Google Business Profile Optimization: The Complete Checklist

For many local businesses, the Google Business Profile gets more views than the website. It’s where people check your hours, read reviews, look at photos and tap to call. Here’s a complete checklist to make sure yours is doing its job.

The basics

• Business name: your real business name, exactly as customers see it. No extra keywords.
• Primary category: the most accurate description of your main service.
• Secondary categories: add the other services you genuinely offer.
• Address or service area: show your address if customers visit you; hide it and list service areas if you go to them.
• Phone number: a local number that’s answered during business hours.
• Website: link to your homepage, or the most relevant page.
• Hours: accurate regular hours, plus special hours for holidays.

Content that helps you get chosen

• Description: a clear, natural summary of what you do, who you serve and where.
• Services or menu: list your main services, or your menu if you’re a restaurant.
• Attributes: options like wheelchair accessible, online appointments or outdoor seating, where they apply.
• Photos: your logo, cover photo, and a steady stream of real photos of your work, team and location.
• Posts: share offers, updates and recent projects.
• Questions and answers: answer the questions customers ask most.

Reviews

• Get your direct review link and share it after every job or visit.
• Reply to every review, thanking good reviewers and responding calmly and helpfully to criticism.
• Never buy reviews or offer rewards for them. It breaks Google’s policies and can get reviews removed.

Keep it consistent

Your name, address, phone and hours should match your website and other listings like Yelp, Facebook and industry directories. Mismatched details undermine trust with both customers and Google.

Keep it active

A profile that’s set up once and forgotten slowly falls behind competitors who post, add photos and collect reviews every month. Put a recurring reminder in your calendar, or have someone manage it for you.

Mistakes to avoid

• Stuffing keywords into your business name.
• Using a virtual office or PO box as your address.
• Creating duplicate profiles for the same location.
• Letting hours go out of date, especially over holidays.

Profile optimization and weekly posts are included in every one of our Local SEO plans.