Why your profile comes first
When someone searches for a tradesperson, your Google Business Profile is often the first thing they see, before your website. It shows your name, your reviews, your phone number, and a few photos. If it looks thin or out of date, many customers will move on to the next business without ever visiting your site.
This is a checklist you can work through in an afternoon. Google changes its features from time to time, so if a setting has moved, the idea behind it still applies.
The basics
- Business name. Use the name on your truck and your invoices, with nothing extra added.
- Main category. Pick the one that matches your main job. A tree service should not be filed under general contractor.
- Phone number and website. Make sure both are correct and that someone answers that number.
- Hours. Keep them current, including holidays and seasonal changes.
- Service area. List the cities and areas you actually cover. If you work from home, you can hide your street address and show only the area you serve.
Work through it in order, and write down anything you change. A short list of what you updated and when is useful later, if a setting resets or someone else edits the profile.
Services and description
- Services list. Add each service you offer in plain words, such as stump grinding or drain cleaning.
- Description. Say what you do, where you do it, and how long you have been doing it. Leave out hype.
Photos
Real photos of real jobs do more than stock images. Add before-and-after shots, your crew, your trucks, and finished work. Add a few new ones regularly so the profile does not look abandoned.
Reviews
- Ask every happy customer. Send a link right after the job, while it is fresh.
- Reply to every review. Thank people, and answer complaints calmly and briefly.
- Be specific when you reply. Mentioning the kind of job and the area helps both customers and search tools understand what you do.
Posts and questions
- Post now and then. A finished job, a seasonal reminder, or a short tip is enough.
- Check the questions section. Answer common questions yourself before someone else does.
Keep your details the same everywhere
Search tools and AI assistants pull facts about your business from many places, including online directories and listings. If your name, phone number, or address differs from one place to the next, it creates doubt. Choose one version of each and use it everywhere.
A monthly routine
Once the profile is in good shape, keeping it that way takes about half an hour a month.
- Add a few new photos from recent jobs.
- Post one short update.
- Reply to any new reviews.
- Check your hours for upcoming holidays.
- Look at the profile’s numbers for calls and direction requests, so you can see what is changing.
Common mistakes
- Adding keywords to the business name.
- Choosing a category that does not match the main job.
- Ignoring a bad review instead of answering it calmly.
- Leaving old hours up after the season changes.
What we cannot promise
A tidy profile helps customers choose you, and it supports how you show up in search, but nobody can promise a particular ranking. What you can do is remove the reasons for a customer to hesitate.
If you would rather have someone handle this each month, get in touch.
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