Local SEO
Google Business Profile Checklist: 20 Fixes That Bring More Calls
Your Business Profile is often the first thing customers see — before your website. This 20-point checklist covers what to fix, in order of impact.
Key takeaways
- Categories and services drive relevance — they matter more than your description.
- Use your real-world business name. Adding keywords breaches Google’s guidelines and risks suspension.
- Fresh photos, regular posts and fast review replies are signals of an active, trustworthy business.
- Track calls, website clicks and direction requests in the Performance report, not just views.
Why your Business Profile matters more than you think
For local searches, your Google Business Profile is effectively your shopfront. It shows in the Map Pack, on Google Maps and in the knowledge panel when someone searches your name. Many customers call straight from it without ever visiting your website.
Google says local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. Your profile is where you control the first and influence the third. We cover the ranking side in depth in local SEO for tradies; this checklist focuses on the profile itself.
Foundations: get these right first
Fixes 1–6 · Foundations
- 1. Verify the profile and make sure you (not a former agency) own it.
- 2. Real business name only — no suburbs or keywords added.
- 3. Most specific primary category (e.g. “Fence contractor”, not “Contractor”).
- 4. Relevant secondary categories for genuine additional services only.
- 5. Address or service areas — service-area businesses hide the address and list areas instead.
- 6. Phone, website and hours identical to your website and directories, including holiday hours.
Choosing categories: the decision that matters most
Your primary category is the strongest relevance signal on your profile. Pick the most specific option that describes your core business — not the broadest one. If you do several things, choose the category that matches the searches you most want to win, then add genuine secondary categories.
| Business | Weak primary category | Stronger choice |
|---|---|---|
| Residential electrician | Contractor | Electrician |
| Fence builder | Construction company | Fence contractor |
| Fibreglass pool installer | Swimming pool supply store | Swimming pool contractor |
| Home repairs and maintenance | Contractor | Handyman |
Examples only — choose from Google’s category list the option that genuinely matches your business.
Look at the top three profiles in the Map Pack for your main search. Their categories tell you what Google currently associates with that query — a useful sanity check before you change yours.
Relevance: tell Google what you do
Fixes 7–11 · Relevance
- 7. Complete the services list — every job type you want to be found for, with short descriptions.
- 8. Add products where relevant (packages, popular jobs, price ranges).
- 9. Write a useful description (up to 750 characters): what you do, where, and what makes you different.
- 10. Set attributes that apply — accessibility, payment options, women-led, online estimates.
- 11. Link to the right page — your homepage, or a location page if you have several sites.
Trust: show you’re active and good at what you do
Fixes 12–17 · Trust and activity
- 12. Upload real job photos regularly — before/after, team, vehicles, completed work.
- 13. Add a logo and cover photo that match your website and signage.
- 14. Publish posts about recent jobs, offers or updates, mentioning the suburb.
- 15. Ask every happy customer for a review by SMS with your direct review link.
- 16. Reply to every review — positive and negative — calmly and specifically.
- 17. Never incentivise or buy reviews; it breaches Google’s policies.
Photos that actually help
Customers judge your work by your photos before they ever read a review. The photos that convert are the ones that look like real jobs: the finished fence on a real street, the switchboard upgrade before and after, your team and vehicles on site. Stock images do the opposite — they make a real business look generic.
- Upload little and often — a few new photos each week signals an active business.
- Show variety — exterior, interior, team, work in progress, finished results.
- Keep them recent — customers notice when the newest photo is three years old.
- Don’t add text overlays or logos to every image; let the work speak.
How to ask for reviews without it feeling awkward
The best time to ask is the moment the job is done and the customer is happy — ideally in person, followed by a short text with the link. Keep it personal and easy. In Google Business Profile, use “Ask for reviews” to copy your direct review link.
Hi Sarah, thanks again for choosing us for your new fence today!
If you have a minute, a quick Google review would really help our small business:
[your review link]
Thanks — Dave, Example FencingWatch out for unwanted edits
Anyone can suggest changes to a Business Profile, and Google sometimes applies them automatically — a changed category, different hours, even a wrong phone number. Check your profile for “Google updates” notifications and review the live listing at least monthly. If your profile is ever suspended, fix the cause first (usually the name, address or category), then request reinstatement with evidence such as signage, licences or utility bills.
Measure and maintain
Fixes 18–20 · Measurement
- 18. Add UTM parameters to your website link (e.g.
?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp) so profile traffic is visible in analytics. - 19. Review the Performance report monthly — calls, website clicks, direction requests and the searches people used.
- 20. Audit quarterly — anyone can suggest edits to your profile, and Google sometimes accepts them.
https://example.com.au/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbpWhat good looks like: a real example
Saylec Electrical, a South-East Melbourne electrician with 15+ years of trading, had been stuck at position #6 in the map results for “Langwarrin electrician” after years with another provider. Business Profile optimisation, alongside dedicated suburb pages on the website, lifted it to #4.
What to update, and how often
| Task | Frequency | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Reply to new reviews | Within 48 hours | 2 minutes each |
| Publish a post | Weekly or fortnightly | 10 minutes |
| Upload new job photos | Weekly | 5 minutes |
| Check Performance report | Monthly | 15 minutes |
| Full profile audit | Quarterly | 30–45 minutes |
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for profile changes to affect rankings?
Category and service changes can affect visibility within days to weeks. Review and prominence signals build over months.
Can I have more than one Business Profile?
Only for genuinely separate locations that serve customers in person or are staffed. Duplicate or fake locations are against the guidelines.
Should I respond to negative reviews?
Yes — calmly, specifically and without arguing. Future customers read your replies as much as the reviews.
Does posting on my profile help rankings?
Posts show activity and give customers more reasons to call. Treat them as conversion content first and a ranking signal second.
Do I still need a website?
Yes. Your website’s content and authority feed relevance and prominence — and Google shut down its free Business Profile websites in 2024.
Founder of Catnapweb and Professor at the Department of Marketing and Commerce, Comenius University. Author of 170+ research publications on AI in marketing and search visibility, cited 1,705 times. Full profile →
Services mentioned in this article
- Local SEO servicesMap Pack and suburb visibility.→
- SEO for tradesPlaybooks for trade businesses.→
- Conversion optimisationTurn profile clicks into enquiries.→
