Google Business Profile Optimization Guide 2025

Why Your Google Business Profile is Your Most Important Marketing Asset

When someone searches for "[your service] near me," what do they see? A Google Business Profile (GBP) that's incomplete, has no reviews, and outdated photos? Or a fully optimized profile with stellar reviews and engaging content?

The difference could be worth tens of thousands in revenue.

Key stats:

64% of consumers use Google Business Profiles to find contact details
Businesses with complete profiles are 2.7x more likely to be considered reputable
56% of actions on GBP are website visits

Let's get your profile optimized properly.

Getting Started: Claim and Verify

If You Don't Have a Profile Yet

Go to google.com/business
Sign in with your Google account
Click "Manage now"
Search for your business name
If it exists, claim it. If not, add it.

Verification Methods

Google needs to confirm you're the real owner. Methods include:

Postcard: A code mailed to your address (most common)
Phone: Instant call with verification code
Email: Code sent to business email
Video: Record a video of your location
Live video call: With a Google representative

Choose the fastest option available to you. Once verified, you can edit your profile.

The Essential Information Section

Business Name

Use your exact legal business name. Nothing else.

Wrong: "Joe's Plumbing - Best Plumber in Manchester - 24/7 Emergency Service"

Right: "Joe's Plumbing Ltd"

Google can suspend profiles for keyword stuffing. Don't risk it.

Address

Must be a real location where customers can visit
Service-area businesses without a physical location can hide their address
Address must match what's on your website and other directories exactly

Service Area (for Service Businesses)

If you go to customers (plumbers, landscapers, etc.):

Set your service area by city, postcode, or distance
You can list up to 20 service areas
Don't set a radius larger than you actually serve

Phone Number

Use a local number (builds trust)
Make sure it's answered professionally
Track calls from GBP separately if possible

Website

Link to your homepage or a location-specific landing page. Ensure the page is mobile-friendly and loads quickly.

Business Hours

Keep these accurate
Update for holidays
Add special hours for holiday periods
Consider using "More hours" for specific services

Categories: Get These Right

Your primary category is the most important choice in your entire profile.

Choosing Your Primary Category

Must accurately describe your core business
Be as specific as possible
Only one primary category allowed

Example: Don't choose "Contractor" when "Roofing Contractor" is available.

Secondary Categories

Add all relevant secondary categories:

Up to 9 additional categories
Cover all your services
Don't add irrelevant ones (it can hurt)

Example for a plumber:

Primary: Plumber
Secondary: Water heater repair service, Drain cleaning service, Bathroom remodeler

How to Find the Best Categories

Search your main service in Google
Look at competitors in the Map Pack
Check what categories they use (Chrome extensions like GMB Everywhere can show this)
Add relevant ones you might have missed

Description: Make It Count

You get 750 characters to describe your business. Use them wisely.

What to Include

What you do
Who you serve
What makes you different
Your service area
Years of experience

What to Avoid

All caps
URLs (they're not clickable)
Promotional language like "the best" or "#1"
Keywords stuffed unnaturally

Example Description

"Joe's Plumbing has served Manchester and Greater Manchester for over 15 years. We specialize in emergency repairs, bathroom installations, and central heating systems. Our Gas Safe registered engineers are available 7 days a week, with same-day appointments available. Family-owned and trusted by thousands of local homeowners."

Products and Services

Adding Services

For each service, include:

Service name
Description (up to 300 characters)
Price (optional but recommended)

Be specific. Instead of just "Plumbing," add:

Emergency callouts
Boiler repair
Bathroom installation
Drain unblocking
Pipe repair

Adding Products

If you sell physical products:

Add photos
Include prices
Write descriptions
Link to product pages

Photos: Your Visual First Impression

Businesses with photos get 35% more website clicks and 42% more direction requests.

Essential Photos

Logo — Used as your profile picture
Cover photo — First thing people see
Exterior photo — Shows what your location looks like
Interior photos — Help customers know what to expect
Team photos — Put faces to your business
Work/product photos — Show what you do

Photo Best Practices

Use high-resolution images (minimum 720px)
Keep file size under 5MB
Use natural lighting
Show real situations (not obvious stock photos)
Add new photos regularly (monthly minimum)
Geo-tag photos with your location

Photo Don'ts

No stock photos
No images with heavy text/graphics
No screenshots
No sexually suggestive content
No photos of unrelated subjects

Google Posts: Stay Active

Google Posts appear in your profile and in search results. They show Google (and customers) that you're active.

