Google Business Profile Optimisation: A Step-by-Step Guide

Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing people see when they search for a business near them. A complete, active profile helps customers choose you and helps Google understand what you offer. This guide walks you through the settings that matter most.

Claim and Verify Your Profile

Search for your business name on Google. If a profile exists, claim it. If not, create one at business.google.com. Google will ask you to verify that you own the business, usually by phone, email, video or postcard. Use your real business name, exactly as customers know it. Adding extra keywords to the name can get the profile suspended.

Choose the Right Categories

Your primary category is one of the strongest signals for local search. Pick the one that best describes your main service. Then add a few secondary categories for other services you genuinely offer. Do not add categories just to appear in more searches.

Fill In Every Detail Accurately

• Address or service area: if customers visit you, show your address. If you travel to customers or work remotely, set a service area and hide the address.
• Phone number and website: use a number you answer and link to the most relevant page.
• Hours: keep them correct, including holidays.
• Description: explain what you do, who you help and where, in plain language.

Keep your name, address and phone number the same on your website and in directories.

Add Services and Products

List each service with a short description. This helps Google match your profile to specific searches and helps customers understand your offer quickly.

Upload Real Photos Regularly

Add photos of your work, your team, your products and, if relevant, your premises. Real, recent photos build trust. Avoid stock images.

Publish Posts

Use Google posts to share offers, updates, new services or useful tips. Regular posts show that your business is active.

Get and Reply to Reviews

Reviews strongly influence whether people contact you. Ask happy customers for a review at the right moment and make it easy with your review link. Reply to every review politely, including negative ones. Never buy reviews or post fake ones. Our guide on getting more Google reviews explains how to do this the right way.

Use Messages and Q&A

Turn on messaging if you can reply quickly. Check questions people ask on your profile and answer them clearly.

Track What Works

The Performance section shows how people find your profile and what they do: calls, website visits and direction requests. Review it monthly and improve what is weak.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Keyword stuffing in the business name
• Wrong or outdated hours
• Different phone numbers on the profile and website
• Creating extra profiles for locations that do not exist
• Ignoring reviews