Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is arguably the most powerful free marketing tool available to home service businesses. Yet most contractors either haven’t claimed theirs or have a half-completed profile that’s costing them leads every day.
Here’s a complete checklist to get your GBP fully optimized and ready to rank.
The Essentials
- Claim and verify your profile at business.google.com
- Choose the most specific primary category (e.g., “Roofing Contractor” not just “Contractor”)
- Add 3–5 secondary categories that match your services
- Write a 750-word business description packed with relevant keywords and service areas
- Set your service area accurately — don’t overextend
Contact & Hours
- Ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) is 100% consistent with your website and all directories
- Set business hours including special holiday hours
- Add your website URL pointing to your homepage or a dedicated landing page
- Enable messaging if you can respond within a few hours
Visual Content
- Upload a high-quality logo and cover photo
- Add at least 10 photos of completed jobs, your team, and your vehicles
- Update photos weekly — Google rewards active profiles
- Consider adding short videos (under 30 seconds) of job walkthroughs
Reviews Strategy
- Ask every satisfied customer for a review — make it easy with a direct link
- Respond to every review within 24 hours, positive or negative
- Never buy fake reviews — Google’s detection is getting very good
- Aim for a minimum of 5 new reviews per month
Posts & Updates
- Publish Google Posts weekly with project updates, tips, or promotions
- Use strong calls to action (“Call now for a free estimate”)
- Include photos in every post for higher engagement
The Payoff
A fully optimized GBP combined with a solid review strategy can put you in the Map Pack within 60–90 days for most local markets. That means more calls, more booked jobs, and less dependency on expensive paid ads.
Need help getting your GBP dialed in? Talk to us — we’ll show you exactly where the gaps are.