Types of Posts

What's New: General updates, news, announcements

Events: Upcoming events with date/time

Offers: Promotions with optional coupon codes

Products: Feature specific products

Post Best Practices

Post at least weekly
Include a photo with every post
Keep text under 300 words (1,500 character limit)
Include a call-to-action button
Posts expire after 7 days (events expire after the event)

Post Ideas

New service announcements
Seasonal tips related to your industry
Behind-the-scenes photos
Customer success stories
Holiday hours reminders
Special promotions
Team member spotlights

Reviews: The Make-or-Break Factor

Why Reviews Matter So Much

93% of consumers read reviews before choosing a business
Businesses with 4+ stars significantly outperform others
Reviews with keywords help rankings

How to Get More Reviews

Make it easy:

Create a short link to your review page. Find it in your GBP dashboard or create a short URL.

Ask at the right time:

Immediately after a positive interaction
After completing a successful job
When customers express satisfaction

Ask consistently:

In follow-up emails
On invoices/receipts
Via text message (if appropriate)
With signage at your location

What NOT to do:

Offer incentives for reviews (against Google policy)
Buy fake reviews (will get you suspended)
Review your own business

Responding to Reviews

Respond to EVERY review—good and bad.

For positive reviews:

Thank them by name
Mention something specific from their experience
Invite them back

For negative reviews:

Respond quickly (within 24 hours)
Stay calm and professional
Acknowledge their experience
Apologize for any shortcomings
Offer to resolve offline
Never argue publicly

Example negative review response:

"Hi [Name], thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear your experience didn't meet your expectations. This isn't the standard we aim for, and we'd like to make it right. Could you please call us at [phone] so we can discuss this directly? - Joe"

Q&A Section

Monitor Questions

Check the Q&A section regularly. Anyone can ask—and anyone can answer (including competitors).

Seed Your Own Q&A

You can ask and answer your own questions. Use this to:

Address common customer questions
Clarify services and pricing
Highlight unique selling points

Questions to add:

"Do you offer free quotes?"
"What areas do you serve?"
"Are you available on weekends?"
"Do you have parking?"

Attributes

Attributes are details about your business that Google highlights. Complete all relevant ones:

Business Attributes

Women-led
Veteran-owned
Small business

Service Attributes

Online appointments
Online estimates
In-store pickup

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible
Accessible toilet
Accessible parking

Health & Safety

Mask required
Staff wear masks
Temperature checks

Messaging

Enable messaging to let customers contact you directly from your profile.

Setup Tips

Respond quickly (Google shows your response time)
Set up automated welcomes
Check messages regularly
Be professional in all communications

Tracking Performance

GBP Insights

Check your insights monthly:

Searches: How people found you (direct vs. discovery)
Views: Where people saw your profile
Actions: What people did (calls, website visits, directions)

What to Track

Total searches month over month
Actions (calls, clicks, directions)
Photo views vs. competitors
Review count and average rating
Post engagement

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Keyword stuffing business name — Leads to suspension
Inconsistent NAP — Hurts rankings and confuses customers
Ignoring reviews — Shows you don't care
Outdated information — Wrong hours frustrate customers
No photos — Makes you look less trustworthy
Not posting — Signals inactivity to Google
Fake reviews — Will eventually get you caught

Your GBP Optimization Checklist

[ ] Claimed and verified
[ ] Accurate business name
[ ] Correct address (or service area)
[ ] Local phone number
[ ] Complete business hours
[ ] Best primary category selected
[ ] Relevant secondary categories added
[ ] Compelling description written
[ ] All services listed with descriptions
[ ] High-quality photos added (10+ minimum)
[ ] Logo uploaded
[ ] Reviews being requested regularly
[ ] All reviews being responded to
[ ] Posts added weekly
[ ] Q&A section populated
[ ] Messaging enabled
[ ] All relevant attributes selected

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Google Business Profile Optimization: The Complete 2025 Guide