Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile Setup: The Free Lead Machine Most Owners Half-Do
Back to guidesWhy this is the one free tool to get right
Your Google Business Profile is the free lead machine most owners half-do. It's what shows in the map pack when someone searches your trade plus your city — the three listings above the regular results.
That spot is worth real money, and it's free. Most owners claim the profile, fill in three fields, and never touch it again. That's leaving leads on the table.
Claim or create it
Go to google.com/business, sign in with your business email, and claim or create your profile. Google will mail a postcard with a code to verify your address (or verify by phone/video for service-area businesses).
If you go to customers instead of them coming to you, set up a service-area business — you can hide your home address and list the cities you cover.
Fill every field
Name, a specific primary category ('HVAC Contractor,' not 'Contractor'), service area, hours, phone, website, and a description that names your city and services. Don't keyword-stuff — write for humans.
Add the services list and write a one-line description for each. Every service is another search you can show up for.
Photos and posts
Add at least 15 photos: before/afters, your team, your truck and equipment. Businesses with more photos get more calls. Add new ones monthly so the profile looks active.
Use Google Posts once a week — a recent job, a seasonal offer, or a service reminder. It takes five minutes and signals you're an active business.
Reviews — the system
Ask for a review within 24 hours of finishing a job, send your direct review link by text (don't make people search for you), and respond to every review — good or bad. Aim for one new review a week.
Reviews are the second-biggest local ranking factor and the biggest trust factor. A steady drip of fresh reviews beats a pile of old ones.