For most local businesses, the Google Business Profile is the first thing a new customer sees. Often it is seen before your website, and sometimes instead of it. It is free, and it is worth an hour of care.
Work through this list once, then check it every few months.
Getting the basics right
1. Claim and verify the profile. Search your business name on Google Maps. If a profile exists, claim it. If not, create one. Google will ask you to verify, often by video or postcard.
2. Use your real business name. Exactly as it appears on your signage and paperwork. Adding keywords or locations to the name, such as "Marlow St. Bakery Best Sourdough Brighton", breaks Google's guidelines and can get the profile suspended.
3. Pick the right primary category. This is one of the most important settings. Choose the most specific one that describes your main business. Add secondary categories for other services.
4. Address or service area. If customers visit you, show your address. If you travel to customers, set a service area and hide the address.
5. Phone number and website. Use a local number you answer. Link to the most relevant page of your website.
6. Hours, including special hours. Keep holiday hours up to date. Turning up to a closed door after checking Google is a classic route to a one-star review.
Making it useful
7. Write a clear description. What you do, who for, where. Plain words. No links or all-caps.
8. Add services or products. With short descriptions and prices or price ranges where you can.
9. Attributes. Accessibility, payment types, outdoor seating, appointment-only. These help people filter.
10. Photos. Exterior, interior, team, products, work. Real and recent beats polished and old. Add a few new ones each month.
11. Posts and updates. Short updates about offers, events or news keep the profile looking alive.
Reviews
12. Ask every customer. Google allows businesses to ask for reviews, but prohibits incentives and asking selectively. A short link and a QR code make it easy. Scripts are in how to ask for reviews by text and email.
13. Reply to every review. Promptly and personally. Our reply templates by star rating help.
14. Report reviews that break the rules, calmly and with evidence. See spotting and removing fake reviews.
Keeping it safe
15. Control who has access. Add managers as users with the right roles, remove people who leave, and keep the owner account with the business, not a former employee or agency.
Mistakes that cause suspensions
- Keywords stuffed into the business name.
- A virtual office or PO box as your address.
- Several profiles for the same business at the same place.
- Fake reviews, or incentives for reviews.
How Reputfy helps
Reputfy brings your Google reviews into the same inbox as your other review sites, drafts replies you approve, sends review requests to every customer, and alerts you to new reviews. It also tracks whether AI assistants mention your business, which we cover in showing up in AI answers.
