A Google Business Profile checklist for trades
Start with eligibility and accurate business details, then check what a customer can learn and how they can contact you. Keep ownership of the account, use real business information and test the website or phone journey. A completed profile is a useful asset, but it does not guarantee local rankings or enquiries.
Check the business identity and access
Google's representation rules cover eligibility, names, categories and addresses. Use the real-world business identity and the profile type that matches how customers interact with the business. A service-area business should not invent a customer-facing office.
Keep a record of who owns and manages the account. If someone helps with setup, use the platform's access controls instead of sharing a password. Confirm the profile's actual status rather than assuming an edit or verification submission is already public.
Make the service information useful
Describe the work a customer can actually request. A fence installer that also considers small repairs should make that distinction clear if it is part of the current service. Review the linked website so the two sources do not contradict each other.
Choose information a customer needs for a decision: service area, current hours, how to request an estimate and what happens next. Keep a private checklist of seasonal or operational changes that require updating.
Use real photographs and fair review requests
Choose photographs that show the business or its work and that you have permission to use. Remove customer details that do not belong in a public image. A photo should help someone understand what you do, not imply a project or credential you cannot substantiate.
Google prohibits fake engagement and incentivised or selectively positive review solicitation. Ask for honest feedback without rewards or screening customers for a favourable rating.
Test the route out of the profile
Open the website link as a customer. Check that it reaches the intended page, loads on a phone and presents a useful request option. Where a phone number is published, check that the business has a clear answering or callback process.
Do not plan around Google's discontinued native Business Profile chat. Eligible profiles may have text-message or WhatsApp options; check current availability before promising a specific integration.
Review the profile as an operating task
Assign someone to check important changes, review replies and broken links. Record the date a correction was made and verify the public result. Keep this task proportionate to how the business operates rather than filling the profile with repeated promotional text.
When an enquiry arrives, ask how the prospect found you as part of the normal conversation. Keep that answer separate from aggregate profile interactions. A website click, a call attempt and a paid job measure different parts of the journey.
What you get
- Verified account ownership and a recorded profile status
- A consistent service and contact checklist
- Real photographs and an honest feedback process
- A tested website-to-enquiry route
Common questions
Should I add keywords to the business name?
Use the name the business uses in the real world and follow Google's representation rules. Do not add an invented keyword-stuffed name for ranking purposes.
Can I show an office where customers cannot visit?
Your profile must accurately represent how the business operates. Check Google's address and service-area rules before publishing a location.
Does a complete profile guarantee the map pack?
No. Profile accuracy is worth improving, but local visibility depends on factors beyond completing the fields.
Get help with your next step
Send your website, the work you want more of and the problem you are seeing. We will review the fit and reply with a proposed next step.