Why Your Google Business Profile Matters
When someone searches for a business like yours, your Google Business Profile often appears before your website. It might show up in the local pack (those three business listings with a map), in Maps searches, or as a knowledge panel. For many potential customers, this is their first—and sometimes only—interaction with your brand.
A well-optimised profile can drive phone calls, website visits, direction requests, and direct messages. A neglected profile can make potential customers choose a competitor instead.
Claiming and Verifying Your Profile
If you haven't already, search for your business on Google. If a profile exists, claim it. If not, create one. You'll need to verify ownership—usually via postcard, phone, or email.
Important: If you find duplicate profiles for your business, you'll need to merge or remove them. Duplicates confuse both Google and potential customers.
Essential Information to Complete
Business Name
Use your exact business name as it appears on your signage and legal documents. Don't stuff keywords in—'John's Plumbing - Best Plumber Melbourne Emergency Plumbing' violates guidelines and risks suspension. Just 'John's Plumbing' is correct.
Categories
Your primary category is critically important—it's one of the strongest signals for which searches you appear in. Choose the most specific category that accurately describes your main business.
You can add additional categories, but don't go overboard. Include categories for services you actually provide, not aspirational additions.
Address and Service Areas
If customers visit your location, use your full address. If you visit customers (like a mobile service), you can hide your address and instead specify service areas by suburb or city.
Be accurate—incorrect addresses confuse Google and customers alike.
Business Hours
Keep hours accurate and updated. Add special hours for public holidays. Nothing frustrates customers more than arriving at a 'closed' business that Google said was open.
Phone Number
Use a local number rather than 1800 or 1300 numbers where possible—local numbers can strengthen local relevance signals.
Website
Link to your website's homepage or, if you have location-specific pages, link to the relevant location page.
Your Business Description
You have 750 characters to describe your business. Use them wisely:
- Lead with what makes you valuable to customers
- Include your main services and service areas naturally
- Mention any unique selling points or specialisations
- Add a call to action
Avoid keyword stuffing, ALL CAPS, or promotional language like 'best in Melbourne.' Keep it professional and informative.
Products and Services
Add your products or services with descriptions and prices where applicable. This content helps Google understand what you offer and can appear prominently in your profile.
For service businesses, list every service you provide. For product businesses, add your key offerings. This information helps you appear in relevant searches.
Photos and Videos
Businesses with photos receive significantly more engagement. Google's own data suggests businesses with photos receive 42% more direction requests and 35% more website clicks.
What to Upload
- Logo: Your business logo for brand recognition
- Cover photo: A compelling image that represents your business
- Interior photos: If customers visit your location
- Exterior photos: Help customers recognise your premises
- Team photos: Show the people behind the business
- Work photos: Examples of your products or completed work
Photo Guidelines
- Use high-resolution images (minimum 720px)
- No stock photos—authenticity matters
- Update regularly to show activity
- Include geo-tagged photos where possible
Google Posts
Google Posts let you share updates, offers, and events directly on your profile. They appear prominently and can drive engagement.
Post Types
- What's New: General updates and announcements
- Offers: Special deals with start/end dates
- Events: Upcoming events with date, time, and details
Best Practices
- Post weekly at minimum to signal activity
- Include high-quality images with every post
- Add clear calls to action
- Keep text concise but informative
Managing Reviews
Reviews are one of the most influential factors in local search rankings and customer decision-making.
Getting More Reviews
- Ask satisfied customers directly—most won't think of it otherwise
- Send follow-up emails or texts with direct links
- Make it easy—provide a short link to your review page
- Train staff to request reviews after positive interactions
Don't offer incentives for reviews—this violates guidelines and can result in review removal or profile suspension.
To streamline this process, consider using Google review management software that automates review requests and helps you respond efficiently to customer feedback.
Responding to Reviews
Respond to every review—positive and negative:
- Positive reviews: Thank the customer personally, reinforce what went well
- Negative reviews: Respond professionally, acknowledge concerns, offer to resolve offline
Your responses are public. How you handle criticism tells potential customers a lot about your business.
Q&A Section
Anyone can ask questions on your profile, and anyone can answer. Take control:
- Seed your profile with common questions and provide accurate answers
- Monitor for new questions and respond quickly
- Report spam or inappropriate content
Attributes
Attributes are specific features of your business—wheelchair accessibility, free Wi-Fi, outdoor seating, women-owned, etc. These can appear in search results and help customers find businesses matching their needs.
Review available attributes for your business type and add all that apply.
Messaging
Enable messaging to let customers contact you directly through your profile. If you enable it, respond quickly—slow responses create poor impressions and Google may disable the feature if you're unresponsive.
Insights and Analytics
Google provides performance data including:
- How customers find your profile
- Search queries that led to your listing
- Customer actions (calls, website visits, directions)
- Photo views compared to competitors
Review these insights monthly to understand what's working and identify opportunities.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Keyword stuffing in business name: Risks suspension
- Wrong category selection: Hurts relevance
- Inconsistent NAP: Confuses Google's trust signals
- Ignoring reviews: Damages reputation and rankings
- Outdated information: Frustrates customers
- No photos: Reduces engagement significantly
Keeping Your Profile Active
Google favours active profiles. Maintain engagement by:
- Posting at least weekly
- Responding to reviews promptly
- Adding new photos regularly
- Answering questions quickly
- Updating any changed information immediately
