Google Business Profile checklist: 10 minutes, nothing to buy
Most small businesses lose local customers on Google for boring reasons: a wrong category, missing hours, a few photos. You can check all of it yourself from a phone.
Last updated 17 October 2026
Before you start: search like a customer
Open Google Maps and search for what you sell plus your town, for example "plumber Boise" or "dentist York". Do it logged out, or in a private window. Note where you appear and who appears first. That business is the one you are really competing with, whatever you think of them.
Tools that can help with this step
Optional. Searching by hand is free and enough for most small businesses. A paid tool only helps if you want to follow many searches over time.
- SemrushShows which searches you and your competitors rank for and tracks them over time; it is built and priced for marketers.
Some links to tools may become affiliate links. If you buy through one, SiteDokAI may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only list tools we'd suggest anyway, and our recommendations don't depend on it.
1. Is your main category the thing people search for?
Your profile has one primary category. Google leans on it heavily when it decides which businesses to show. A plumber listed as "General contractor", or a dental practice listed as "Medical clinic", is competing in the wrong search. Check it under your business profile, Edit profile, Business category.
2. Are your opening hours there, and right?
People search "open now" more than you would think. A profile without hours can drop out of those searches, and wrong hours lead to one-star reviews. Add holiday hours too.
3. Does the website button go to the right page?
Tap "Website" on your own profile. It should open your site, not a Facebook page, an old domain or a page that no longer exists. If you serve several towns, the link can go to the page for that area.
Tools that can help with this step
No website yet, or one you would rather not link to? A simple site that says what you do, where, and how to reach you is enough to start.
- SquarespacePolished templates with hosting included, if you want a good-looking site without handling the technical side.
- WixA drag-and-drop builder you can try for free before paying, so you can see if building it yourself suits you.
- HostingerLow-cost hosting with a simple website builder, if keeping the monthly cost down matters most.
Some links to tools may become affiliate links. If you buy through one, SiteDokAI may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only list tools we'd suggest anyway, and our recommendations don't depend on it.
4. Do you have real photos?
Photos are often the first thing people tap. Compare your count with the first result. Add your team, the van, the premises, finished jobs. Recent, real photos beat stock images.
5. Reviews: the count, how recent, and your replies
Compare your number of reviews with the business that came up first. A gap of 10x is common and fixable: ask every happy customer, with a direct review link, in the same week as the job. Reply to every review, also the bad ones, briefly and calmly.
Tools that can help with this step
Asking by hand works. If it keeps slipping, a tool can send the request for you after each job.
- NiceJobSends review requests to your customers by text and email after each job, so asking does not depend on remembering.
Some links to tools may become affiliate links. If you buy through one, SiteDokAI may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only list tools we'd suggest anyway, and our recommendations don't depend on it.
6. Does your website say the same as Google?
Name, address, phone number and opening hours should match on your site and your profile. When they disagree, both Google and AI assistants get less sure about you. Put the towns you serve and your main services in plain words on the homepage.
7. Can customers book or ask for a quote from the profile?
For many categories, Google lets you add a booking or appointment link to your profile, so people can book straight from Search and Maps. If you only take bookings by phone, that is fine too: make sure the number is right and that someone answers during your opening hours.
Tools that can help with this step
If you want online booking, these tools give you a booking page you can link from your profile and your website.
- Acuity SchedulingLets customers book an appointment online and sends the reminders for you; suits appointment-based businesses.
- JobberOnline booking plus quotes, scheduling and invoicing, built for home-service trades such as cleaners, plumbers and landscapers.
Some links to tools may become affiliate links. If you buy through one, SiteDokAI may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only list tools we'd suggest anyway, and our recommendations don't depend on it.
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Common questions
- Is a Google Business Profile free?
- Yes. Google does not charge for creating or editing a Business Profile. Ads on Google are a separate, paid product, and you don't need them to have a profile.
- Do I need a website to have a Google Business Profile?
- No, you can have a profile without one. A website that says the same as your profile, in plain words, gives both customers and Google more to go on, so it is worth adding when you can.
- Why hasn't my edit shown up on my profile yet?
- Google may review an edit before it goes live, so changes are not always instant. If an edit is still pending after a few days, open your profile and look for a notice about it.