The Google Business Profile checklist

Google says businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search. Go down this list once. Tap each box as you finish it.

Edit everything at business.google.com, or search your business name on Google while signed in and tap Edit profile.

The basics

• Your profile is verifiedWhy: until it is, Google won't show your photos and you can't reply to reviews.
• Primary categoryPick the most specific one that finishes “This business IS a ___.” Why: it tells Google which searches you match. Google says don't use it for keywords.
• Extra categoriesUp to 9 more, only if each one is true on its own. Why: Google says use as few as you need, and pick what you are, not things you sell.
• Phone numberThe main number is one you actually answer. You can add up to 2 more. Why: it's what rings when someone taps Call.
• WebsiteThe full link, starting with https://. Why: it's where people go to check you out before they call.
• Booking linkIf your category allows it, tap Booking › Add link. Why: people can book from Google without waiting on a callback.
• Social linksOne per platform, like Facebook and Instagram. Not in every area yet. Why: people can see your latest work.

Where and when

• Service areaIf you go to customers, list up to 20 towns or ZIP codes, all within about 2 hours' drive. If customers don't come to your address, remove it from the profile. Why: those are Google's rules, and it shows people you cover their town.
• Regular hoursCorrect as of today. Why: wrong hours send people to a locked door.
• Holiday hoursAdd Special hours for each holiday before it comes, even if you're open normal hours. Why: Google says confirming them tells customers your hours are accurate. Closed 7 days or more? Use Temporarily closed instead.
• More hoursIf part of the business runs different hours, like pickup or delivery, add them under More hours. Why: people see the right times for the thing they need.

What you do

• ServicesList every service you offer, with a short description. Why: customers see exactly what you do before they call. Keep prices and phone numbers out of the service name. There's a separate price field.
• DescriptionUp to 750 characters, no links. Say what you do, where you work, and why people pick you. Why: it's the one place you describe the business in your own words.
• ProductsIf you see a Products section, add your main items or packages with a photo. Why: it's one more way to show what you sell.
• AttributesUnder Edit profile › More, answer the yes or no facts, like parking or Wi-Fi. Why: Google lists attributes as part of a complete profile.

Proof you're real

• PhotosAt least 3 each of the outside, the inside, your work, and your team, if they apply. JPG or PNG, 10 KB to 5 MB, 720 x 720 pixels is ideal. Why: Google wants real, well lit photos with no heavy filters or AI, and so do customers.
• ReviewsAsk every customer, and reply to reviews, good and bad. Why: Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking.
• PostsEvery so often, post a finished job, a holiday schedule, or an event under Posts › Add post. Why: it shows you're open and busy. Posts older than 6 months get archived unless you set dates, and posts with a phone number in them can be rejected.
• QuestionsIf your profile still shows a Questions and Answers section, answer every question. Why: since late 2025 Google has been replacing Q&A with an AI “Ask” button, so yours may already be gone. Either way, put the answers to common questions in your description and services.

Test yours in 5 minutes

1. On your phone, open a private tab and search your business name. Does your profile show, with the right name, phone and hours?
2. Tap Call. Does it ring the phone you answer?
3. Tap Website. Does it open the right page, and load fast on a phone?
4. Check the map pin or service area. Is it right?
5. Look at your photos like a stranger would. Would you hire you from these?
6. Search what a customer would type: your trade and your town, like fence contractor Patchogue. Are you there? Open the top result and compare it to this list.
7. Check the date of your newest review reply and your newest post. More than a few months old? That's your first fix.

Results change based on where the person searching is standing. Google ranks local results on relevance, distance and how well known a business is. So search from where your customers are, not only from your shop.