Google Business Profile basics for local trades

Why this free listing matters so much

When someone searches for a plumber or landscaper near them, the map results at the top of Google come from Google Business Profiles — not from websites. For a local trade, that listing is often the first thing a customer sees about you, sometimes before they ever reach your site.

The good news: it is free, and the basics are not complicated. The bad news: it only works if you set it up carefully and keep it current. A half-finished or stale profile can do you more harm than none at all.

Getting set up properly

Claim or create your profile at Google's business page and complete the verification step — usually a postcard, phone call or video. Use your real business name, exactly as it appears on your van and invoices. Do not stuff keywords into the name field; it breaks Google's rules and can get the listing suspended.

Choose your categories with care. Your primary category carries the most weight, so pick the one that matches the work you want most of — 'HVAC contractor' or 'Plumber', not a catch-all. Add a handful of secondary categories for the other work you genuinely do.

• Use your real business name — no extra keywords or town names added to it.
• Pick a precise primary category, then a few honest secondary ones.
• Set your service area by the towns and counties you cover, not the whole state.
• Add your website, phone number and hours — and keep them identical to what your website says.

Photos and reviews: the two things customers actually look at

Add real photos: your team, your truck, jobs in progress and finished work. Fresh photos signal an active business, and customers scrolling the map results do notice. You do not need a professional shoot — clear phone photos of real work are exactly right.

For reviews, the right way is simple: when a customer tells you they are happy, ask if they would mind leaving a Google review, and make it easy by sending them your review link. Ask everyone the same way, not just the customers you expect to praise you. Never pay for reviews, never write them yourself, and never offer discounts in exchange for them — all of those break Google's rules and put the listing at risk.

Reply to reviews when you can, including the occasional unhappy one. A calm, professional reply to a complaint tells future customers more about you than the complaint does.

Keeping it accurate

Set a reminder to review your profile every month or two. Update your hours before holidays, add new photos when you finish a job you are proud of, and check that your phone number and website link still work. If you move or change your service area, update the profile the same week.

Finally, link the profile from your website and link your website from the profile. The two reinforce each other: the listing sends you visitors, and a solid website turns those visitors into calls.