When someone searches for a business like yours, your Google Business Profile is often the very first thing they see, before your website, your socials or your ads. It shows your hours, your reviews, your photos and a big friendly button to call or get directions. Get it right and it quietly sends you customers every week. Leave it half finished and people simply tap on the next business in the list.
That's why we've put together this Google Business Profile checklist. It's the same set of basics we look at whenever we start working with a local business, and you can work through most of it in an afternoon with a cuppa.
Why a Google Business Profile checklist matters
Google says local results are based mainly on three things: relevance, distance and prominence. You can't move your shopfront closer to every customer, but a complete, accurate and active profile helps with the other two. Google also notes that verified businesses with complete information are easier to match to the right searches.
A checklist keeps things simple. Rather than chasing tricks, you make sure nothing important is missing, then you keep it fresh. If you want the bigger picture on ranking in the map results, our guide to getting into the Google Maps top 3 on the Gold Coast covers the wider local SEO side.
The setup basics
1. Claim and verify your profile
If you haven't claimed your profile yet, start here. Verification tells Google you're authorised to manage the business, and some features (including your photos showing publicly) only work once you're verified. If someone else set it up years ago, track down that login or request access rather than creating a second listing.
2. Use your real business name
Your business name should match what's on your signage, website and invoices. Google's guidelines don't allow extra keywords, suburbs or taglines in the name, so "Sunny Side Cafe" is fine but "Sunny Side Cafe Best Coffee Coolangatta" isn't. Stuffing the name can get a profile suspended, which is a far bigger headache than any ranking boost is worth.
3. Choose the right primary category
Your primary category tells Google what you actually are. Pick the most specific option that fits, such as "Thai restaurant" rather than "Restaurant". Add secondary categories only if they genuinely describe your business, not every service you happen to offer.
4. Get your address or service area right
If customers visit you, show your full address and make sure the map pin sits on your actual front door. If you travel to customers, like a mobile dog groomer or an electrician working from home, Google asks service-area businesses to hide their address and list the areas they serve instead.
5. Keep your contact details consistent
Your name, address and phone number should read the same on your profile, your website and other directories. Little mismatches, like an old phone number or a previous address, can confuse both Google and your customers.
Details that help customers choose you
6. Set accurate hours, including special hours
Nothing sours a first impression like turning up to a closed door. Add your regular hours, then set special hours for public holidays, school holidays and events. If you work by appointment only, you can leave hours off rather than guessing.
7. Write a helpful description
You have up to 750 characters to explain who you are, what you do and who you help. Write it for people, not robots. Mention your main services and the area you serve naturally, and skip links, prices and sale offers, since Google doesn't allow those in the description.
8. Add your services or products
List your key services or products with short descriptions. This helps Google understand what you offer, and it helps customers see at a glance whether you do the thing they need.
9. Fill in attributes
Attributes are the little details like wheelchair access, outdoor seating, free Wi-Fi or parking. They take a few minutes and can be exactly what tips a customer your way.
10. Upload real, recent photos
Google recommends clear, well lit photos that show your business as it really is, without heavy filters or AI edits. Aim for a mix: your exterior from the direction people approach, your interior, your team, and your products or work. JPG or PNG files between 10 KB and 5 MB work, and Google recommends around 720 x 720 pixels.
Keeping your profile active
11. Ask for reviews, the right way
Reviews are one of the biggest things customers look at. Make asking easy by sharing your review link in follow-up emails, on receipts or with a QR code at the counter. Just keep it fair: Google's policies don't allow offering discounts or freebies in exchange for reviews, or only asking the customers you think will be happy.
12. Reply to every review
Google says replying to reviews shows customers you value their feedback. Thank people for the good ones, and answer the tricky ones calmly and politely. Future customers read your replies too, so a gracious response to a grumpy review can actually win you business.
13. Post updates regularly
Updates let you share news, offers, events and new blog posts right on your profile. Posting regularly shows people you're open and active, and it gives searchers another reason to choose you over a quiet listing.
14. Make sure your website answers common questions
Google removed the old Questions and Answers section from Business Profiles in late 2025 and now uses AI to answer customer questions, drawing on your profile, your reviews and your website. Keeping your profile complete and having a clear FAQ on your website gives it accurate information to work with.
15. Check your Performance insights
Your profile shows how many people found you, called, clicked through to your website or asked for directions. Have a look each month. If calls dip, check your hours and photos. If website clicks are strong but enquiries aren't, the problem may be your website rather than your profile. Our services page explains how we help with both.
A quick monthly routine
Once the setup is done, you only need about 20 minutes a month to keep things in shape:
Reply to any new reviews.
Add a few fresh photos.
Post at least one update.
Check hours for upcoming public holidays.
Glance at your Performance numbers.
FAQs
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Creating and managing a Google Business Profile is free. You only pay if you choose to run Google Ads alongside it.
Can I add keywords to my business name to rank higher?
No. Google's guidelines say your name should reflect your real-world business name, and adding extra keywords or locations can lead to your profile being suspended.
How often should I update my Google Business Profile?
Check it at least once a month. Reply to reviews as they come in, add new photos regularly and update your hours before public holidays.
Want a hand with your profile?
If you'd love a second set of eyes on your Google Business Profile, or you're keen to pair it with paid ads that bring in more local customers, we'd be happy to help. Book a discovery call and we'll talk through where your profile is at and the simplest next steps.
