Google Business Profile Optimization

Your Google Business Profile, which many contractors still call Google My Business, is the listing that appears on Google Maps and in the map results above the websites. For most home service businesses it brings in more calls than the website does. Getting it right is the fastest way to improve your local visibility.

What Google looks at on your profile

Google ranks map listings on three things: how relevant your business is to the search, how close you are to the person searching, and how prominent your business is. You cannot move your office closer to every customer, but you can control most of the rest.

• Primary category. The most important single setting. A roofer listed as a general contractor will struggle to show for roof repair searches.
• Secondary categories and services. These tell Google about everything else you do, from AC repair to water heater installation.
• Service area. For businesses that travel to customers, the areas you list should match where you actually work.
• Business details. Your real business name, phone number, hours and website, consistent with the rest of the web.
• Photos and updates. Real job photos and regular posts show Google and homeowners that you are active.
• Reviews. How many you have, how recent they are and how you reply.

What our Google Business Profile optimization includes

1. Category review. We compare your categories against the businesses outranking you and choose the most accurate primary and secondary categories.
2. Services and description. We list your services in the words customers search with and write a description that sounds like you, not like a keyword list.
3. Service area setup. We set your service area to match the cities and neighborhoods you actually serve, and hide your address if customers do not visit you.
4. Photos. We help you build a library of real job photos and add them on a steady schedule.
5. Review system. We set up a simple way to ask every customer for a review and show you how to reply.
6. Tracking. We add tracking so calls and website visits from your profile show up in your monthly report.

Mistakes that get profiles suspended

Suspensions are the biggest fear we hear from contractors, and most are avoidable. We never do any of the following, and we will tell you if your current listing does.

• Adding city names or keywords to the business name.
• Using a virtual office, mailbox or coworking desk as a business address.
• Creating extra listings for areas you serve but have no staffed location in.
• Buying reviews, writing reviews for customers or offering rewards for reviews.
• Asking only happy customers for reviews and steering unhappy ones elsewhere.

One time optimization or ongoing management?

If your profile has clear problems, the one time Local Tune-Up fixes them. If you want to keep improving month after month with new photos, posts, review growth and competitor tracking, that is part of Local Growth. See local SEO pricing for both.

Questions about Google Business Profile optimization

Do you need to own my profile?

No. You stay the owner. We ask to be added as a manager, which you can remove at any time.

My profile was suspended. Can you help?

Often, yes. We review why it was likely suspended, fix what broke the guidelines and help you submit a reinstatement request. Google makes the final decision.

Can you get rid of fake competitor listings?

We can report listings that break Google’s guidelines through Google’s official process, with evidence. Google decides whether to remove them.

How soon will I see a difference?

Category and service fixes can show movement within a few weeks. Review growth and photos build up over months.