A Google Business Profile checklist for East Valley service businesses

For a plumber in Gilbert, a landscaper in Queen Creek or an HVAC company in Mesa, the Business Profile is often the first thing a customer sees. It shows up in Google Search and Maps before anyone clicks through to your website. Google says local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence (opens in a new tab), and that businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up for relevant searches.

Work through this list in order. The early steps get the foundations right, and the later ones keep the profile active.

Get the foundations right

1. 1.Claim and verify the profile. Some features, including replying to reviews, only work once your business is verified. If someone else set the profile up years ago, track down that login before you do anything else.
2. 2.Use your real business name. Google’s guidelines for representing your business (opens in a new tab) say your name should match the one on your storefront, website and stationery. Adding extra keywords like “Best Plumber Gilbert AZ” isn’t permitted and can get the profile suspended.
3. 3.Choose a specific primary category. Pick the most specific category that describes your core business: “Plumber” rather than a broad trade, for example. Google says the categories you select affect your local ranking (opens in a new tab). Then add a few additional categories for other major services. Don’t add one for every job you’ve ever done.
4. 4.Set your address or service area honestly. If customers come to you, show your address. If you drive to them and don’t serve customers at your address, Google asks you to remove the address and set a service area (opens in a new tab) instead. You can list up to 20 cities, ZIP codes or areas, so a Gilbert-based company might list Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Queen Creek and Tempe. Virtual offices aren’t eligible for a profile.
5. 5.Keep your hours accurate. Set regular hours, then use special hours (opens in a new tab) for holidays and short-term changes, so customers don’t drive out to a locked door.

Show what you actually do

1. 1.List your services. Service businesses can add services (opens in a new tab) to the profile, choosing from Google’s suggestions or adding custom ones, grouped and with short descriptions. Use the words customers use: “water heater replacement,” not an internal job code.
2. 2.Add real photos. Google recommends photos (opens in a new tab) that are in focus, well lit and represent reality, without heavy filters. Show your team, your vehicles, finished work and, if customers visit you, the outside of your building so they can recognize it.
3. 3.Post updates. Posts (opens in a new tab) let you share offers, events and news on Search and Maps. A seasonal note works well here, like monsoon roof checks or getting the AC serviced before summer.
4. 4.Answer questions. Owners can answer customer questions in the profile’s Q&A section (opens in a new tab) where it appears. Give short, direct answers to the questions you hear on the phone every week: whether you charge for estimates, which areas you serve, whether you offer emergency calls.

Build reviews the right way

1. 1.Ask every happy customer. Google suggests sending customers a review link or a QR code (opens in a new tab). The best moment is right after a job goes well, while the customer is still pleased. A short text with the link makes it a one-minute task.
2. 2.Never pay for reviews or offer incentives. Google’s review policies say reviews must reflect a genuine experience. Offering free or discounted services in exchange for posting, changing or removing a review isn’t allowed.
3. 3.Reply to reviews, including the critical ones. Google recommends replies that are clear, short and specific, and suggests not using replies to push deals. A calm, factual reply to a negative review often tells future customers more about you than the review does. You can read and reply to reviews (opens in a new tab) from your profile once it’s verified.

Google notes that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking. Steady, honest reviews from real customers are also the most persuasive thing on your profile.

Make your website match

This step is easy to forget. Your business name, address and phone number should read exactly the same on your Business Profile, your website and the directories that list you. Check the footer and contact page of your site, and fix any old phone number or former address you find.

Your website should also back up what the profile claims. If your profile lists a service area across the East Valley, have a page that says which cities you serve. If it lists water heater installation, have a page about it. Pages like these give both Google and your customers a reason to believe the profile is accurate.

Keep it current

A profile isn’t a one-time job. Set a monthly reminder to check your hours, add a few new photos, publish a post and reply to any new reviews. Before each holiday, set special hours. When you add a service or expand into a new city, update the profile the same week.

Be wary of anyone who promises a top spot in the map results. Distance from the person searching is one of the factors Google uses, and no one controls the results. A complete, accurate and active profile gives you the best footing you can have, and it makes your business easier to choose when someone finds it.

Want us to check yours?

Our free audit reviews your Business Profile alongside your listings, website and the competitors showing up near you, then gives you a ranked list of fixes. If you’d rather hand the work over, our SEO and local search service manages Business Profiles for service businesses across Gilbert, the East Valley and the wider Phoenix metro.