Google Business Profile Checklist for Local Businesses

When someone nearby searches "dentist near me" or "auto repair near me," the first thing they usually see isn't your website. It's your Google Business Profile: the box with your hours, photos, reviews, and a button to call. It's free, and for many local businesses it brings in more customers than any ad. Yet most profiles we see are half finished. Here's a checklist you can work through in an afternoon.

The basics (get these exactly right)

• Name, address, and phone should match your website and storefront sign exactly. Mismatches confuse both Google and customers.
• Primary category is one of the strongest signals Google uses. Pick the most specific one that fits, such as "Auto repair shop" rather than "Car service." Add a few secondary categories for other things you do.
• Hours must be accurate, including special hours for holidays. Nothing loses a customer faster than showing up to a locked door.
• Website and booking links should go to the right pages. If customers can book online, link straight to the booking page.

Tell people what you actually do

• Write a clear description. Say who you serve, what you do best, and which neighborhoods you cover, in plain language.
• List your services or products, with short descriptions and prices or price ranges where you can.
• Fill in the attributes that apply, such as wheelchair access, free Wi-Fi, appointment-only, or languages spoken.

Photos that earn trust

• Upload a clear logo and a cover photo.
• Add real photos of your storefront from the street, so people recognize it when they arrive.
• Show the inside, your team, and your work. Real photos beat stock images every time.
• Add a few new photos every month to keep the profile looking active.

Reviews: ask, then always reply

• Ask happy customers directly. A short text or email with your review link, sent the same day, works far better than hoping they remember.
• Reply to every review, good or bad. Thank people by name for positive reviews. For negative ones, stay calm, apologize for the experience, and offer to make it right offline.
• Never buy or fake reviews. It breaks Google's rules and can get reviews removed or your profile suspended.

Stay active

• Post updates about offers, seasonal services, or news. A short post every week or two shows customers and Google that you're open and active.
• Check your profile monthly. Anyone can suggest edits to your listing, so confirm your hours, phone, and address haven't been changed.

Want it done for you?

Our Online Presence Refresh sets up or fully optimizes your Google Business Profile, builds or fixes your website, and gives you a simple system for collecting reviews. Not sure where your profile stands? Book a free 30-minute assessment and we'll tell you the three changes that would make the biggest difference.