Google Business Profile Optimisation: Treat It Like Your Shopfront Window Online

Google Business Profile Optimisation: Treat It Like Your Shopfront Window Online

If your website is your 24/7 salesperson, your Google Business Profile is the shopfront window on the busiest street in town.

People walking past (your local customers) decide in a split second whether to step inside (click your website or call you) based on what they see in that window.

That’s why Google Business Profile optimisation is one of the highest-impact, lowest-effort marketing wins for any UK service-based business – from plumbers in Preston to solicitors in Surrey.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to turn your profile from a dusty noticeboard into a bright, inviting shop window that works hard for you every single day.

Why Google Business Profile Matters More Than You Think

When someone searches for:

• "electrician near me"
• "accountant in Leeds"
• "emergency vet open now"

Google often shows local listings (map pack) before normal website results. Those listings are powered by Google Business Profiles.

So even if your website isn’t yet ranking at the top, a well-optimised profile can still get you:

• Phone calls
• Website visits
• Direction requests (for bricks-and-mortar businesses)
• Direct enquiries

Think of it as your second homepage, but one that Google actively pushes in front of people who are already looking for what you offer.

The Creative Angle: Run Your Profile Like a Daily Shop Noticeboard

Here’s the angle most people miss: your Google Business Profile shouldn’t be a static listing you set up once and forget.

Imagine a local café that never changes its chalkboard outside. Same message, same offer, same handwriting… for three years. You’d probably wonder if it’s even still open.

Your Google Business Profile is that chalkboard.

The businesses that win in local search treat it like a living noticeboard:

• Updating photos like fresh window displays
• Posting updates like handwritten daily specials
• Replying to reviews like chatting with customers at the door

This ongoing activity sends a strong signal to both Google and potential customers:

"We’re open, we’re active, and we care about our customers."

Let’s break down how to do that, step by step.

Step 1: Get the Foundations Right (The Sign Above Your Door)

Before you worry about clever tricks, you need the basics nailed. Think of this as putting the right sign above your door.

Use Your Real Business Name (No Keyword Stuffing)

Your business name should be exactly what it is in the real world:

• ✅ Smith & Co Plumbing
• ❌ Smith & Co Plumbing – Best Emergency Plumber in Manchester 24/7

Stuffing keywords into your name might feel tempting, but it can get your profile suspended. Google wants real businesses, not spam.

Choose the Right Categories

Categories tell Google what you are, not everything you do. Start with one main category, then add a few relevant secondary ones.

Examples:

• A family law firm:

  • Primary: Family law attorney
  • Secondary: Divorce lawyer, Law firm

• A beauty salon:

  • Primary: Beauty salon
  • Secondary: Nail salon, Hairdresser

Don’t try to be everything. Pick what you actually do, not what you wish you did.

Match Your NAP Everywhere

NAP = Name, Address, Phone number.

These should match exactly across:

• Your website
• Google Business Profile
• Social media
• Online directories

If your business is listed as Unit 4, High Street in one place and Unit Four, High St in another, Google can get confused. Consistency builds trust.

Step 2: Write a Description That Sounds Human, Not Robotic

Your business description is like the friendly staff member who greets people at the door.

Keep It Simple and Customer-Focused

Instead of writing for Google, write for the person who’s just searched in a panic on their phone.

Bad:

We are a leading provider of plumbing solutions with over 20 years’ experience.

Better:

Blocked toilet at 10pm? We’ve got you. We’re a local, family-run plumbing business in Stockport, offering fast, reliable repairs with clear pricing and no jargon.

Then naturally weave in local and service keywords:

We help homeowners and landlords across Stockport, Hazel Grove and Bramhall with boiler repairs, leaks, bathroom installations and emergency call-outs.

Keep it:

• Around 200–250 words
• Clear, friendly and specific
• Focused on what problems you solve and where

Step 3: Photos – Your Digital Shop Window Display

Most profiles have the same problem: one blurry logo and a screenshot from 2018.

Good photos make your business feel real, current and trustworthy.

What Photos to Add

Aim for a mix of:

• Exterior shots – so people recognise you from the street
• Interior shots – clean, welcoming spaces (even if you just have an office)
• Team photos – real humans, not stock models
• Work in progress – vans, tools, behind-the-scenes
• Before & afters – powerful for trades, beauty, cleaning, landscaping

You don’t need a professional photographer to start. A modern smartphone, good daylight and tidy surroundings go a long way.

Keep It Fresh

Treat this like swapping your window display with the seasons:

• New staff member? Add a photo.
• Refurbished office? Update your interior shots.
• New service? Show it in action.

Set a simple rule: add at least 2–3 new photos every month.

Step 4: Reviews – Turn Happy Customers into Your Marketing Team

Reviews are your online word-of-mouth. For many people, they matter more than your website.

