Google Business Profile optimisation: run it like a busy corner shop
If your website is your 24/7 salesperson, your Google Business Profile is the big shop sign on the corner of the high street.
Google Business Profile optimisation isn’t about ticking a few boxes and forgetting it. It’s about running that digital corner shop so well that locals walk past all the other options and head straight to you.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to treat your profile like a busy corner shop: lights on, shelves stocked, window display refreshed, and regulars well looked after.
Why your Google Business Profile matters more than you think
For many service-based businesses, people see your Google Business Profile before they ever see your website.
Think about when you search for:
- “plumber near me”
- “accountant in Leeds”
- “physio open now”
You get a little map with three businesses at the top. That’s the local pack, and those listings are powered by Google Business Profiles.
If you’re not there – or your profile looks half-finished – you’re basically the shop with the lights off and a dusty window. You might be brilliant, but no one’s going to step inside to find out.
Google Business Profile optimisation helps you:
- Show up in more local searches
- Look more trustworthy at a glance
- Get more calls, website visits and directions
- Outshine bigger competitors in your area
Step 1: Claim the corner – set up and verify properly
Before you can run your corner shop, you need the keys.
Claim or create your listing
- Go to google.com/business
- Sign in with a Google account you’ll keep for the business (not a staff member who might leave)
- Search for your business name
- If it appears, request access; if not, create a new profile
Verify your business
Google will usually:
- Post a card with a code to your address, or
- Offer phone / email verification for some categories
Until you’re verified, you’re basically trading with the shutters half down – you won’t get the full benefit.
Step 2: Get your shop sign right – name, category and basics
Your business name and category are like the sign above your door. Get them wrong and people walk straight past.
Use your real business name
Resist the temptation to stuff keywords into your name like:
“Bob’s Plumbing 24/7 Emergency Plumber Leeds Bradford Cheap”
Google doesn’t like it, and it looks spammy.
Use your real-world business name. You can work important phrases into your description and posts instead.
Pick the right primary category
Your primary category tells Google what ‘type of shop’ you are.
Examples:
- Solicitor → Law firm
- Plumber → Plumber
- Beauty salon → Beauty salon
- Chiropractor → Chiropractor
If you’re not sure, search for similar businesses that rank well locally and see what they’re using.
You can add extra categories too, but don’t go wild. Stick to what you genuinely do.
Fill in every basic detail
Complete these like you’re filling in a shop directory listing:
- Address (or service area if you go to customers)
- Phone number (preferably a local landline or consistent business mobile)
- Website URL
- Opening hours (including special hours for holidays)
- Attributes (wheelchair access, parking, online appointments, etc.)
The more complete your profile, the more confident Google feels about showing you off.
Step 3: Dress the window – photos that actually sell you
Your photos are your window display. Blurry, dark pictures say “don’t bother”. Clean, bright images say “come on in”.
Add these core photos
Aim for at least:
- Logo – clean and readable, even small
- Cover photo – something that represents your service (not a random stock image)
- Exterior shots – so people recognise your place from the street
- Interior shots (if you have premises) – tidy, welcoming, not taken in a rush
- Team photos – friendly faces build trust
- Work in action – before/after (where appropriate), treatment rooms, equipment, vans, etc.
Use real photos wherever possible. Think: “Would I walk into this place based on these pictures?”
Keep it fresh
Like a shop changing its window display, update photos every few months:
- Seasonal decorations
- New branding or signage
- New services or equipment
- Community events or charity work
Fresh content signals you’re active and still trading.
Step 4: Stock the shelves – services and description
Once people step into your corner shop, they want to see what’s on the shelves. Your services and description are where you spell that out.
Add your services properly
Use the Services section to list what you actually sell.
For example, a physiotherapy clinic might have:
- Initial assessment (60 minutes)
- Follow-up appointment (30 minutes)
- Sports injury rehabilitation
- Post-surgery rehabilitation
For each service, add:
- Clear name (no jargon)
- Short description
- Price or “from £X” if it varies
This helps both Google and humans understand what you actually do.
Write a clear, human description
You get 750 characters, but people will only see the first couple of lines unless they click.
Structure it like this:
-
Who you are & where you are
“We’re a family-run plumbing company based in Harrogate, helping local homeowners and landlords with reliable, no-nonsense plumbing and heating services.” -
What you specialise in
“From emergency leaks and boiler breakdowns to full bathroom installations, we focus on turning up on time, doing the job properly, and leaving your home tidy.” -
Why people choose you
“Same-day appointments where possible, clear pricing, and a friendly team who explain things in plain English.”
