If you're not on Google Maps, you don't exist.
Google Business Profile is free, takes about 20 minutes to set up, and drives more local enquiries than any other single channel. Businesses with complete profiles are 70% more likely to attract visits than those with incomplete ones. For a plumber in Shipley or a café in Saltaire, this is the most important 20 minutes you'll spend on marketing all year.
I set up Google Business Profiles for almost every Pacavita client. The process hasn't changed much, but the mistakes people make are always the same. Here's the full walkthrough.
Claim or create — which one are you?
First, search your business name on Google. If a listing already exists with your address (maybe from a previous owner, or auto-generated from directory data), you need to claim it. If nothing shows up, you create a new one.
Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. If your business appears in the search, click “Claim this business.” If not, click “Add your business.” Either way, you'll end up in the same setup flow.
Choose your category — specificity wins
Your primary category is the single biggest factor in whether you show up for the right searches. Google offers thousands of categories, and picking the wrong one buries you.
Choose “Plumber” not “Home Services.” Choose “Hair Salon” not “Beauty Salon” (unless you actually are a beauty salon). Choose “Dog Walker” not “Pet Service.” The more specific, the better your chances of ranking for the searches that actually bring in work.
You can add up to nine secondary categories. A plumber might add “Boiler Repair Service” and “Drain Cleaning Service.” A café might add “Coffee Shop” and “Breakfast Restaurant.” Use all the ones that genuinely apply.
| Business | Primary category | Good secondary categories | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Plumber | Boiler Repair Service, Drain Cleaning Service | Choosing “Home Services” |
| Barber | Barber Shop | Hair Salon | Choosing “Beauty Salon” |
| Café | Cafe | Coffee Shop, Breakfast Restaurant | Choosing “Restaurant” only |
| Dog walker | Dog Walker | Pet Sitting Service, Dog Trainer | Choosing “Pet Service” |
| Electrician | Electrician | Electrical Installation Service, EV Charger Installation | Choosing “Contractor” |
| Cleaner | House Cleaning Service | Carpet Cleaning Service, Window Cleaning Service | Choosing “Cleaning Service” (too broad) |
Get verified — the postcard takes time
Google needs to confirm you're real. For most businesses, they'll send a postcard with a verification code to your business address. This takes five to 14 days in the UK. Some categories qualify for phone or email verification, but don't count on it.
Start the process now. You can edit your profile while waiting for the postcard, but you won't appear in search results until verification is complete. I've had clients in Bradford lose two weeks of visibility because they put this off.
Write a description that actually works
You get 750 characters. The first 250 show in search results without clicking, so front-load the important stuff: what you do, where you do it, what makes you different.
Bad: “We are a family-run business with over 20 years of experience providing quality services to our valued customers.” That could be anyone, anywhere.
Good: “Plumber covering Saltaire, Shipley, Baildon, and Bingley. Gas Safe registered (no. 123456). Boiler installs, repairs, bathroom refits. Same-day emergency callouts. Been doing this for 12 years — most of my work comes through recommendations.”
Mention your postcodes. BD17, BD18, LS29 — whatever you cover. Google uses this text to match you with local searches.
Add at least five real photos — not stock images
Profiles with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more website clicks than those without. Five is the minimum. Ten is better.
What to photograph: the outside of your premises (or your van if you're mobile), you at work, finished jobs, your team, your equipment. A Saltaire barber I worked with added 12 photos of actual haircuts — his click-through rate doubled within a month.
Never use stock photos. Google can detect them, and customers can spot them. A real photo of your actual work in a real BD17 kitchen is worth ten polished stock images.
Set your hours — and keep them accurate
Wrong hours are worse than no hours. If someone drives to your shop at 9am on a Saturday because Google says you're open and you're not, you've lost that customer forever. And they'll leave a one-star review.
Update your hours for bank holidays. Google prompts you to do this before each one — don't ignore those notifications. Set special hours for Christmas, Easter, and any days you close early.
Use Google Posts — most businesses don't
Google Posts are short updates that appear directly on your Business Profile. Offers, events, news, before-and-after photos. They expire after seven days (events last until the event date).
Barely anyone uses these. That's an opportunity. One post per week keeps your profile looking active. “Just finished a bathroom refit in Shipley — here's the before and after” with a photo takes two minutes and shows Google you're an active business.
Answer the Q&A section yourself
Your profile has a Questions & Answers section. Anyone can ask, and anyone can answer — including random people. Get ahead of this by asking and answering your own common questions.
“Do you do free quotes?” — answer it yourself. “What areas do you cover?” — answer it yourself. “Are you Gas Safe registered?” — answer it with your registration number. This controls your narrative and prevents wrong answers from strangers.
Fill in attributes and service areas
Attributes are things like “Veteran-led,” “Women-owned,” “Wheelchair accessible,” “Free Wi-Fi.” Google shows these as badges on your profile. If they apply to you, tick them.
Service area businesses (trades, cleaners, dog walkers — anyone who goes to the customer) should set their service area rather than a pin on a map. Add every town and postcode you actually cover. A painter covering Saltaire, Shipley, Baildon, Bingley, Keighley, and Ilkley should list all six.
What to do this week
- Go to business.google.com and either claim your existing listing or create a new one.
- Choose your primary category — be as specific as possible (check the table above).
- Add at least two secondary categories that match services you genuinely offer.
- Write a 250-character description that mentions your service, your area, and your key credential.
- Upload five real photos — your van, your work, your face.
- Set your hours correctly, including any upcoming bank holidays.
- Ask and answer three common questions in the Q&A section.
- Post one Google Post with a recent job photo.
Once your profile is verified and complete, start collecting reviews. That's the part that compounds over time. I cover the full approach in the local SEO guide, and if you want a proper website to link from your profile, that's where things start working together.