Make Asking for Reviews a Habit

Don’t leave it to chance. Build it into your process:

• After completing a job, send a quick text or email with your review link
• Add a line to your invoices: “Happy with our work? We’d really appreciate a Google review – it helps other locals find us.”
• Train staff to ask at natural moments: “If you’ve got a minute later, leaving us a Google review really helps small businesses like ours.”

Reply to Every Review (Yes, Even the Bad Ones)

Replying shows you’re alive and listening.

For positive reviews:

Thanks so much, Sarah – really glad we could sort your boiler before the cold snap. If you ever need us again, you know where we are!

For negative reviews:

• Stay calm
• Acknowledge their experience
• Move the detailed conversation offline

Hi John, we’re really sorry to hear this – that’s not the experience we aim to give. We’ve tried to find your details but can’t match them. Could you call us on 01234 567890 so we can look into this and put it right?

Google doesn’t expect perfection. It expects professionalism.

Step 5: Use Posts Like a Daily Chalkboard

This is where most businesses fall silent.

Google Posts let you share short updates that appear right on your profile. Think of them as the chalkboard outside your shop.

You can post about:

• Special offers or seasonal deals
• New services
• Changes to opening hours
• Helpful tips (great for building trust)

Simple Post Ideas for Service Businesses

• A plumber:
  • “3 quick checks before you turn your heating on this autumn”
• A dentist:
  • “Nervous about the dentist? Here’s how we make your first visit easier.”
• A cleaning company:
  • “Spring clean offer: 10% off for new customers in Harrogate this month.”

Post once a week if you can. It doesn’t need to be long – 80–120 words is plenty.

This regular activity:

• Shows customers you’re active
• Gives Google fresh signals about what you do
• Helps you stand out from silent competitors

Step 6: Services, Attributes and FAQs – Answer Questions Before They’re Asked

People love businesses that make life easy. Use your profile to answer common questions upfront.

Add Services Clearly

Under Services, list what you actually do, using simple language your customers would use.

Instead of:

• Domestic plumbing solutions

Use:

• Leaking taps
• Toilet repairs
• Boiler servicing

This helps you appear for more specific searches, like “toilet repair near me”.

Use Attributes to Stand Out

Attributes are little badges like:

• Wheelchair accessible entrance
• LGBTQ+ friendly
• Online appointments
• Women-owned

Pick the ones that are genuinely true. These can make the difference for someone choosing between you and a competitor.

Add a Q&A Section

Anyone can ask a question on your profile – and you can answer it.

Beat them to it by adding your own FAQs from another account (this is allowed, as long as it’s honest):

• “Do you offer emergency call-outs?”
• “Do you cover evenings and weekends?”
• “Do you provide free quotes?”

Answer briefly and clearly. It’s like having a mini help desk on Google.

Step 7: Track What’s Working (Without Drowning in Data)

You don’t need to become a data analyst, but a quick monthly check can show you what’s working.

In your Google Business Profile dashboard, look at:

• Search terms people used to find you
• Actions taken – website visits, calls, direction requests
• Photo views compared to similar businesses

Use this to:

• Spot new keywords to target on your website (e.g. “boiler service near me”)
• See if photo updates increase engagement
• Understand which services people are most interested in

If you’re working with a web agency like Los Webos, we can tie this into your wider SEO & local search strategy so everything pulls in the same direction.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few things that quietly hurt your visibility:

• Wrong opening hours – especially if you offer out-of-hours services
• No primary category or the wrong one
• Ignoring reviews – looks like you’ve closed the doors
• Using a mobile number only – a landline adds trust for some audiences
• No website link – you’re making people work harder to contact you

Fixing these takes minutes and can make a noticeable difference.

Turn Your Profile into a Local Customer Magnet

Google Business Profile optimisation isn’t glamorous. It’s not about hacks or tricks.

It’s about doing the basics well, then treating your profile like a living, breathing noticeboard that reflects what’s really happening in your business:

• Clear, accurate information
• Friendly, human descriptions
• Fresh photos
• Regular posts
• Genuine reviews and replies

Do that consistently, and over time you’ll:

• Show up more often in local searches
• Get more calls and enquiries from nearby customers
• Build trust before people even click your website

Need Help Turning Google Into Your Best Local Referral Partner?

If all this still feels like yet another thing on your to-do list, we can help.

At Los Webos, we build SEO-friendly websites and local search strategies for UK service businesses that want more of the right enquiries, not just more clicks.

We can:

• Set up or clean up your Google Business Profile
• Align it with your website so they work together
• Create a simple, sustainable local SEO plan you can actually stick to

Ready to turn your Google Business Profile into a proper shopfront window that brings customers in? Get in touch with Los Webos today and let’s get you found locally.