Google Business Profile optimisation: a checklist for trades

Google's own advice for local ranking comes down to six things: verify your business, keep your information current, respond to reviews, add photos and videos, list your services, and understand what actually drives ranking. Here's each one as a checklist you can run through in a sitting, then repeat every few months.

This follows the structure of Google's "Tips to improve your local ranking" page (Google) applied to a trade business.

1. Verify your business

Nothing else on this list counts for much on an unverified profile. If yours isn't verified, start there: How to verify your Google Business Profile.

• Profile shows as verified, not "Get verified"
• You can reply to reviews (this needs verification too)

2. Keep your information up to date

• Name, phone and address are current
• Hours are accurate, including any lunch closures or weekend hours
• Special hours are set for the next public holiday
• Category still matches what you actually do, with nothing added that doesn't apply
• Services list matches what you currently offer, with none missing
• Business description is under 750 characters, with no URLs, and says what you do and where you cover (Google)
• A booking link or Google's Book online button is on the profile

For the full detail on each of these, see Google Business Profile for tradies: the complete setup guide.

3. Respond to reviews

• Every review from the last month has a reply
• Replies are personal, not the same line copied onto each one
• No reply argues with the reviewer, even the ones you disagree with

Templates and what to avoid: How to reply to Google reviews.

4. Add photos and videos

• At least one clear exterior or van photo
• A handful of photos of you actually doing the work, not just finished results
• Photos of your tools or equipment
• A team photo, if you have staff customers will meet
• Nothing blurry, dark, or years out of date

Full specs and recommended sizes: the setup guide.

5. List your services

• Every service you offer is listed, not just your main trade
• Each has a short description
• Prices or starting prices are added where you're comfortable sharing them

6. Understand what drives ranking

Google names three factors (Google):

• Relevance. How well your profile matches the search. This is your category and services list doing their job.
• Distance. How far you are from the person searching. You can't change where you are, but a service-area setup that's accurate helps Google match you to the right suburbs.
• Prominence. How well-known your business is, which reviews and general visibility feed into.

None of these are things you buy. There's no way to pay Google for better local ranking. Everything on this checklist is the free work that actually moves the three factors above.

Run this checklist quarterly

Set a reminder every three months to go through this list again. Businesses change: hours shift, services get added, and old photos stop reflecting current work. A profile that was perfect in January can quietly go stale by June.

TapBook keeps your booking page in sync with the services and hours you set, and sends a review request after every job, so the reviews part of this checklist takes care of itself. See how it works.