Optimising your Google Business Profile means completing every section fully, adding regular photos and posts, gathering reviews, and responding to questions and feedback. A well-optimised profile significantly improves how often you appear in local search results.
Start With the Basics — Get Every Section Complete
Go through your profile and fill in everything: business name, address, phone number, website, opening hours (including special hours for bank holidays), business description, and services. Choose the most accurate primary category for your business — this is one of the most important ranking factors. Add secondary categories where relevant. The more complete your profile is, the better Google understands what you do and when to show you to searchers.
Add Photos Regularly
Profiles with lots of photos consistently outperform those with few. Upload exterior and interior photos, photos of your team at work, photos of completed projects or products, and your logo. Aim to add at least two or three new photos every week. Google notices the activity and rewards it with better visibility. Photo quality matters too — blurry or poorly lit images do not inspire confidence in potential customers.
Post Regular Updates
The Posts feature on Google Business Profile is underused by most businesses. You can post offers, updates, events, and new products directly to your profile, and they appear in search results and on Google Maps. Posting once a week — even a brief update about your service, a recent project, or a helpful tip — keeps your profile active and signals to Google that your business is current and engaged.
Respond to Every Review
Responding to reviews — positive and negative — improves both your profile's ranking and the impression it makes on potential customers. Thank positive reviewers specifically (using their name if you can). For negative reviews, respond calmly and professionally, acknowledge the issue, and offer to resolve it. Never get into arguments in public review responses. Your reply is not just for the reviewer — it is read by everyone considering hiring you.