Claim, verify, and fully complete your GBP listing. Add photos, posts, products/services, Q&A. Respond to reviews promptly.
Google Business Profile posts expire after 7 days (except event posts). Posting weekly keeps your profile looking active and signals to Google that the business is engaged. Use the "Offer" post type for best visibility — it appears with a CTA button.
Never add keywords to your business name in GBP (e.g., "Acme Plumbing | Best Plumber in Portland"). This violates Google's guidelines and can result in profile suspension. Use your real, legal business name only.
Go to business.google.com. Search for your business. If it exists, click "Claim this business". If not, click "Add your business". Verify via postcard (5-7 days), phone, email, or video call. Choose the fastest method available to you.
Go to your GBP dashboard. Fill in: business description (750 chars, include local keywords naturally), all business hours (including holiday hours), attributes (wheelchair accessible, free Wi-Fi, etc.), and every service/product you offer with descriptions.
Photo types to include: storefront (helps customers find you), interior shots, team photos, product/service photos, and work-in-progress shots. Use real photos, not stock. Businesses with 100+ photos get 520% more calls than average per BrightLocal data.
Go to GBP > Posts. Create a new post weekly: share an offer, announce an event, highlight a new service, or share a tip. Include a call-to-action button (Book, Call, Learn More). Posts show up directly in your Google Maps listing.
In Google Maps, search for your business. Scroll to the Q&A section. Ask and answer your own common questions (this is allowed and encouraged). Cover: pricing, parking, booking process, accepted payments, COVID policies, etc.
Set up GBP notifications on your phone. Respond to every review — positive and negative — within 24 hours. Thank positive reviewers by name. For negative reviews: apologize, offer to resolve offline, and provide a contact number. Never argue publicly.
Help me optimize my Google Business Profile: Business name: [NAME] Category: [PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CATEGORIES] Services/Products: [LIST] Service area: [GEOGRAPHIC AREA] Generate: 1. An optimized business description (750 characters max) with local keywords 2. 10 Google Business Posts ideas (offers, updates, events) 3. Product/service listing descriptions 4. 20 Q&A entries to pre-populate (common customer questions with answers) 5. Response templates for: positive reviews, negative reviews, neutral reviews 6. Photo optimization checklist (types of photos to upload)
Track your progress and get guided through every step.
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