Google Business Profile checklist for small-town businesses
Twelve things to check on your Google Business Profile, in order: ownership, name, category, hours, phone, website, services, photos, reviews and more.
Osmar Liera5 min read
In a small town, your Google Business Profile is your front sign for everyone who is not already driving past. It is the box with your name, hours, phone, photos and reviews that shows up when someone searches for you or for "vet near me." Getting it right is free and takes an afternoon: confirm you own it, then check name, category, hours, phone, website, services, photos and reviews. Here is the full list, in the order we would do it.
Before you start: do you own it?
Search for your business on Google while signed in to the account you think manages it. If you see editing tools above the results, you own it. If the listing shows "Own this business?" nobody has claimed it yet. Click it and follow the verification steps, which may be a call or text to the business phone, an email, a short video or a postcard.
Do not create a second profile. Duplicates split your reviews and confuse customers.
The basics
1. Business name
Use the name on your sign. Do not add extras like "Best prices in the county." Google can suspend profiles for stuffing words into the name.
2. Primary category
This is one of the most important choices on the profile, because it tells Google what you are. Be specific: "Veterinarian" rather than "Animal hospital" if that is what people call you, "Mexican restaurant" rather than just "Restaurant." Add secondary categories only for things you really do.
3. Address and service area
If customers come to you, show the address and drag the pin to the right door. If you go to them, as a large-animal vet or a mobile mechanic does, add the towns and counties you cover as your service area.
4. Hours, including the odd ones
Regular hours, then special hours for every holiday. If you close for lunch or close early on Saturdays, say so. Wrong hours are the fastest way to get a one-star review from someone standing at a locked door.
5. Phone number
One number that a person answers. Tap it from the listing and see who picks up. If you have an after-hours emergency line, put it in your description and on your website.
6. Website link
Tap the Website button from a phone that is not signed in to your account and read the address bar. It should be your own domain. If it is something you do not recognize, read why your Google profile may link to the wrong site. If your "website" is a Facebook page, that is a sign it is time for a real one.
What makes people choose you
7. Description
You get 750 characters. Use the first two sentences for what you do, who you serve and where. Write it the way you would say it across the counter. If part of your community speaks Spanish, add a line in Spanish.
8. Services or products
List what you actually offer, in your customers' words. A vet clinic might list wellness exams, vaccines, surgery, dental care and large-animal services. A restaurant can add its menu. People search for these exact words.
9. Appointment or order link
There is a separate field for a booking, ordering or reservation link. Only fill it in if it leads to something that works. A "Book" button that opens a contact form teaches people not to trust the button. We wrote about doing this properly in online booking for rural vet clinics.
10. Photos
Real ones, taken this year: the outside of the building so people recognize it from the road, the inside, your team, your work. Add your logo and a cover photo. A few new photos every month show the business is alive. Skip stock photos; people can tell.
11. Attributes
These are the small labels such as wheelchair accessible, accepts credit cards or identifies as Latino-owned, women-owned or veteran-owned. They take a minute and help the right people find you.
What keeps it healthy
12. Reviews
Reply to every review, good or bad, in a sentence or two. Thank people by name. With a bad one, stay calm, do not argue details in public, and give a phone number to sort it out.
To get more reviews, ask. Your profile has an "Ask for reviews" option that gives you a short link. Print it as a QR code for the counter or text it after a visit. Never offer anything in exchange for a review; it is against Google's rules and it shows.
Keep an eye on suggested edits
Anyone can suggest a change to your listing. As the owner you get notified and can reject it, but only if you look. Put a quarterly reminder on the calendar to run through items 4, 5 and 6.
Posts and questions
You can publish short updates on the profile for a holiday schedule, a seasonal service or a new product. They are optional. Hours and photos matter more, so do those first.
The short version
If you only have fifteen minutes today:
- Confirm you own the profile.
- Fix hours, phone and website.
- Add five recent photos.
- Reply to your last five reviews.
Everything else can wait until next week.
If you would rather not do it yourself
Managing your Google Business Profile is part of every plan we offer. The smallest one, Google + Website, is $149 a month on a 12-month term and includes a professional website with no upfront cost. The plans are here.
We are ELROI Labs: a bilingual team, English and Spanish, working remotely from La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Creating, claiming and managing a Google Business Profile costs nothing. What takes effort is keeping it accurate.
How often should I update my Google Business Profile?
Check the basics once a quarter, update hours before every holiday, add a few new photos each month and reply to reviews as they come in.
Do I need a website if I have a Google Business Profile?
The profile gets you found; a website is where people confirm you are the right choice and take the next step. It is also the only one of the two that you fully control.
Can I ask customers for Google reviews?
Yes. Google gives you a link to share for that. What you cannot do is offer discounts, gifts or anything else in exchange for a review.
