizer reviews --respond-all --template=friendly

Set Holiday Hours for All Locations

google-business-optimizer update-hours --all-locations \
  --holiday --date="2024-12-25" --date="2024-12-26" --date="2025-01-01" --closed

Weekly Competitor Report

google-business-optimizer competitors --report --format=pdf --email=[e-mail]

Track 10 Local Keywords

for keyword in "coffee shop" "cafe near me" "best espresso" "latte art" "pastry shop"; do
  google-business-optimizer rank-track --add "$keyword"
done

---

Support

• 📧 Email: [e-mail]
• 📖 Docs: https://docs.google-business-optimizer.local
• 💬 Discord: https://discord.gg/gbp-optimizer

---

Changelog

v1.0.0

• Initial release
• Review automation with templates
• Business hours management
• Competitor tracking
• Rank tracking
• HEARTBEAT automation support