Google Business Profile guide for tradespeople
A step-by-step guide to setting up your Google Business Profile properly, showing up in the map pack and winning more calls — plus a simple weekly checklist.
Your Google Business Profile is the listing that appears in Google Maps and the “map pack” when someone searches for a trade near them. For most tradespeople it brings in more calls than their website. This guide walks you through setting it up properly and the weekly habits that keep it working.
Step 1: Claim and verify your profile
Go to business.google.com, search for your business and claim it, or create a new profile. Google will ask you to verify, increasingly by a short video showing your business, tools, vehicle or premises. You cannot appear properly in Maps until verification is complete.
Step 2: Choose the right primary category
Your primary category is the single biggest relevance signal. Pick the most specific one that describes your main service, such as “Electrician”, “Plumber” or “Roofing contractor”, then add secondary categories for other services you genuinely offer.
Step 3: Set up as a service-area business
If you work at customers’ homes, hide your address and list the towns, boroughs or postcodes you cover. In London that might be Walthamstow, Leyton and Stratford, rather than all of Greater London.
Step 4: Complete every section
- Business name exactly as it appears on your signage, without extra keywords
- Phone number, website and opening hours
- Services, each with a short description and price where you can
- A description that says what you do, where, and why customers choose you
- Attributes such as “free estimates” or “online appointments”
Step 5: Add real photos, and keep adding them
Upload your logo, a cover image, photos of finished jobs, your van and your team. Real photos outperform stock images, and adding new ones regularly keeps your profile looking active.
Step 6: Build a steady flow of reviews
Reviews are one of the strongest factors for both customers and rankings. Ask after every job, make it easy with a short link or QR code, and reply to every review, good or bad, politely and promptly.
Step 7: Post every week
Share recent jobs, seasonal reminders, offers and tips. It takes ten minutes and keeps your profile fresh.
Step 8: Keep your details consistent everywhere
Make sure your business name, phone number and website match on your website, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, Yell, Facebook and other directories. Inconsistent details confuse both customers and Google.
Your weekly Google Business Profile checklist
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Publish a post | Weekly |
| Add new photos | Weekly |
| Reply to new reviews | Within 48 hours |
| Answer new questions | As they arrive |
| Check for unwanted edits | Weekly |
| Review your insights | Monthly |
Want it done for you?
Our Google Business Profile management handles all of this: a one-off setup for £345, then Listings Care at £149 a month or Listings Plus at £395 a month. For competitive areas, combine it with local SEO.
Google Business Profile FAQ
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Creating and managing a Google Business Profile is completely free. You only pay if you choose to have someone manage it for you or run Google Ads.
Can I hide my home address on Google?
Yes. If you visit customers rather than having them visit you, set your profile up as a service-area business, add the areas you cover and hide your address.
How often should I post on my Google Business Profile?
Once a week is a good, sustainable target. Regular posts and fresh photos show Google and customers that your business is active.
How do I get more Google reviews?
Ask every happy customer, at the moment they are happiest, usually when the job is finished. Make it easy with a short review link or QR code. Never buy reviews, offer incentives or write your own: it breaks Google’s rules and UK consumer protection law.
Why is my business not showing on Google Maps?
Common reasons are an unverified profile, a suspended profile, the wrong primary category, an incomplete profile, or strong competition close to the searcher. Start by checking verification and your primary category.
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