Complete Local SEO Guide / Step 9
How to optimize your Google Business Profile
A verified profile gets you into the game. An optimized one wins it. Each field below is a lever, and a profile that uses all of them reads to Google as a real, active, well-run business. Work the table top to bottom, confirm every claim with the business owner, and keep everything consistent with the website and your listings.
- Set one accurate primary category, then add every secondary category you genuinely serve.
- List twenty or more specific services, including the name variations customers search, and confirm each one with the business before adding it.
- Fill every field. A complete profile signals a real, active business, so show the address wherever possible.
- The owner texting past customers from their own phone, with the Ask for reviews link, gets the strongest response. Never offer anything in exchange.
- Changing the name, address, primary category or a landing-page URL can trigger re-verification, so do not touch a page that already ranks well.
The levers
Every row is something you set once and maintain. None of it costs money, and together they are the difference between a listing that sits and one that ranks.
| Lever | How to do it |
|---|---|
| Primary category | Choose one accurate primary category. It is the single strongest signal of what the business is, so pick the one that matches the core service, not the broadest option. |
| Secondary categories | Add every relevant category you genuinely serve. Each one widens the searches you can show for, but only add a category the business actually does. |
| Services | List twenty or more specific services, including the name variations customers search for. Confirm each one with the business before adding it, so every service on the profile is real. |
| Everything else | Fill every field: description, social profiles, hours and holiday hours, accessibility, service options, amenities, payment methods. A complete profile signals a real, active business. Show the address wherever possible. |
| Posts | Post regularly, 150 to 300 characters, with a clear call to action. Keep phone numbers, emails and URLs out of the post body. Write a batch at once and schedule them so posting never lapses. |
| Reviews | The owner texting past customers from their own phone gets the strongest response. Use one simple template and the Ask for reviews link. Never offer anything in exchange for a review. |
| Name, address, phone | Keep them identical across the profile, the website and every listing. A single mismatch weakens the whole signal. |
| Changes | Changing the name, address, primary category or a landing-page URL can trigger re-verification. Do not change a landing page that already ranks well. Only fix the poor performers. |
Set one accurate primary category, add every secondary category you genuinely serve, list twenty or more specific services, and fill every remaining field: description, social profiles, hours and holiday hours, accessibility, service options, amenities and payment methods. Then post regularly, earn genuine reviews, and keep the name, address and phone identical across the profile, website and listings.
How many services should I list?List twenty or more specific services, including the name variations customers actually search for. Confirm each one with the business before adding it, so every service on the profile is something the business genuinely does.
Can I change my categories or landing pages later?You can, but changing the name, address, primary category or a landing-page URL can trigger re-verification. Do not change a landing page that already ranks well. Only fix the poor performers, and keep the primary category accurate when you do.
How do I get more Google reviews?The owner texting past customers from their own phone gets the strongest response. Use one simple template and the profile's Ask for reviews link, and keep the message short. Never offer anything in exchange for a review.
DaniMaster builds and runs local SEO for Montreal and Quebec businesses — Google Business Profile optimization, or the full Montreal local SEO program.
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