When someone searches for your business name, or for "restaurant", "plumber" or "accountant" in your area, Google first shows a box with a map, opening hours, photos and reviews. That's your Google Business Profile, and it often decides whether that person calls you or moves on to a competitor.
Sign in to your profile at business.google.com and check these seven points.
1. Name, address and phone number the same everywhere
They need to be written the same way on your profile, your website, your social media and online directories. Differences (an extra "Ltd", an old number) confuse both Google and customers. Use your business's real name, without adding keywords: it's against Google's rules and could get your profile suspended.
2. The right category
Your primary category has a big say in when you appear. Choose the most specific one possible ("Pizzeria", not "Restaurant") and add secondary categories only if they describe services you really offer.
3. Opening hours up to date, holidays included
A customer who finds you closed when Google said you were open is unlikely to come back. Set special hours for public holidays and your own holiday closures a few weeks in advance.
4. Real, recent photos
The outside (so people recognise you from the street), the inside, your products or your work, the people on your team. Good photos taken on your phone beat stock images. Add new ones from time to time: it shows the business is active.
5. Services and products filled in
The services or products section is often left empty. Filling it in helps Google understand which searches to show you for, and answers customers' questions before they ask.
6. A reply to every review
Reply to the positive ones too, in a few words and without copying and pasting. Reply calmly to the negative ones: people reading will judge your reply more than the criticism. To get more reviews, ask for them: a card or a message with the direct link makes all the difference.
7. A link to your website, and to the right page
Link your profile to your website. If you have a booking page, a menu or a catalogue, consider linking straight to it: it's what most people are looking for.
After the first tidy-up, ten minutes a month is enough: new photos, replies to reviews, holiday opening hours.
If you'd rather we took care of it, your Google Business Profile is part of the local search work covered by our Performance Marketing service.
