GBP is the single highest-ROI marketing channel for any local service business, and almost everyone uses it wrong. Here is exactly how to set it up properly.
If I had one hour to spend on marketing for a brand-new local service business, I'd spend the entire hour on Google Business Profile. Nothing else comes close in cost-to-result ratio. Here's the full setup, in order.
Verify properly
Use the postcard verification, not phone or email. It takes longer but creates a stronger signal. Make sure the address you verify with matches your website footer and Companies House records exactly.
Pick categories like a sniper
Your primary category is your single most important ranking lever. Be as specific as Google allows: "Plumber" rather than "Service Establishment". Add up to 9 secondary categories, every relevant variation of what you do.
Add every service individually
Don't lump everything under "Plumbing". Add "Boiler Installation", "Bathroom Fitting", "Emergency Plumbing", "Kitchen Sink Installation", every distinct service as its own item with its own description (200+ characters) and price range. This dramatically expands the searches Google will show you for.
Add products too
Even for service businesses. List your top 6–10 services as "products" with photos, descriptions and prices. They show up in your knowledge panel and improve your overall completeness signal.
Photos: 30+ minimum, then keep adding
Upload at least 30 photos at setup: 5 of you/your team, 10+ of recent finished work, 5 of the van or workshop, exterior of any premises. Then add 4–6 new ones per month forever. Profiles with more frequent photo uploads consistently outrank those without.
Posts every week
Use Google Posts (the small social-media-style updates inside your profile) at least once a week. Recent jobs, offers, seasonal advice. Keeps your profile active in Google's eyes.
Q&A, pre-seed it yourself
You're allowed to ask and answer your own questions. Pre-seed your top 10 customer questions with proper answers. Otherwise random people will ask, and random people will answer them, often wrongly.
Reviews: automate the ask, respond to all
After every completed job, send the customer a direct review link via text. Aim for 30%+ of customers leaving a review. Respond to every review, positive and negative, within 48 hours, with a real human reply that mentions specifics.
Do all of this and you will rank. Skip half of it and you won't.