The Google Business Profile Checklist for Local Service Businesses

Your Google Business Profile is one of the first things people see in Search and Maps. It’s free, and it’s often incomplete or wrong.

1. Claim and verify it

If your business is eligible and you haven’t claimed the profile, do that first. Until it’s verified, you don’t control what customers see.

2. Nail the core info

• Business name: your real name, with no keywords stuffed in (that can get you suspended).
• Primary category: the most specific one that fits your main business. Google says categories affect local ranking.
• Additional categories: only ones that fit. You don’t need one per service.
• Service area: the cities and ZIP codes you actually serve.
• Hours: accurate, including holiday hours.

3. Add every service

List what you actually do in the Services section, in your customers’ words. Keep it matching your website.

4. Keep photos fresh

Add current, real photos of your crew, your work, your trucks and your shop.

5. Get reviews the right way

After each job, ask for honest feedback. Ask every customer, not just the ones you think are happy, and don’t offer anything in return. Read Google’s current guidance for requesting reviews before you set up how you’ll ask.

6. Use the features customers can see

Keep services, booking links, attributes and updates accurate. Features vary by category and market, so go by what your own profile shows today.

7. Watch for spam competitors

If a competitor’s profile clearly breaks Google’s guidelines, write down what you see and report it through Google. Then get back to improving your own.

A simple upkeep routine

• Whenever something changes: update hours, services, phone number, booking links and temporary closures right away.
• Once a month: add photos, answer questions, reply to reviews and check for edits you didn’t make.
• Every few months: make sure services, categories, links and service areas still match your business.
• Before big changes: write down your current settings and check Google’s live guidelines first.

If you go to your customers

If customers don’t come to your address, follow Google’s current service-area rules. Don’t show an address just to rank better, and don’t create extra profiles unless each location qualifies on its own.

Before changing your name, category, address or service-area setup, check Google’s current Business Profile representation guidelines. A bad location change can mean re-verifying, or a suspension.

Rather not deal with this yourself? We handle it as part of Get Found. Or start with a free local marketing scorecard.