Key takeaways
- Use your real business name, a real location, and as few categories as possible, exactly as Google's guidelines require.
- Service-area businesses should hide their address and list the areas they serve.
- Verification matters: Google says verified businesses are more likely to show up in search.
- Keep hours, phone, and website accurate, and add real photos of your work.
- Reply to reviews. Google lists review count and rating as part of prominence.
To set up a Google Business Profile, create or claim the profile at business.google.com, enter your real business name, choose the primary category that best describes your core service, add your location or service area, phone number and website, and then verify the business with Google. After verification, add hours, photos and services, and start asking customers for reviews. Most problems with profiles come from breaking Google's guidelines during setup, so this guide follows those guidelines step by step.
The profile is the listing that shows in Google Maps and in the map pack at the top of local searches. For many contractors it produces more calls than the website itself. It is also the first item on our local SEO checklist and part of every engagement in our SEO services.
Who is eligible for a Google Business Profile?
Google's guidelines allow a profile for a business that either has a physical location customers can visit or that travels to customers to deliver goods or services. Most contractors are service-area businesses: you go to the customer's home or job site.
Two common setups are not eligible. P.O. boxes or mailboxes at remote locations cannot be used as your address, and a virtual office or rented address where you do not actually work does not qualify. Google also says there should be only one profile per business.
How to set up your profile step by step
- Search for your business first. If a profile already exists, claim it instead of creating a new one. Duplicates cause problems in Maps and Search.
- Enter your business name exactly as customers know it. Use the name on your truck, signage and invoices.
- Choose your primary category. Pick the one that best describes your main service, such as "Roofing contractor" or "Plumber."
- Add your location. If you have an office customers visit, enter that address. If you only work at customers' sites, hide your address and add your service areas.
- Add your phone number and website. Use a number that reaches your business directly, and link to the page on your website that represents this business.
- Verify. Follow Google's verification steps. Google says verification tells it you are authorized to represent the business and makes it more likely to show up in search results.
- Complete the rest. Hours, services, a short description, photos, and the date you opened.
What should you fill in after verification?
| Section | What to add | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | Your regular customer-facing hours | Set holiday hours ahead of time so customers do not call a closed office |
| Services | Each service you actually offer | Use the words customers search, like "roof leak repair" |
| Description | What you do, where, and since when | Plain facts; no keyword lists or links |
| Photos | Crew, trucks, completed jobs, before and after | Real photos from your jobs, added regularly |
| Secondary categories | Only services that are a real part of your business | Fewer is better; do not add every possible category |
| Messaging | Turn on only if someone will answer quickly | Slow replies are worse than no messaging |
Google's help page on local ranking says that complete and accurate information helps your profile match the right searches. Every empty field is a missed chance to show what you do.
What should your business description say?
The description is a short paragraph customers read before they call. Write it for people, not for search. State what you do, the main services, the area you cover, how long you have been in business, and anything that sets you apart, such as licensing, warranties or emergency service. Keep it factual.
Leave out links, phone numbers, prices that change, and long keyword lists. A description stuffed with city names reads badly to customers and does nothing for your ranking. Your website service pages are the right place for detailed content about each service and area, which is where our content marketing work focuses.
What are the most common Google Business Profile mistakes?
1. Adding keywords to the business name
"ABC Roofing - Best Roof Repair Minneapolis" breaks Google's guidelines. The name must reflect your real-world business name, and Google says unnecessary information in the name is not permitted. Competitors can suggest an edit, and violations can lead to suspension. If you want a keyword in your name, it has to be part of your actual business name everywhere, not only on Google.
2. Showing a home address when you do not serve customers there
If customers do not come to you, Google's guidelines say service-area businesses should hide the address. Showing a home address also invites strangers to your door.
3. Using a P.O. box, mailbox store or virtual office
These are not eligible locations. Profiles built on them are a common reason for suspensions, and reinstating a suspended profile can take weeks.
4. Choosing too many categories
Google asks you to use as few categories as possible to describe your core business. Adding every loosely related category does not make you show up for more searches and can confuse Google about what you actually do.
5. Creating more than one profile
One business, one profile. Extra profiles for each city you serve, without a real staffed location in each city, break the guidelines and split your reviews.
6. A phone number that does not match the website
Use a number that connects to your business. If you use call tracking, keep the main number consistent and add the tracking number carefully so customers and Google see the same business details everywhere.
7. Ignoring reviews
Google lists your review count and rating as part of prominence and recommends responding to reviews. A profile with old, unanswered reviews tells customers nobody is paying attention.
8. Setting it up once and never touching it again
Hours change, services change, and new photos show you are active. Plan a short monthly check.
How do reviews fit in?
Reviews affect both ranking and whether people call. Build a habit instead of a one-time push:
- Ask every customer when the job is finished, while they are happy with the result.
- Send the review link by text so it takes one tap.
- Reply to every review. Thank people by name and mention the job when you can.
- Answer negative reviews calmly, state the facts, and offer to resolve it offline.
- Never buy reviews or write them for yourself.
Our social media and reputation service can handle review requests and replies if your team does not have the time.
How do you track calls from your profile?
Your profile shows basic counts of calls, website clicks and direction requests. To see which calls turn into jobs, connect those clicks to your website analytics and your CRM. Add a tracking tag to the website link in your profile so visits from the profile show separately in Google Analytics. Our analytics and reporting work sets this up so you can compare the profile with your website and ads.
Monthly Google Business Profile checklist
- Confirm hours, phone and website are correct.
- Add 3 to 5 new photos from recent jobs.
- Reply to all new reviews.
- Check for suggested edits from Google or the public and correct anything wrong.
- Review calls, website clicks and direction requests compared with last month.
A clean, complete profile is the fastest local SEO win for most contractors. If you want help setting it up or fixing a suspended or underperforming profile, see our SEO services or contact us. To understand how long the rest of the work takes, read How Long Does SEO Take?.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put keywords in my Google Business Profile name?
No, unless the keyword is part of your real business name. Google's guidelines say the name should reflect your real-world name and not include unnecessary information.
Should a contractor show their home address on Google?
No. Google's guidelines say service-area businesses should hide their address and list the areas they serve instead.
Can I use a virtual office or P.O. box for my profile?
No. Google does not accept P.O. boxes, remote mailboxes, or virtual offices where you do not actually work.
How many categories should I choose?
As few as possible. Choose the primary category that best describes your core business and add secondary categories only for services that are a real part of your business.
Does verifying my profile help it rank?
Google says verification tells it you are authorized to represent the business and makes the business more likely to show up in search results.