When someone searches for "plumber near me" or "best tacos in Houston", the businesses they see first on Google and Google Maps come from Google Business Profile. A complete, accurate profile helps you show up in more of those searches and helps the people who find you decide to call, visit or book.
Google says local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. You cannot change distance, but most of what drives relevance and prominence is in your hands. Use this checklist to cover it.
1. Claim and verify your profile
- Search for your business on Google Maps. If a profile exists, claim it; if not, create one at business.google.com.
- Complete verification. Unverified profiles have limited visibility and you cannot manage reviews or posts.
- Add teammates as managers instead of sharing one login, so access does not disappear when someone leaves.
2. Get the basics exactly right
- Business name: use your real-world name, exactly as it appears on your sign, website and invoices. Adding keywords or cities to the name breaks Google's guidelines and can get the profile suspended.
- Address or service area: storefronts show their address. If you serve customers at their location, like a plumber or a mobile groomer, set a service area and hide your address if customers do not visit you.
- Phone number: use a local number that is answered during business hours.
- Website: link to your homepage or, for multi-location businesses, the page for that location.
- Keep name, address and phone consistent everywhere online, including your website, Yelp, Facebook, Apple Maps and industry directories.
3. Choose the right categories
Your primary category is one of the strongest relevance signals you control. Pick the most specific option that describes your main business, for example "Pediatric dentist" rather than "Dentist" if that is what you are. You can add up to nine additional categories for other services you really offer. Look at the top-ranking competitors in your area to see which categories they use.
4. Keep hours accurate, including holidays
- Set regular hours for every day.
- Add special hours for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Canada Day or the Fourth of July before they happen. Google often asks owners to confirm holiday hours, and wrong hours lead to frustrated customers and bad reviews.
- Use more hours, such as delivery, pickup or senior hours, if they apply.
5. Write a helpful business description
You have 750 characters. Use the first two sentences to say what you do, for whom and where. Then add what makes you different: years in business, certifications, languages spoken, guarantees. Write naturally; do not include links, prices or promotions here.
6. Fill in services and products
Services and products tell Google, and customers, exactly what you offer. Add each service with a short, plain description and, if it makes sense, a starting price. Products work well for retailers, restaurants with signature items, and service businesses with packages.
7. Add attributes
Attributes are the small labels like "Wheelchair accessible entrance", "Women-owned", "Free Wi-Fi", "Online appointments" or "Spanish spoken". Pick every one that is true. They help in filtered searches and answer common questions before a customer calls.
8. Upload real photos, and keep adding them
- Logo and cover photo.
- Outside photos that help people recognize your building or vehicle.
- Inside photos, your team at work, and finished jobs or dishes.
- Use your own photos rather than stock images, and add new ones every month.
9. Post updates regularly
Google Posts let you share news, offers and events right on your profile. A short post every week or two shows customers you are open and active.
10. Ask for reviews and reply to all of them
Reviews are a major part of prominence. Ask every happy customer, in person or with a follow-up text or email that includes your review link. Do not offer rewards for reviews, and do not ask only happy customers through a filter; both go against Google's policies. Then reply to every review, good and bad.
11. Add booking and action links
If customers can book, order or request a quote online, add those links so the buttons appear on your profile.
12. Check it every month
- Look for suggested edits from Google or the public and accept or reject them.
- Review your profile Performance numbers: searches, calls, direction requests and website clicks.
- Update photos, services and hours as your business changes.
Make it easier with NearVance
NearVance connects to your Google Business Profile, checks it for gaps, suggests improvements for services, products and descriptions, and helps you keep posts and review replies on schedule, with your approval on every change.