Your Google Business Profile is often visited more than your website. Here is the sequence I follow when optimising one, and why each step matters.
1. Get the primary category right
Look at the businesses ranking above you for your main search and check what category they use. Your primary category has more influence on which searches you appear for than anything else on the profile. Add secondary categories only where they genuinely describe services you offer.
2. Complete every service
List each service separately with a short, plain-language description. This is free real estate that most competitors leave empty, and it helps Google understand the range of queries you are relevant for.
3. Write a description that describes
The business description should tell a person what you do, who you help and where. Keyword stuffing here does not improve ranking and reads badly to the human deciding whether to call.
4. Photos, and the right kind
- Exterior shots that help someone recognise the place from the street
- Interior shots showing the space as it actually is
- Team photos — real faces build trust quickly
- Work in progress and finished results, where relevant
- A logo and cover image sized correctly
5. Keep it active
Post updates, offers and news periodically. Add and answer genuine questions in the Q&A section — the common ones your team answers on the phone all day. An active profile signals a live business.
6. Build a review habit
Ask every satisfied customer, in person or with a short message containing your review link. Never offer incentives and never write reviews yourself; both violate Google's policies and both are detectable. Reply to every review, especially the negative ones, calmly and factually.
Mistakes that cause suspensions
- Adding keywords to the business name
- Using a virtual office, coworking desk or a residential address you do not operate from
- Creating multiple listings for the same location
- Listing a service-area business with a visible address it does not staff
Profiles get suspended for these regularly, and reinstatement takes weeks. The shortcut is never worth it.
Questions about applying any of this to your own website? Request a free consultation.