A GBP audit scanner on your WordPress site lets any visitor check a Google Business Profile score in real time. Drop one shortcode on a page, connect two API keys, and site visitors can run live audits within seconds. This guide covers everything from a blank plugin install to a working scanner that captures leads automatically.
If you already have your Google Cloud and Anthropic accounts set up, skip to the installation steps. The F! Insights setup guide covers both API accounts in under 15 minutes with screenshots for each step.
In This Article
What is a GBP audit scanner?
A GBP audit scanner is a shortcode-powered form on any WordPress page. A visitor types a business name, the plugin pulls live data from Google via the Places API, runs it through an AI model, and returns a scored report across eight categories: ratings, review velocity, photo count, business hours, website health, Core Web Vitals, competitor benchmarking, and an AI action plan with prioritized fixes.
No coding is needed on the visitor’s side. They type a name, submit their email to receive the report, and the lead appears in your dashboard with scores and pain points already populated. You can also offer GBP audits directly to clients using the same underlying plugin once it is set up.
What do you need before you start?
Two API accounts are required. Both are free to create and billed pay-as-you-go per scan:
| API | What it pulls | Approx. cost per scan |
|---|---|---|
| Google Places API | GBP data: rating, reviews, photos, hours, competitors | ~$0.01–$0.02 |
| Anthropic Claude Haiku | AI diagnosis, action plan, plain-language summary | ~$0.01–$0.03 |
| Google PageSpeed Insights | Core Web Vitals, LCP, CLS, INP, performance score | Free |
Have both API keys ready before starting plugin configuration. The step-by-step API key guide walks through both accounts in under 10 minutes.
How to install and configure the plugin
- Download the F! Insights plugin zip from your account dashboard.
- In WordPress, go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin and select the zip.
- Click Install Now, then Activate.
- Go to F! Insights > Settings > API Config.
- Enter your Google Places API key and Anthropic API key.
- Click Save Settings.
The plugin validates both keys on save. If either fails, a specific error message identifies which key and why. Confirm that your Google Cloud project has the Places API enabled and that your Anthropic key is active.
How to add the scanner to a page
Create a new WordPress page with a clear title such as “Free GBP Audit” or “Google Business Profile Check.” Paste this shortcode in the editor:
Publish the page and run one test scan. A dedicated scanner page outperforms an embedded widget on an existing services page for both SEO indexing and conversion rate. Once confirmed, link to it from your services page, portfolio, and your own Google Business Profile. For a complete setup walkthrough of the full tool stack, see how to set up local SEO tools for clients.
How does lead capture work once it is live?
When a visitor scans a business, the plugin gates the full report behind an email submission. That submission immediately creates a lead record in your WordPress dashboard with:
- Business name and location
- Overall GBP score (0 to 100)
- Eight category scores
- Top three flagged pain point categories
- Competitor names and their relative scores
No third-party CRM is needed. One-click AI-generated outreach is available from each lead record, personalized to that business’s specific scan data.
How much does each scan cost?
Each scan costs approximately $0.01 to $0.05 using the Claude Haiku model. Charges come from Google (Places API) and Anthropic at their standard rates. The plugin adds no markup. Token caching reduces costs on repeat scans of the same business, keeping your effective cost closer to $0.01 per scan for a regularly used scanner page.