Free checklist
Google Business Profile checklist
38 steps to claim, verify and optimize your Google Business Profile, so you show up on Google Maps and Search. Tick them off as you go, then get a copy of your progress by email.
What Google says
How Google ranks local results
Google says local results are based mainly on three things. It doesn't publish how they're weighted, so be wary of anyone who claims to know the exact formula.
Relevance
How well your profile matches what someone searched for. Complete, accurate categories, services and descriptions help Google understand what you do.
Distance
How far you are from the searcher, or from the place they searched. You can't change it, which is why the right address or service area matters.
Prominence
How well known your business is, online and off. Google says reviews, links, articles and directory listings all inform it.
The checklist
Your Google Business Profile, start to finish
Work top to bottom the first time. After that, the reviews, posts and photos sections are the ones to come back to. Your ticks save in this browser.
Claim and verify
0/5Get control of the profile and prove to Google it's yours. Nothing else shows reliably until this is done.
Categories
0/3Categories are one of the main ways Google matches your profile to what people search for.
Hours
0/4Wrong hours send customers to a locked door, and they tend to say so in reviews.
Contact details and description
0/4The details people use to decide and to get in touch.
Photos
0/4Photos help customers recognize you and see your work before they call.
Services and products
0/3List what you actually sell, in the words customers use.
Reviews
0/5Google says review count and rating play a part in local ranking, and they're what customers read first.
Posts and updates
0/3Posts show customers you're active and give them a reason to act now.
Questions and getting in touch
0/3Answer the questions people ask before they call, wherever they ask them.
Your website link
0/4Your profile and your website should back each other up and tell the same story.
Free report
Get your checklist report by email
We'll send you a clean copy of this checklist with what you've finished and what's left, section by section, so you can pick it up later on any device.
- Your progress, as it stands when you press send
- The steps still to do, grouped by section
- Free, and no sales call unless you ask for one
Thanks, we've got it
We'll email your Google Business Profile checklist report shortly. Watch for it at .
Keep going
Your profile and your website, working together
Free SEO report for your website
Your profile links to your website, so make sure it holds up. See your Google PageSpeed Insights scores in under a minute, then get the full report by email.Get my SEO report
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Questions
Google Business Profile questions
Straight answers to what people ask about their profile. Tap a question to open it.
How do I get my business on Google Maps?
Create or claim a Google Business Profile at google.com/business, add your name, category and address or service area, then verify it. Once it's verified and Google has reviewed it, your business can appear on Google Maps and in local Search results.
Why is my business not showing on Google?
The most common reasons are that the profile isn't verified, it's under review after a recent edit, there's a duplicate profile, or it's been suspended. Search for your exact business name: if it appears, the profile is live and you're competing on relevance, distance and prominence for broader searches.
Is Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Creating and managing a Google Business Profile costs nothing. Google also says there's no way to pay for a better local ranking. Google Ads can place a sponsored listing, but that's separate from your free profile.
How long does verification take?
It depends on the method Google offers you. Phone, text and email verification can be quick; a recorded video is reviewed by Google and can take a few days. Google chooses which methods are available for your business, and edits may not appear publicly until you're verified.
Can I have a profile if I work from home or visit customers?
Yes. Set it up as a service-area business: hide your home address and list the cities or areas you serve. Google's guidelines say a business needs to make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours, so online-only businesses aren't eligible.
How do I get more Google reviews?
Ask every customer, right after a finished job, and make it easy: send your profile's review link by text or email. Don't offer discounts or gifts for reviews and don't ask only happy customers; both break Google's policies. Replying to reviews shows future customers you're paying attention.
Can I remove a bad Google review?
Not yourself. You can report a review that breaks Google's policies, such as spam, a fake review or one with offensive content, and Google decides whether to remove it. For a genuine complaint, a calm, helpful reply is usually the best answer.
Do I need a website if I have a Google Business Profile?
You can have a profile without one, but a website gives you a page you control, a place for your full services and FAQs, and a link for the profile to point to. Many customers check both before they call.
Is my progress saved, and what's in the email report?
Your ticks are saved in this browser only, not sent anywhere. If you ask for the report, we email you a copy of the checklist showing what's done and what's left, so you can pick it up later on any device.
Can you set up my Google Business Profile for me?
Google Business Profile setup is part of every website we build, from $249. Tell us where your profile stands and we'll tell you what it needs.
No contracts · Your domain, your site
Want us to set it up?
We'll set up or tidy your Google Business Profile as part of a website that backs it up, from $249 to build and $49/month to host and manage.
- No hand-offs
- Security built in
- Your domain stays yours