10 Google Business Profile Tips for Tradespeople

When someone searches "roofer near me" or "electrician King's Lynn", the first thing they often see is the map, with three local businesses underneath it. Those listings come from Google Business Profile, not your website. It's free, and for many trades it brings in more calls than anything else. Here are the things we check first when we take on a profile.

How Google decides who shows up

Google says local results are based on three things: relevance (how well your profile matches the search), distance (how far you are from the person searching or the place they searched for) and prominence (how well known and well reviewed your business is). You can't move your office, but you can do a lot about the other two.

1. Make sure you own your profile

Your profile should sit in a Google account that belongs to your business, not to a past employee or an old web designer. If someone else needs to work on it, add them as a manager. That way you always keep control.

2. Pick the right primary category

This is one of the most important settings on the profile. Choose the category that best describes your main work, such as "Roofing contractor" or "Electrician", then add extra categories only for work you really do. If you're not appearing for your main service, check this first.

3. Use your real business name

It's tempting to add "Best Roofer King's Lynn" to your name. Don't. It's against Google's guidelines and can get your profile suspended. Use the name you trade under, the same way everywhere.

4. Keep your service areas honest

If you travel to customers, list the towns you actually want work from. Adding places far away won't make you rank there, because the map results lean heavily on distance. To win work further afield, use proper pages on your website instead.

5. Fill in every service

List each service you offer, with a short description. It helps Google match you to more searches, and it tells customers what you do at a glance. Use the words customers use: "roof repairs" rather than just "roofing".

6. Link to the right page

Link your profile to your website, and make sure the name, address and phone number match on both. If those details differ between your website, your profile and directories, Google has less reason to trust them.

7. Add real photos of real jobs

Upload your own photos regularly: finished jobs, work in progress, your van and your team. Customers want to see who's turning up. Avoid stock images, and blur anything private, like number plates or a customer's house number.

8. Ask every happy customer for a review

Reviews are often what separates the top three on the map from everyone else. Ask straight after the job, when the customer is happiest, and send your review link by text or WhatsApp so it takes them seconds. If they mention the job and the town, even better. Never buy reviews or offer anything in return, which is against Google's rules.

9. Reply to every review

Thank people by name and mention the work you did. It shows future customers you care, and it keeps your profile active. If you get a bad review, stay calm, stick to the facts and offer to put it right.

10. Post regularly

Google posts let you share recent jobs, offers and news, with a button linking to the right page on your website. Aim for one a week, with a real photo or a short video. One thing we've learned first-hand: Google can reject a post with a phone number in the text, so use the Call button instead. For video, we've found clips need to be at least 720p and no longer than 30 seconds.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Setting the profile up and never touching it again
• Letting opening hours go out of date
• Using a different phone number on your website and your profile
• Ignoring reviews
• Having a great profile but a website that doesn't win the enquiry

Your profile and website work together

A strong profile gets you noticed. Your website is where people decide whether to call. If you'd like help with both, see our SEO in King's Lynn service or web design in King's Lynn, or book a free website audit. New website not showing yet? Read how long a new website takes to show on Google.