Google Business Profile optimisation

Google Business Profile is the single highest-leverage marketing surface a local business has. A well-set-up GBP can outperform a £20k-a-year SEO retainer for many trades. Here's the playbook.

Fields to get right

• Business name — exactly as registered. No keyword stuffing (Google penalises).
• Primary category — the single most important field. Match it to your main service.
• Secondary categories — add 3–5 relevant ones.
• Services — list every service you offer with descriptions.
• Service areas — list the towns/postcodes you cover.
• Opening hours — accurate including special hours for bank holidays.
• Phone — local landline if possible (Google trusts these more).
• Website — link to your homepage or a specific landing page.

Photos

Add 10+ high-quality photos at launch. Then add 1–2 new ones per week. Mix of: work in progress, completed jobs (before/after), team, van/equipment, and exterior.

Posts

Weekly posts about completed jobs, special offers, or company news. Posts appear in your GBP and influence rankings.

Q&A

Pre-populate the Q&A section with the 5–10 questions you get asked most. Google shows these in your listing — they're free conversion content.

Reviews

Reply to every review within 48 hours. Aim for 1–2 new reviews per week. See our review-getting guide.