Why your Google Business Profile matters as much as your website
For most local searches, people decide from your Google listing before they ever see your site. Here is what to get right, in plain terms.
When someone searches for a plumber, a dentist or a B&B near them, Google usually shows a map with three businesses before any websites. That box is called the Map Pack. The details in it come from your Google Business Profile.
A lot of people choose from that box alone. They see the stars, the opening hours and the phone number, and they call. Your website still matters, but your profile is often the first thing they judge you on.
What your profile is
Your Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows your business on Google Search and Google Maps. It holds your name, address, phone number, hours, photos, services and reviews. You control it, but only if you have claimed it.
If you have never logged in to it, someone else may have created it, or Google may have filled it in from other sources. It is worth checking today.
The basics to get right
- Your business name exactly as it appears on your signs. Do not stuff extra words into it.
- The right category. Pick the one that best matches what you do, then add a few secondary ones.
- Correct opening hours, including bank holidays. Wrong hours lose trust fast.
- A phone number that is answered, and a link to your website.
- The areas you serve, if customers do not come to you.
Photos and posts
Real photos help. Your premises, your van, your team, finished jobs. Listings with recent photos tend to get more clicks and calls than ones with none.
You can also add short posts with news or offers. They do not need to be clever. A finished job or a seasonal reminder is plenty.
Reviews are a big part of it
Google looks at how many reviews you have, how good they are and how recent they are. So do customers. Ask happy customers for a review, and make it easy by sending them the link.
Reply to every review, good or bad. A calm, polite reply to a bad review often does more for you than the review does against you.
How it works with your website
Your profile and your website should agree. Same name, address, phone number and hours. When they match, Google trusts both more.
Your website then does the job the profile cannot. It explains each service, shows prices, answers common questions and gives people a simple way to get in touch. A strong profile gets the click. A good website turns it into a call.
A simple monthly routine
- Check your hours and details are still right.
- Add two or three new photos.
- Reply to any new reviews.
- Add one short post.
That is about 20 minutes a month. If you would rather not do it yourself, it is part of what we do for every client.