Google Business Profile (GBP) is the most underused free marketing tool available to local businesses. Most businesses set it up once and never return. The businesses that treat it as a living, active channel consistently outrank their competition in the local map pack — often without spending a penny on ads.
This checklist covers everything. Work through it once properly and you'll be ahead of 90% of your local competitors.
Section 1: Basic Information
Start with the fundamentals. These need to be 100% correct and consistent with how your business appears everywhere else online (website, Yelp, Facebook, etc.).
Business name matches your real-world name exactly (no keyword stuffing like "Mike's Plumbing — Best Plumber in Chicago")Primary category is as specific as possible (not just "Restaurant" but "Coffee Shop" or "Espresso Bar")Add all relevant secondary categoriesAddress is correct and formatted consistently (Street vs St, Suite vs Ste)Phone number is local (not a toll-free number)Website URL is correct and goes to a relevant pageHours are current and complete, including holiday hoursService area is set correctly if you serve customers at their locationSection 2: Business Description
You get 750 characters. Use them well.
Naturally includes your primary keyword (e.g., "coffee shop in [neighborhood]")Describes what makes you different, not just what you doMentions key services or specialtiesIncludes your city/neighborhood naturallyDoes not include URLs, promotional language, or keyword stuffingIs written for humans first, search engines secondSection 3: Services and Products
This section is chronically underused. Every service you add is another keyword signal to Google.
Add every service you offer with a title and descriptionInclude the specific service name as customers would search for it (e.g., "Balayage" not just "Hair Colouring")Add products if applicable (coffee drinks, retail products, etc.)Include prices where possible — it builds trust and improves conversionSection 4: Photos and Videos
Businesses with photos get 42% more direction requests. This matters.
Cover photo: high quality, represents your best work or spaceLogo: clear, correctly sizedInterior photos: show the atmosphere (at least 5)Exterior photos: help customers find you (include signage, parking)Team photos: builds trust and humanises your businessWork/product photos: before/after, food, services in actionNew photos added regularly (aim for weekly)No stock photos — authenticity winsSection 5: Reviews
Reviews are the single highest-impact factor for local pack ranking after proximity.
Minimum 10 reviews to start ranking competitivelyAverage rating 4.2+ (below this hurts conversion significantly)Recent reviews — recency matters as much as volumeReviews contain keywords naturally (customers mentioning your services and location)You respond to every review — positive AND negativeResponse time under 24 hoursActive system for requesting reviews from happy customersSection 6: Google Posts
Posts show on your profile and signal active management to Google.
At least one post per weekMix of post types: offers, events, updates, productsEach post has a clear call-to-actionImages are high quality and correctly sizedPosts are timely and relevant (seasonal, promotional, newsworthy)Section 7: Q&A
Most businesses ignore this section completely. That's an opportunity.
Seed your own Q&A with the questions customers actually askAnswer every question promptlyInclude natural keywords in your answersMonitor for and remove inappropriate or incorrect Q&ASection 8: Attributes
Attributes are the checkboxes that appear on your profile and in search filters. Getting these right helps you appear in filtered searches.
Select all applicable service options (dine-in, takeaway, delivery, etc.)Add accessibility features if applicableAdd payment methods acceptedAdd any relevant health and safety attributesFor specific niches: add pet-friendly, outdoor seating, WiFi, etc.The Ongoing Maintenance Schedule
A one-time optimisation decays over time. Set up a recurring schedule:
Weekly: Add a Google Post, respond to any new reviews.
Monthly: Add fresh photos, check hours are current, review Q&A for new questions.
Quarterly: Full audit — check all information is accurate, review competitor profiles for new optimization opportunities, analyse your insights data.
How to Measure Progress
GBP Insights (in your dashboard) shows:
Search queries that led to your profileImpressions (how many times your profile appeared)Click-throughs (website clicks, calls, directions)Photo viewsTrack these monthly. A properly optimised profile should show steady improvement in impressions and actions over 3–6 months. If numbers are flat after 3 months of consistent effort, that's a signal to look at your citation consistency and on-page SEO, which are the next levers to pull.