Work your main local phrases in naturally (e.g. “plumber in Harrogate”), but don’t stuff them.
Step 5: Keep the lights on – opening hours and availability
There’s nothing worse than walking to a shop that says it’s open and finding the door locked.
Google treats inconsistent opening hours in a similar way – it chips away at trust.
Keep your hours accurate
- Set normal hours clearly
- Use special hours for bank holidays, Christmas, etc.
- If you’re appointment-only, say so in your description and attributes
If you offer 24/7 emergency services, make that crystal clear in your description and services, and make sure someone actually answers the phone.
Step 6: Treat reviews like regular customers
Reviews are your regulars chatting in the shop. Ignore them and the atmosphere goes cold. Look after them and they bring their friends.
Ask for reviews the right way
Don’t be shy about asking. Most happy customers are willing; they just forget.
Make it easy:
- Share your review link by email or text after a job
- Add a QR code to invoices or appointment cards
- Train your team to ask at the right moment:
“If you’re happy with today’s appointment, a quick Google review really helps other people find us.”
Aim for steady, ongoing reviews, not a sudden burst and then silence.
Reply to every review
-
Positive reviews – thank them, mention something specific, sign off with a name:
“Thanks so much, Sarah – really glad the new boiler is working well for you. – Tom” -
Negative reviews – stay calm, be polite, move the details offline:
“Sorry to hear this, James – this isn’t the experience we aim for. Please call us on 01234 567890 so we can look into what happened.”
Google sees active review responses as a sign you’re a real, engaged business.
Step 7: Use posts like the noticeboard by the till
Google Posts are like the little noticeboard in a corner shop – offers, updates, and important news pinned where regulars can see them.
Types of posts you can use:
- Updates – new services, changes to hours, new locations
- Offers – seasonal promotions, introductory discounts
- Events – webinars, open days, workshops
- What’s new – recent projects, case studies, blog highlights
Simple posting strategy
You don’t need to treat this like social media. Aim for:
- 1–2 posts per month
- Clear headline
- 1–2 short paragraphs
- A strong call-to-action (e.g. “Book now”, “Call us”, “Learn more”)
Repurpose content from your website or email newsletter – don’t create everything from scratch.
Step 8: Check your aisle layout – use Insights to see what’s working
Your Google Business Profile comes with Insights, which is basically the CCTV and sales data for your corner shop.
Look at:
- How people find you – branded searches (your name) vs discovery searches (what you do)
- Actions taken – calls, website clicks, direction requests
- Popular times – when people engage with your profile
Use this to:
- Decide when to run offers or post updates
- See if changes (like new photos or services) increase calls
- Spot if visibility is dropping and needs attention
You don’t need to obsess over the numbers – just check once a month.
Step 9: Join the dots with your website
Your Google Business Profile is the corner shop; your website is the warehouse and showroom behind it.
They should work together:
- Make sure your name, address and phone number match exactly
- Link to a relevant page, not always just the homepage (e.g. link to your “boiler repairs” page if that’s your main service)
- Add a clear booking or contact button on the page people land on
If your profile is winning you attention but your website is slow, confusing or dated, you’re losing people at the door.
Common mistakes that quietly hurt your profile
A few things we often see with SMEs:
- Inconsistent business names and addresses across the web
- Old phone numbers that no one answers
- Opening hours that don’t match reality
- No photos, or only one grainy exterior shot from 2015
- Ignored reviews – especially the negative ones
- Categories that don’t really match what you do
Fixing these basics often makes more difference than any fancy SEO trick.
Turn your profile into your best local salesperson
When you treat Google Business Profile optimisation like running a busy corner shop, things start to click:
- Your details are correct (so people can actually reach you)
- Your photos and description build trust (so they want to)
- Your reviews and posts show you’re active (so they choose you over the competition)
If you’d like your Google Business Profile and website working together like a well‑oiled team, Los Webos can help.
We design fast, SEO-friendly websites for UK service businesses and make sure they’re properly connected to your local search presence – including Google Business Profile set-up and optimisation.
Want your business to stand out on the local map?
Get in touch with Los Webos and let’s turn your online presence into the busiest corner shop in town.