Checklist · Google Maps · 2026

Google Business
Profile checklist

Q: Can you manage the profile for me?

Yes, as part of [SEO and Google Maps](/seo/) work, which starts at $750 a month. That includes the profile, local pages on your site and a review routine. You remain the owner of the listing the whole time.

A Google Business Profile checklist for US local businesses: 23 points that decide whether you appear on Google Maps and whether people tap call once they find you. Free, and no email required.

Local SEO service→ Or book a free consultation

Checklist

23 things to review
in your profile

Sign in with the Google account that manages your listing and mark each point yes or no.

Done0 / 23

Ownership and basics

The profile is verified and you hold the Owner roleManager access isn't enough. If a former employee or agency is the owner, you can lose control of the listing overnight.
The name matches your real business name, with no added keywords"Smith Plumbing" is fine; "Smith Plumbing Best Emergency Plumber Dallas" breaks Google's guidelines and invites a suspension.
Address or service area is set the right wayCustomers visit you? Show the address. You drive to them? Hide it and list the cities, counties or zip codes you serve.
Each location has exactly one profileDuplicates split your reviews and confuse Google. Search Maps for your name and phone number to find stray listings.

Contact details

The phone number is one someone actually answersA local number that rings during business hours. A call that hits voicemail is often a call to your competitor.
Hours are current, holidays includedSet special hours for Thanksgiving, Christmas, July 4 and seasonal closures, so nobody drives to a locked door.
The website link goes to the right pageOne location can link to the home page. Several locations should each link to their own page. UTM parameters let you see these visits in GA4.
Name, address and phone match everywhereKeep them identical on your site, Apple Business Connect, Bing Places, Yelp, the BBB, Nextdoor and industry directories such as Angi or Houzz.

Categories and description

The primary category is the most specific one available"Kitchen remodeler" beats "general contractor" if that's your main work. The primary category strongly shapes which searches you show up for.
Secondary categories cover your other main servicesAdd the ones that genuinely apply, and skip the ones for work you take twice a year.
The description says what you do, where and for whomPlain sentences, no keyword lists, no links. Mention the areas you serve and what sets you apart.
Attributes are filled inWheelchair access, payment methods, languages spoken, online estimates, veteran-owned or women-owned where true: whatever your category offers.

Services, photos and booking

Every main service is listed with a short descriptionServices help Google understand what to show you for. Add a price or range where that makes sense in your trade.
You have real photos of your work, team and premisesYour own pictures, not stock. Add new ones regularly; a listing with recent photos looks like a business that's open.
Logo and cover photo are setThey're the first thing people see in Maps and in the search results panel.
A booking or quote link is added if you take online bookingsSave customers the hunt through your website. One tap from Maps to a booking form is the goal.

Reviews

You ask every satisfied customer for a reviewA short link by text or email right after the job works best. Ask everyone, not only the people you expect to be glowing.
You reply to every review, including the harsh onesA calm, specific reply to a bad review often convinces the next reader more than the review itself.
Your review link is easy to findPut it on the website, invoices and your email signature so happy customers don't have to search for you on Maps.
No bought, fake or incentivized reviewsThey break Google's policies, and the FTC's rule on fake reviews, in force since late 2024, carries civil penalties. If you text review requests, follow TCPA consent rules too.

Activity and access

You post an update at least monthlyFinished jobs, seasonal reminders, new services. Posts keep the listing current and give searchers a reason to click.
Only people you still work with have accessRemove past employees and old agencies. Contractors get Manager access, never Owner.
You read the performance report every monthCalls, direction requests and website clicks show whether the profile brings customers. Compare month to month and year over year for seasonal trades.

Google renames menus and options from time to time. If a setting isn't where this list says, look for its closest match in the profile editor.

Why the profile matters more than most owners think

For a local business, the Google Business Profile is often the first thing a customer sees, before the website and before any ad. It's what appears in the map pack for searches like "roofer near me" and on Google Maps itself. A complete, active profile with recent reviews tends to get more calls than a half-finished one, and it costs nothing to run.

What to fix first

Start with ownership and the basics: if you don't own the listing, or the name and primary category are wrong, nothing else on this list will move the needle. Next come reviews. Most profiles I look at don't lack features; they lack a habit of asking every customer. After that, services, photos and posts.

Beyond the checklist

Maps rankings depend on more than the profile: your website's local pages, consistent listings across directories and how close the searcher is to you. For the full picture, read the Google Business Profile optimization guide and how the Google Maps 3-pack works. If you'd rather hand it over, see local SEO and Google Business Profile.

FAQ

Questions about
Google Business Profile

Can I have a profile without a storefront?

Yes. Service-area businesses such as cleaners, plumbers or mobile pet groomers can hide their address and list the areas they serve. You still need a real address for verification; it just isn't shown. Virtual offices and mailbox stores usually aren't accepted.

How long until my changes show on Maps?

Simple edits like hours often appear within a day or two. New categories and services can take longer to affect rankings, and some edits get reviewed first. Give a change a few weeks before you judge it.

Do I also need Apple and Bing listings?

It's worth it. Apple Business Connect controls how you appear in Apple Maps, which many iPhone owners open by default, and Bing Places feeds Bing and other services. Both are free and quicker to set up than the Google profile.

Can you manage the profile for me?

Yes, as part of SEO and Google Maps work, which starts at $750 a month. That includes the profile, local pages on your site and a review routine. You remain the owner of the listing the whole time.

Let me look
at your listing

Send me the link to your profile. On a free 30-minute call I'll show you what to change first.

Book a free consultation→ Free 30-min consultation

Message me on WhatsApp hello@tomgoldman.pl