The Google Business Profile checklist for contractors

Google ranks local results on three things: relevance, distance and prominence. Your profile controls most of relevance (categories, services, description) and a big part of prominence (reviews, photos, activity). Get the primary category right first, then fill in every field Google offers.

1. Choose the most specific primary category

The primary category carries more weight than anything else you set. Pick the one that matches the work you most want: "HVAC contractor" rather than "Contractor", "Electrician" rather than "Electrical installation service" if that's your main trade. Look at the top three businesses in your map pack to see what they use.

2. Add secondary categories for real services only

Add categories for other work you genuinely do, such as "Water heater installation service" for a plumber or "Kitchen remodeler" for a general remodeler. Don't add categories for work you don't do. It dilutes relevance and can bring the wrong calls.

3. Set up as a service-area business

If customers don't come to your office, hide your street address and list the areas you serve instead. Google lets you add up to 20 service areas. Use the cities and ZIP codes where you want jobs.

4. Fill in the Services list with descriptions

Add each service you offer, with a short description in plain words: what it is, who it's for and the areas you cover. These descriptions help Google match you to specific searches like "tankless water heater install".

5. Write a business description that states facts

You get 750 characters. Say what you do, where, how long you've done it, your license details and what makes you the safe choice. Skip phrases like "quality service at fair prices". They tell Google and customers nothing.

6. Keep your business name exactly as it appears in real life

Adding keywords or cities to your business name breaks Google's guidelines and can get your profile suspended. "Smith Plumbing" stays "Smith Plumbing", not "Smith Plumbing Tulsa Emergency Plumber 24/7".

7. Link to the right page on your website

Point the website link to your homepage or your main service page, and make sure the name, phone number and areas on that page match the profile exactly. Mismatched details are one of the most common problems we find in audits.

8. Set accurate hours, including emergency hours

If you take emergency calls, show it. Set special hours for holidays so Google doesn't mark you as "may be closed". Searches with "open now" filter out businesses whose hours don't fit.

9. Upload real photos every month

Show your team, your trucks and finished jobs, taken on a phone at the job site. Real photos of local work build more trust than stock images, and a steady flow of new photos signals an active business.

10. Ask every customer for a review

Reviews are the biggest prominence signal you can influence. Send a direct review link by text after every job, while the customer is still happy. Don't offer rewards for reviews; Google prohibits it.

11. Reply to every review

Thank people for good reviews in a sentence or two, mentioning the job. Answer bad reviews calmly and offer to fix the problem. Future customers read the replies as closely as the reviews.

12. Post updates

Share a recent job, a seasonal tip or an offer every week or two. Posts keep your profile fresh and give customers a reason to call you.

Common questions