Optimising Your Google Business Profile: 10 Tips for More Customers
When someone googles "hairdresser near me" or "web design Bingen", Google first shows the local business profiles with a map – above the normal search results. Whoever ranks there gets the calls. The good news: most profiles are poorly maintained, and a few optimisations are enough to overtake your competition.
1. Complete every field of your profile
It sounds trivial but is the biggest lever: opening hours, phone number, website, services, directions – Google measurably favours complete profiles.
2. Choose the right primary category
The primary category is your profile's strongest ranking factor. Pick the most specific fitting one – "web designer" instead of "IT services". Add fitting secondary categories.
3. Upload real photos regularly
Profiles with current, own photos (team, premises, work) get significantly more clicks than those with stock images or none. Upload new photos monthly – Google registers activity.
4. Actively collect reviews – and reply to them
After the category, reviews are the most important local ranking factor. Actively ask happy customers for a review (easiest via a direct link) and reply to every single one – including critical ones, factually and solution-oriented.
5. Keywords in your business description
Describe in 750 characters what you do and for whom – using the terms your customers actually search for, without keyword spam.
6. Publish posts
Google posts (offers, news, events) keep your profile active and appear directly in search. One post per week or fortnight is enough.
7. Curate questions & answers yourself
In the Q&A section you can ask and answer common questions yourself – use it before someone else does it wrong.
8. List your services and products
Enter every service individually with a description and price range. They appear prominently in your profile and rank for additional search terms.
9. Ensure NAP consistency
Name, address, phone number (NAP) must be identical everywhere: website, legal notice, directories, social media. Discrepancies cost trust – with Google and with customers.
10. Connect website and profile
Link your website in the profile and reference the profile via structured data (LocalBusiness schema) on your website. Google then clearly understands both belong together – strengthening both rankings.
Prefer not to do this yourself? We handle the complete setup and ongoing optimisation of your Google Business Profile – as part of our SEO service.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Google Business Profile cost?
The profile itself is completely free. Costs only arise if you hand setup and optimisation to an agency.
How long until optimisations take effect?
First effects (more profile views, calls) often show after 2–4 weeks; stable local ranking improvements after 2–3 months.
Is a Google Business Profile useful without a website?
Yes, but far less. Profile and website reinforce each other – the profile brings visibility, the website convinces and converts visitors into enquiries.