Google Business Profile: The Free Tool That Drives Local Leads

What Is Google Business Profile and Why Does It Matter?

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the single most important free marketing tool for any local service business. When someone searches "HVAC repair near me" or "best electrician in [your city]," the results that appear in the map pack at the top of the page come from Google Business Profiles.

If you do not have one, you are not in the game. If you have one but it is incomplete, you are leaving money on the table.

How to Claim Your Profile

Step-by-step:

1. Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account.
2. Search for your business. If it already exists (Google often creates listings from public data), claim it. If not, create a new listing.
3. Enter your business name exactly as it appears on your signage and legal documents. Do not stuff keywords here -- Google penalizes that.
4. Choose your primary business category carefully. This is the single biggest ranking factor you control.
5. Add your service area if you go to customers (most contractors do).
6. Verify your business. Google will send a postcard with a code, or you may be eligible for phone or email verification.

Verification can take 1-2 weeks. Do not skip this step. Unverified profiles have almost no visibility.

Optimizing Your Profile for Maximum Visibility

Business Information

• Business name: Use your real legal name. "Mike's Plumbing" not "Mike's Plumbing - Best Plumber in Dallas TX Emergency 24/7."
• Category: Pick the most specific primary category. "Plumber" is better than "Home Services." Add secondary categories for additional services.
• Description: Write a clear, 750-character description of what you do, who you serve, and where. Include your city and service area naturally.
• Phone number: Use a local number, not a toll-free 800 number. Local numbers rank better.
• Hours: Keep them accurate. Update for holidays. Nothing kills trust faster than a customer showing up when you said you would be open and you are not.

Photos and Media

Profiles with photos get 42% more direction requests and 35% more click-throughs to websites, according to Google.

Add at minimum:

• A professional logo
• An exterior photo of your shop or branded vehicle
• 5-10 photos of completed work
• Team photos (people trust people, not logos)
• Update photos monthly. Fresh content signals an active business.

Services and Products

List every service you offer with a description and price range when possible. Google uses this information to match you with relevant searches. The more detail you provide, the more searches you can appear in.

Getting and Managing Reviews

Reviews are the fuel that powers your Google Business Profile. Here is the breakdown:

How to Get More Reviews

• Ask every satisfied customer. Most people are happy to help -- they just need a nudge.
• Send a follow-up text or email with a direct link to your Google review page. You can generate this link from your GBP dashboard.
• Time it right: ask within 24 hours of completing a job, while the experience is fresh.
• Make it easy: "Hey [Name], thanks for choosing us! If you have 30 seconds, a Google review helps us a ton: [link]"

How to Handle Negative Reviews

• Never ignore them. Respond within 24 hours.
• Stay professional. No arguing, no excuses.
• Acknowledge the issue, apologize, and offer to make it right offline.
• A thoughtful response to a negative review can impress potential customers more than 10 five-star reviews.

Review Red Flags to Avoid

• Never offer discounts or payment in exchange for reviews. This violates Google's policies and FTC guidelines.
• Never ask employees or friends to leave fake reviews. Google's algorithms detect this and will penalize your listing.
• Do not review-gate (only asking customers you think will leave positive reviews). Ask everyone.

Google Business Profile Posts

Most business owners ignore this feature. That is a competitive advantage for you.

GBP lets you publish posts directly on your profile. Use them for:

• What's New: Project completions, new services, seasonal tips
• Offers: Discounts, seasonal promotions, referral bonuses
• Events: Open houses, community involvement

Post once a week. Each post stays visible for seven days. Posts keep your profile fresh and give Google more signals that your business is active and relevant.

Tracking Your Results

Inside your GBP dashboard, you can see:

• How many people viewed your profile
• How they found you (direct search vs. discovery search)
• What actions they took (called, visited website, requested directions)
• Where searchers are located geographically

Review these metrics monthly. If you see "discovery" searches growing, your optimization is working. If calls are increasing, your profile is converting.

Common Mistakes That Tank Your Ranking

1. Keyword stuffing your business name: Google will suspend your listing.
2. Using a P.O. Box or virtual office: Google requires a real physical address or legitimate service area.
3. Inconsistent information: Your name, address, and phone must match everywhere online -- your website, Yelp, Facebook, Angi, everywhere.
4. Ignoring questions: Customers can ask questions on your profile. Answer them quickly.
5. Setting it and forgetting it: An outdated profile tells Google (and customers) that you do not care.

The Bottom Line

Your Google Business Profile is your digital storefront. For most local service businesses, it drives more leads than any other single marketing channel. It costs nothing to set up, nothing to maintain, and the ROI is practically infinite. There is no excuse not to have a fully optimized profile.