Quick answer
Optimise a Google Business Profile by choosing one accurate primary category, listing every service with descriptions, adding genuine photos monthly, setting realistic service areas, collecting reviews consistently and keeping your name, address and phone identical to your website.
Categories do the heavy lifting
Your primary category has more influence on which searches you appear for than anything else on the profile. Choose the closest match to your core service and add secondary categories only for work you genuinely do.
Fill in services and descriptions
Each service you list can carry a short description. Most businesses leave these blank. Filling them gives Google structured text about your work and gives customers a reason to choose you.
Photos, posts and Q&A
Profiles with regular fresh photos tend to earn more calls and direction requests. Upload real job photos monthly, use posts for seasonal offers, and seed the Q&A with the questions you actually get asked on the phone.
Avoid suspension
Keyword-stuffed business names, fake addresses, virtual offices and multiple profiles at one address are the fastest routes to suspension. Use your real registered trading name.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I add keywords to my Google business name?
- No. Adding keywords that are not part of your real-world trading name breaches Google's guidelines and risks suspension.
- How often should I post on Google Business Profile?
- Once or twice a month is enough for most local businesses, alongside fresh photos.
Related pages
Free website review
Send us your website and we will tell you what is holding it back — speed, structure, content or conversion.
More on seo
Local SEO checklist for UK businesses
The exact steps we work through to get a UK business ranking in the local map pack and local organic results.
Keyword research for small businesses without expensive tools
How to find the terms worth targeting when you have no budget for enterprise SEO software.
Website structure and internal linking that search engines understand
A clear hub-and-spoke structure helps both customers and crawlers find everything you offer.