The Google Business Profile Checklist for Small Businesses

For a lot of local searches, your Google Business Profile is the first thing a customer sees, before your website. It is free, and most owners set it up once and never look at it again. Work through this list once now and once a quarter after that.

1. Name, address and phone

Use your real business name with no extra keywords, and make the address and phone match your website and every other listing exactly.

2. Primary category

Pick the most specific category that fits, such as heating contractor instead of contractor. It is one of the biggest factors in which searches you show up for.

3. Service area or storefront

If customers come to you, show your address. If you go to them, set it up as a service-area business and list the towns you cover.

4. Hours and holiday hours

Set regular hours, then add special hours before every holiday so nobody drives to a locked door.

5. Website link

Link to the page that best matches the profile. For a single-location business that is usually the home page.

6. Services and products

List each service with a short description. It helps the profile match more specific searches.

7. Photos

Add real photos every month: your work, your team, your place. Skip stock photos here.

8. Reviews

Ask every happy customer, and reply to every review, good or bad. The next customer reads both.

9. Posts

Share an update, offer or tip every week or two. Active profiles look cared for.

10. Questions and answers

Add the questions you hear most and answer them yourself.

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