The fundamentals (points 1–4)
Local searches are buying searches — most people who look up a nearby business contact one the same day. Google rewards completeness and punishes neglect, so start with the boring parts.
- Claim and verify the profile, and confirm the primary category matches what you actually sell
- List every service and product with a short description and price where relevant
- Set accurate opening hours, including holidays and special dates
- Use your real name, address and phone number identically everywhere else on the web
The conversion layer (points 5–8)
Once the basics are right, the profile has to earn the click. Photos, description and posts do most of that work.
- Upload at least 15–20 real photos — storefront, team, work in progress and finished jobs
- Write a description that leads with what you do and where you do it, not your brand story
- Publish a Google Post every week: an offer, a project, a tip, anything current
- Answer the questions customers actually ask in the Q&A section before they ask them
The compounding layer (points 9–12)
This is where profiles separate from each other. Reviews and response behaviour are among the strongest local ranking signals Google has, and they are entirely within your control.
- Ask every happy customer for a review — a simple link in a follow-up message works
- Reply to every review, positive and negative, in your own voice
- Check search-term insights monthly and fold the real queries into your copy
- Remove spam competitors: report fake reviews and duplicate or ineligible listings
