Google Business Profile optimization checklist (2026)

Which Google Business Profile category should I choose?

Choose the most specific primary category that describes your main money-making service, then add secondary categories for every other service you genuinely offer. Check what the top three businesses in the map pack use — a missing secondary category is often why you don't appear for a whole group of searches.

What should go in the services section?

List every service you'd want to be found for, each with a two-to-three sentence description that names the service, the areas you cover and one benefit. It's one of the few text fields on your profile you fully control, and many businesses leave it empty.

Do attributes matter?

Yes. Attributes like “free estimates,” “online appointments,” “veteran-owned” or “wheelchair accessible” help Google match you to specific searches and show trust badges on your listing. If every top competitor has an attribute and you don't, treat it as a baseline requirement.

How should I write my business description?

Use the 750 characters to say what you do, who you serve, where you work and why to choose you, in plain sentences. Mention your main service and two or three towns naturally. Don't paste your website's About page or stuff keywords.

How often should I add photos and posts?

Upload three to five real photos a week — finished jobs, before-and-afters, your team and vehicles in the neighbourhoods you serve — and publish one or two posts a week. Consistency signals an active business; a burst of 50 photos once a year doesn't.

How do I get more Google reviews?

Ask every happy customer within 24 hours by text with a direct review link, follow up once after three days, and reply to every review. Encourage customers to mention the service and their town — reviews like “great furnace install in Highland Park” help both trust and relevance.

• Send the link while the job is fresh
• One reminder, never more
• Reply to every review within a few days
• Never buy or gate reviews — it violates Google's policies

Full checklist

Work through these in order: the first four are the fastest wins, the last three are ongoing habits that compound over months.

• Verified profile with exact legal business name
• Specific primary category plus all relevant secondary categories
• Every service listed with a description
• All accurate attributes turned on
• Service area or address, hours, phone, website and booking link
• 750-character description
• Logo, cover photo and at least 10 real photos
• Weekly photos and posts
• A review request routine and replies to every review
• The same name, address and phone on your website and directories