The Google Business Profile checklist for contractors
Your profile decides whether you show up on the map. Here is every field worth filling in, and the routine that keeps it working.
On this page
Key takeaways
- Your Google Business Profile powers your spot on the map. A complete, accurate profile is the foundation of local SEO.
- Use your real business name, the most accurate primary category, and hide your address if customers don’t come to you.
- Fill in services, service areas, hours, and a description, and add real photos of your work.
- Keep it current with a monthly routine, and avoid shortcuts like keyword-stuffed names or fake locations that can get you suspended.
When someone searches for a trade near them, the map and the list of businesses under it are often the first thing they see. Those listings come from Google Business Profiles. For a local service business, a complete, well-kept profile is one of the most valuable free marketing tools there is.
Google has said local results are based mainly on three things: relevance to the search, distance from the searcher, and prominence of the business. You can’t change where a customer is standing, but everything on this checklist helps with the other two.
Claim and verify your profile
Search for your business on Google or Maps. If a profile exists, claim it; if not, create one. Google will ask you to verify that you own the business. The method varies, and it may include a video of your business, your vehicle, or your tools. Follow the instructions exactly, and have your business documents handy.
Get the core details right
| Field | Best practice |
|---|---|
| Business name | Your real-world business name, exactly as it appears on your truck and signage. No extra keywords or cities. |
| Primary category | The single category that best describes your main service. This has a big effect on which searches you show up for. |
| Secondary categories | Add other categories that truly apply, and skip the ones that don’t. |
| Address | If customers don’t come to your location, hide your address and set service areas instead. |
| Service areas | The cities or regions you actually serve. Google allows up to 20. |
| Phone | A local number that someone answers during your listed hours. |
| Website | Link to your website, ideally the most relevant page for your main service. |
| Hours | Accurate hours, plus special hours for holidays. |
Add your services
List each service you offer, with a short, plain description. Use the words customers use, like “gutter guard installation” rather than internal shorthand. Services help Google and customers understand exactly what you do.
Write a description that helps customers
You get up to 750 characters. Use them to say what you do, where you do it, and what makes you worth calling. Write for people, not for search engines. Lists of keywords read badly and don’t help.
Add real photos
Profiles with real, recent photos look active and trustworthy. Stock photos do the opposite.
- Your logo and a cover photo
- Before-and-after photos of real jobs, with customer permission
- Your team at work, and your trucks with your branding
- Your shop or office, if customers visit it
Keep adding photos as you finish jobs. Good before-and-after photos do double duty here.
Reviews: ask, and reply
Reviews are one of the clearest signals of prominence, and they’re what customers read first. Ask every happy customer, send a direct link, and reply to every review. Our guide to getting more Google reviews has templates and the rules to follow.
Keep it consistent everywhere
Your business name, phone number, and address, if shown, should match across your profile, your website, and any directories you’re listed in. Inconsistent details confuse customers and make it harder for search engines to trust the information.
A monthly routine
Once a month
- Check hours, phone, and website are still correct
- Add a few new photos from recent jobs
- Reply to any reviews you haven’t answered
- Update services if you’ve added or dropped any
- Post an update for seasonal services or offers
- Review suggested edits from Google or the public and correct anything wrong
Mistakes that get profiles suspended
- Adding keywords or city names to your business name
- Using a virtual office, P.O. box or someone else’s address
- Creating duplicate profiles to appear in more places
- Offering incentives for reviews or posting fake ones
- Listing services or categories you don’t actually provide
What the profile can’t do alone
A strong profile gets people to your business. Your website has to finish the job. Make sure the page you link to answers what customers want to know, and see the service business website checklist for what to include.
Common questions
Should I show my home address on my Business Profile?
If you run a service-area business from home and customers don’t visit you there, no. Hide your address and set your service areas instead, as Google’s guidelines recommend.
Why isn’t my business showing up on the map?
Local results depend on relevance, distance, and prominence. Check that your profile is verified and complete, that your primary category matches your main service, and that you’re building reviews over time. Searchers far from your location may simply see closer businesses first.
How long does it take to show up higher in Maps?
Fixing an incomplete profile can help within weeks. Building prominence through reviews, photos, and a strong website takes longer, usually months.
Can I have a separate profile for each town I serve?
Only if you have a real, staffed location in each town. Otherwise, use one profile and list the towns as service areas.