Who it is for
Any business that serves customers locally: trades, shops, cafes and restaurants, clinics, salons, gyms, solicitors, accountants, estate agents, garages and more. It is especially valuable for businesses whose customers decide quickly, such as an emergency locksmith or a takeaway, because those decisions are often made from the profile alone.
What is included, step by step
1Ownership and verification. We confirm you own the profile, recover access if needed and make sure you, not an agency, are the primary owner.
2Duplicate check. We search for duplicate or outdated profiles and report or merge them.
3Categories. We choose the most accurate primary category and relevant secondary categories, based on what you do and what your competitors use.
4Business information. Name exactly as you trade, address or service area, phone, website link, opening hours including holidays, and attributes.
5Services and products. Each service listed with a clear description; products added where relevant.
6Description. A plain, accurate description of what you do and where.
7Photos. Guidance on taking real photos of premises, team and work, and a plan for adding new ones regularly.
8Q&A. Common questions added and answered.
9Reviews. A simple review request process and help replying to reviews.
10Ongoing management. Monthly posts, photo updates, review replies and checks for unwanted edits.
What a well-set-up profile looks like
| Element | Weak | Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Primary category | Broad, such as "Contractor" | Specific, such as "Roofing contractor" |
| Services | Empty | Each service listed and described |
| Photos | One old shopfront image | Regular, real photos of work and team |
| Reviews | A few, unanswered | Steady flow, every review answered |
| Hours | Not updated for holidays | Always accurate |
| Website link | Homepage for every location | Relevant location page |
Common mistakes
- Adding keywords to the business name
- Choosing a vague primary category
- Using a virtual office or co-working desk as the address
- Ignoring reviews, especially negative ones
- Letting the public answer questions on your behalf
- Never updating photos or hours
Our journal has a longer article on Google Business Profile mistakes we see around Northamptonshire.
How long it takes
Initial set-up and clean-up is usually done within two to three weeks. Many businesses see more calls and direction requests within a month or two. Ongoing management takes a little time each month and keeps the profile active and accurate.
What drives the cost
- Number of locations
- How messy the starting point is, such as duplicates or suspended profiles
- Whether ongoing management is included
- Whether we also handle citations and website location pages
Suspensions and reinstatement
Profiles are sometimes suspended, either for guideline breaches or by mistake. We help you understand why, fix the cause and submit a reinstatement request with the right evidence. We will not help reinstate a profile that breaks the guidelines, such as one at an address you do not operate from.
How we measure it
We track calls, website clicks, direction requests and messages from the profile, alongside local rankings across the area on a grid. For a business on Brackmills or Moulton Park, visibility can look very different from Duston compared with the town centre, so grid tracking gives a fairer picture than a single ranking.
Photos that work
Good profile photos do not need a professional photographer. They need to be real, recent and clear. Useful shots include the outside of your premises so people recognise it, the inside, your team at work, finished jobs and products. Trades should photograph each completed job with the customer's permission. Add a few new photos every month rather than fifty at once.
Replying to reviews
Reply to every review within a few days. For positive reviews, thank the customer and mention the service, which reads naturally and adds relevant detail. For negative ones, stay calm, acknowledge the issue, avoid personal details and offer to sort it out offline. Future customers read your replies as much as the reviews.
Multiple locations
Each genuine location with staff present during opening hours needs its own verified profile, linked to its own page on your website. Keeping names, categories and information consistent across them is part of ongoing management.
Bing and Apple as well
Google is the largest, but Bing Places and Apple Business Connect feed results into Bing, Apple Maps, Siri and many car navigation systems. Claiming and completing both takes little time once Google is right, and keeps your information consistent everywhere customers might look. We include them as standard when we set up or clean up a profile.
Related services and reading
Profile work is one part of local SEO, which also covers citations and website pages. Online reputation also benefits from good SEO content. For businesses in Brackley and other border towns, setting service areas correctly is especially important. Start with our local SEO checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Creating and managing a profile costs nothing; our fee covers the work.
Can I have a profile without a shop?
Yes, as a service-area business. You hide your address and list the areas you serve.
Can you remove a bad review?
Only if it breaks Google's policies, such as spam or a conflict of interest. Otherwise, a calm, helpful reply is the best response.
Should I post on my profile?
Yes, occasionally. Posts about offers, projects or news keep the profile active and give searchers more information.
Who owns the profile if we stop working together?
You do. We are added as a manager, never as the owner.