Getting Your Google Business Profile Right

Why it matters more than a website

For local work, people tend to search, look at the three businesses on the map, check the stars and ring one. Your Google Business Profile is that listing. It costs nothing and it can bring in more calls than a website does.

Get the basics exactly right

• Business nameUse the name you actually trade under, the same as on your van and invoices. Adding "Cheap Boiler Repairs Leeds" to your name to rank higher breaks Google's rules and can get the listing suspended.
• Main categoryPick the one that describes your core work, such as "Electrician" or "Roofing contractor". It carries more weight than anything else you add. You can add secondary categories for other work.
• Phone numberUse a number you answer. A mobile is fine.
• Opening hoursBe honest. If you take emergency calls out of hours, say so in the description rather than the hours.
• ServicesList each job you do, such as "Boiler repair" or "Fuse board upgrade". Add a short plain description for each.

If you work at customers' homes, hide your address

Most tradesmen are service-area businesses: you go to the customer, they do not come to you. In that case you can hide your home address and list the areas you cover instead. Do not publish a home address if you do not want customers turning up at it.

Pick the towns or postcode areas you really work in. Listing the whole country does not help and can look like spam.

Verification

Google has to confirm you are a real business before the listing goes public. Depending on your business it may ask for a postcode letter, a phone or email code, or a short video. For a video, you are usually asked to show your van, tools, signage and the area you work in, so have them to hand. Follow the steps Google shows you and do not start a second listing if the first one stalls, because duplicates cause trouble.

Photos and posts that help

Add a clear logo, a photo of the van, and photos of finished jobs. Real photos of real work beat stock images every time. Add a few new ones each month and post a short update now and then, such as a recent job or a seasonal reminder.

Do not show customers' faces, house numbers or anything that identifies a property without asking first.

Reviews and replies

Reply to every review, good or bad, in a sentence or two. It shows new customers how you deal with people. Our guide on getting reviews covers how to ask without breaking Google's rules.