Google Business Profile
optimisation guide.

What a fully optimised Google Business Profile should include.

A good profile is not just the bare minimum. It should be complete, accurate and active. The more useful and trustworthy your profile looks, the easier it is for someone to choose you.

Correct core business information

• Business name exactly as it is used in real life. Do not add extra keywords to the name.
• Correct address or service area, depending on the type of business.
• Main phone number.
• Website link.
• Correct opening hours, including holiday hours where relevant.
• Main business category and any additional relevant categories.

A clear business description

• Write a short description explaining what you do, who you help and where you work.
• Keep it clear and natural. This is not the place for keyword stuffing.
• Mention your main services and service area in normal language.

Services and products

• Add your main services individually where possible.
• Add short service descriptions to help people understand what you offer.
• For product-led businesses, add key products where that feature is available.

Photos and visual proof

• A recognisable logo.
• A clear cover image.
• Photos of your work, team, premises, products or results.
• Before-and-after photos where appropriate and allowed.
• Regularly updated real photos rather than generic stock images where possible.

Reviews and responses

• A growing collection of genuine reviews.
• Recent reviews, not just old ones.
• Helpful replies to positive reviews and calm, professional responses to negative ones.

Extra trust signals

• Accurate questions and answers where Google provides those controls.
• Posts or updates where useful.
• Booking, call or other supported contact options if relevant to the business.

If customers do not visit your business address, hide it and use the areas you genuinely serve. See Google's business representation guidelines and service-area guidance .

How to fully optimise your profile step by step.

1. Claim and verify the profile

   • Search for your business on Google or Google Maps.
   • If the profile already exists, claim it.
   • If it does not exist, create it.
   • Complete the verification process Google asks for.

2. Choose the right categories

   • Pick the main category that most closely matches your core service.
   • Add additional categories only if they genuinely apply.
   • Do not try to rank for everything by adding unrelated categories.

3. Write a strong business description

   • Explain what the business does.
   • Mention the key services.
   • Mention the locations or service area.
   • Keep it simple and natural.

4. Add every relevant service

   • Add all of your services one by one where the profile supports them.
   • Use wording a customer would actually understand.
   • Include descriptions and, where appropriate and supported, accurate pricing.

5. Upload good photos

   • Add a clear logo and cover image.
   • Add photos that show the business is real and active.
   • Show your work, your premises, your team or your process.
   • Keep adding new photos over time.

6. Add the website and contact methods

   • Make sure the website link works.
   • Use the correct main phone number.
   • If the business takes bookings, messages or appointments, set up the supported options where relevant.
   • Make sure the details match the information on your website. Matching business details are important.

7. Check opening hours

   • Set your normal hours accurately.
   • Update special hours for holidays and temporary changes.
   • Wrong opening hours can damage trust and lead to missed visits or enquiries.

8. Use the questions and answers controls where available

   • Review and answer relevant customer questions where the profile allows it.
   • Keep answers short, accurate and helpful.
   • Check existing answers so incorrect or outdated information does not sit on the profile.

9. Post updates occasionally

   • Share updates, offers, service highlights, recent work or announcements.
   • Use posts to show that the business is active and give customers useful information. A posting frequency is not a Google ranking guarantee.

10. Reply to reviews

    • Thank people for positive reviews. Where it fits naturally, refer to the service provided in your response.
    • Respond calmly and professionally to negative reviews.
    • A business that replies shows customers that it pays attention to their feedback.

Keep links and promotional offers out of the business description field. Google is changing how questions appear in Search and Maps, so Q&A controls can vary between profiles. See its Q&A update . Keep important answers on your website too.

Ongoing monthly work that should be done.

A Google Business Profile is not something you set up once and forget. Keep it active and accurate as your business changes.

Use this simple monthly checklist to stay on top of the ongoing work:

The photo and update frequencies above are practical suggestions, not Google ranking requirements. Profile actions show interactions, rather than confirmed customers or sales.

How to get your Google review link.

One of the easiest ways to get more reviews is to make the process as simple as possible. Instead of telling customers to search for your business and work it out themselves, send them your direct review link.

1. Log in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile.
2. Search your business name on Google while logged in and open the profile controls.
3. Select Read reviews , then Get more reviews . The wording may vary between interfaces.
4. Copy the direct review link Google provides. On a desktop browser, you can also download the review QR code.
5. Use that link in WhatsApp messages, emails, text messages, invoices and appropriate customer follow-up messages.

Tip: Create a simple review request message so you can reuse it each time. The easier you make the process, the easier it is for a customer to leave a review.

Follow Google's instructions for review links and QR codes if your controls look different.

Why regularly collecting reviews matters.

Reviews are one of the strongest trust signals on a Google Business Profile. They help potential customers feel more confident and give people real feedback about using your business.

• They build trust. People want proof before they enquire. Reviews help reduce hesitation.
• They can encourage click-throughs. A business with a strong collection of genuine reviews is often more appealing in search results.
• They keep the profile fresh. A steady stream of recent feedback gives people a more current picture than old reviews alone.
• They can highlight your strengths. Good reviews often mention quality, speed, friendliness, communication or results.
• They support local visibility. Reviews and positive ratings form part of the wider picture Google uses for local results.

What regular review collection should look like

• Ask customers consistently, not just when you remember.
• Ask soon after the work is completed or the service is delivered.
• Use the direct review link.
• Keep the message short and polite.
• Make review requests part of your normal process.

Important: never fake reviews

Do not buy reviews, post fake reviews or pressure staff, friends or customers to create dishonest feedback. The goal is genuine feedback from real customers. Invite honest reviews from customers generally, without offering rewards or selecting only people you expect to leave a positive rating.

See Google's review-request advice and review content policies .

Simple review request examples.

Replace the name and review link before sending. Keep the request short, polite and optional.

Common mistakes to avoid.

• Leaving the profile half-finished.
• Using the wrong business category.
• Having no real photos.
• Never asking for reviews.
• Ignoring reviews once they come in.
• Letting opening hours become inaccurate.
• Stuffing the business name or description with keywords.
• Creating the profile and never updating it again.

Quick audit checklist.

Work through the list with your profile open. Anything you cannot tick off gives you a useful place to start.