Google Business Profile: 7 things to check today

When someone searches for your trade on Google or Maps, they often never reach your website: they call straight from your profile. These are the seven things businesses most often forget.

1. Your primary category

It carries the most weight in local search. Pick the most specific one: “Bathroom remodeler” beats “Contractor”. Add secondary categories for the rest of what you do.

2. Name, address and phone, the same everywhere

They must match your website and every directory you're listed in. An old phone number on an old site confuses Google and AI assistants.

3. Opening hours, holidays included

Add special hours for bank holidays and time off. Few things hurt more than a customer turning up to a closed door.

4. Services with a description

Add each service separately, with a sentence or two. It helps you show up for specific searches, like “bath replacement” and not just “renovations”.

5. Real, recent photos

Photos of you, your team, your premises and finished jobs. Real phone photos beat stock images.

6. Reviews and replies

Ask for reviews regularly and reply to every one. Answer bad reviews calmly and offer a fix: readers notice how you respond more than the complaint itself.

7. Links to your website and bookings

Check the website link goes to your current site, not a broken page. If you take online bookings or have a quote form, link to that too.

Checking takes an afternoon. Keeping it up to date is what makes the difference: updates, new photos and new reviews every month.