How a Contractor Fixes Their Google Business Profile in 30 Minutes

Your primary category tells Google what you are. Choose the one that matches your main money-maker, not the broadest one. A plumber who mostly does water heaters should still pick “Plumber,” then add secondary categories for the rest of the work.

• Look at the top three profiles that rank for your service in your city and note their categories.
• Add secondary categories only for services you actually perform.
• Do not add categories for work you don’t do. It hurts trust and can cause problems with Google.

Add each service you offer with a one-line description in plain words. “Tankless water heater installation” beats “plumbing services.”

• Set your service area to where you really work, by city or ZIP code.
• If you work from a home address and customers don’t visit you, hide the address and use a service area.

Your business name, address and phone number should read the same on your website, your profile and the main directories.

• Use your real business name. Do not add keywords like “Best Plumber LA 24/7.”
• Pick one phone number format and use it everywhere.
• Check that the profile is owned by a business account, not one person’s personal email. If that person leaves, you lose the profile.

Real photos build trust faster than any text.

• Upload your logo, your truck or storefront, your team, and finished jobs.
• Before-and-after shots work well for remodelers and roofers.
• Skip stock images. Customers can tell, and so can Google.
• Add new photos regularly, even a few a month.

Reviews are often the deciding factor between two similar listings.

Ask right after the job, while the customer is happy. Copy-paste message:

• Reply to every review within a couple of days.
• For good reviews, thank them by name and mention the job.
• For bad reviews, stay calm, apologize for the experience, offer to fix it offline, and never argue in public.
• Never buy reviews or ask friends to post fake ones.

A short post with a photo shows the business is active. Share a finished job, a seasonal tip or a special. One a week is plenty.

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. In your profile’s performance section, check how many calls, direction requests and website clicks you get each month. Write down the numbers now so you can compare in 30 days.