Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing potential customers see. This audit checklist covers every field, signal, and optimization that impacts your local search visibility.
Verify business name matches your legal/brand name
Do not keyword-stuff your business name. Google penalizes listings with added keywords (e.g., 'Acme Plumbing - Best Emergency Plumber Atlanta'). Use your actual business name exactly as it appears on your signage and legal filings.
Confirm address and service area accuracy
If you serve customers at their location (plumber, electrician, etc.), hide your address and define a service area. If customers come to you, display the address. Make sure it matches your website and all directory listings exactly.
Audit your primary and secondary categories
Your primary category carries the most ranking weight. Choose the most specific option available. Add 3-5 secondary categories that accurately describe additional services. Do not add categories you do not actually serve.
Review business description for completeness
You get 750 characters. Use them. Front-load your most important services and your geographic area. Write for humans, not algorithms. Include a clear value proposition and what makes you different from competitors.
Check hours for accuracy including special hours
Wrong hours erode trust immediately. Set regular hours, holiday hours, and special hours for seasonal changes. Google shows 'Closed' prominently — make sure that is only happening when you are actually closed.
Count and evaluate your photos
Businesses with 25+ photos get more clicks. Include storefront exterior (helps Google verify location), interior, team photos, work examples, and product shots. Remove blurry or outdated photos. Add new ones monthly.
Review your Q&A section
Anyone can ask and answer questions on your listing. Seed 10-15 common questions with thorough answers before customers do. Monitor for competitor sabotage or inaccurate answers from random users.
Audit review response rate and quality
Respond to every review — positive and negative — within 24 hours. Reference specific details from the review. For negative reviews, acknowledge the issue, offer to resolve it offline, and avoid getting defensive.
Check services and products sections
Add every service you offer with a description and price range where applicable. These show up in search results and give Google additional context about your business. Update when you add or change services.
Evaluate posting frequency
Post at least weekly — offers, tips, project highlights, or company updates. Each post is a fresh activity signal. Posts expire after 7 days, so consistency matters more than perfection.
Verify website and appointment links
Make sure your website URL is correct and points to a page with matching NAP data. If you use online booking, add the appointment URL. Broken links cost you conversions that you will never see in your analytics.
Check for duplicate listings
Search for your business name and phone number in Google Maps. Duplicate listings split your reviews, confuse Google, and dilute your ranking signals. Claim and merge or request removal of any duplicates.