For most local service businesses – plumbers, contractors, landscapers, towing, cleaning – the Google Business Profile is the most valuable piece of online real estate they have. It decides whether you appear in the map at the top of Google, and it is often the first and only thing a customer sees before they call.
Here is the checklist we use when we take over a client’s profile.
The basics
- Verified and claimed by the business owner – with your own Google account as an owner, not only your web agency’s.
- Business name exactly as on your sign and documents. Adding keywords or towns to the name breaks Google’s guidelines and can get the profile suspended.
- Correct primary category. It is the strongest relevance signal. Choose the most specific category that describes your main service, then add secondary categories.
- Address or service area. If customers do not come to you, hide the address and set the towns or counties you serve.
- Phone and website identical to what is on your website.
Details that make a difference
- Services – list every service you offer, with a short description.
- Hours – including holiday hours. Nothing loses a customer faster than “Open” when you are closed.
- Photos – real photos of your team, vehicles, work and location. Add new ones regularly.
- Business description – what you do, where and why people choose you, in plain words.
- Attributes – for example veteran-owned, women-owned or online estimates, where they apply.
Reviews
Reviews influence both your position in the map and the customer’s decision. Make asking easy: a short link or QR code your team can share right after the job. Answer every review – thank happy customers, and respond to complaints calmly and helpfully. Future customers read your answers too.
Keep it active
Post updates, offers or recent projects from time to time, and keep photos fresh. An active profile tells both Google and customers that the business is alive and responsive.
Connect it with your website
Google compares your profile with your website. Make sure your services, service area and contact details match, and that your website has a strong page for each main service.
Want us to check your profile? It is part of every free website review, and our local SEO service keeps it in top shape every month.
