Why GBP completeness matters
Google uses GBP completeness as a proxy for business legitimacy. A profile with every field filled in, regular photo uploads, and active review responses outranks an identical business with a bare-bones listing — even when the competitor has a better website.
Profile setup checklist
Categories
- ✓ Primary category is your most specific core service (e.g., "Appliance Repair Service", not "Business")
- ✓ Add 3–5 additional categories for secondary services
- ✓ Remove any irrelevant categories that dilute your relevance signal
Business description
- ✓ 750 characters used — do not leave it short
- ✓ Mention primary service, city, and state in the first sentence
- ✓ Include 2–3 keywords naturally (do not keyword-stuff)
- ✓ State one clear differentiator: speed, certification, warranty, specialty
- ✓ No URLs, phone numbers, or promotional language in the description
Use the GBP description generator to write a compliant, keyword-rich description automatically.
Service area
- ✓ Service area set to your actual operating radius (do not over-extend)
- ✓ If you have a physical location, confirm address is verified
- ✓ For mobile or in-home services, hide physical address if you do not serve customers at your location
Services list
- ✓ Every specific service added under the appropriate category
- ✓ Price ranges added where applicable — GBP shows these in search results
- ✓ Service descriptions filled in (up to 300 characters each)
Photos checklist
- ✓ Cover photo: team photo, branded vehicle, or a clean before/after
- ✓ Profile photo: company logo or owner headshot (no stock images)
- ✓ At least 10 photos of actual work: installations, repairs, job sites
- ✓ Add 2–4 new photos per month — recency matters
- ✓ Geotag photos before upload when possible (use iPhone/Android GPS)
Reviews checklist
- ✓ Review request process in place: text or email within 24 hours of job completion
- ✓ Direct GBP review link saved and ready to send
- ✓ Every review responded to — positive and negative
- ✓ Response time under 48 hours for new reviews
- ✓ Negative reviews addressed professionally with a resolution path
Use the review response generator to write professional responses that include relevant keywords without sounding templated.
Posts and Q&A checklist
- ✓ At least one GBP post per week (offer, job update, tip, or seasonal notice)
- ✓ Posts include a CTA button (Call, Book, Learn More)
- ✓ Q&A section populated with 5–10 common customer questions and your answers
- ✓ Monitor Q&A for spam or incorrect answers from other users
Technical checklist
- ✓ Phone number matches your website and all citation directories exactly
- ✓ Business name is your real trading name — no keyword stuffing in the name field
- ✓ Hours accurate, including lunch breaks if applicable
- ✓ Holiday hours set in advance (Google penalizes profiles that show "closed" without explanation)
- ✓ Website link points to your homepage or a service-specific landing page
Monthly maintenance
- ✓ Upload 2–4 new job photos
- ✓ Respond to all reviews from the previous month
- ✓ Publish at least two GBP posts
- ✓ Check for spam or suggested edits from other users
- ✓ Verify your listing has not been suspended or merged
Run the full local SEO checklist
The free local SEO checklist covers GBP plus citations, website, schema, and reviews in one scan.