The #1 Checklist to Optimize Your Google Business Profile

One of the ways to improve your local SEO ranking is by optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP). While it might seem like a simple task, small oversights—like selecting the wrong category—can severely impact your visibility in local searches. In fact, choosing the right settings can make the difference between being found by potential customers and being buried beneath your competitors.

Categories: The One Decision You Can’t Screw Up

What is the most critical step? Choosing the right category for your business. Google offers over 4,100 categories and is constantly adding new ones. If you’re not keeping track of these updates, your business could be missing out on valuable traffic.

Want to know which categories are relevant to your industry? We’ve created a page that tracks Google category changes to help you stay up-to-date.

I once worked with an HVAC company who switched their primary category from ‘Air Conditioning Repair Service’ to ‘Air Conditioning Contractor.’ They dropped from the #1 spot to #31 in local search rankings—overnight. By catching the issue quickly and reverting the change, we got them back to the top in just two weeks. By catching the issue quickly and reverting the change, we got them back to the top in just two weeks. This level of precision is even more critical when Managing GBP Department Listings, where you must ensure the primary category for the main business doesn’t conflict with the categories assigned to individual departments like a service center or a specialized clinic.

If you’re not sure how to pick the right categories, check out this tool that helps you identify which ones are most related to your target keywords.

Pre-defined vs. Custom Services: Why Both Matter

In addition to categories, services play a huge role in how Google ranks your business. You need to ensure you’ve selected both pre-defined services (the ones Google suggests) and custom services for anything that doesn’t fit.

Pro Tip: When listing services, make sure they sound reasonable. For example, don’t list “traumatic brain injuries” as a service because Google will think you cause brain injuries. And who wants to be known for that? (Maybe your competition, but that’s on them.)

GBP Landing Page: Choose Wisely

Here’s a fun fact: linking your Google Business Profile to the wrong page could actually hurt your rankings. I know, shocking, right? But don’t panic—this happens when you link to a page that’s already ranking well organically. Google doesn’t like duplicate rankings, so they’ll demote you if you try it.

Want to know more? Check out our article on the Diversity Update.

Pro Tip: Use UTM codes on your website URLs. This isn’t some fancy trick—it’s a simple way to track exactly how much traffic comes from your Google Business Profile in Google Analytics.

Social Profiles: Fill Them Out (Sort Of)

Google allows you to add up to seven social profiles, but here’s the catch: it only shows five. I know, super consistent, right 🙄? So my suggestion is to only fill in the five that you really want displayed.

You should definitely add these because we are seeing some cases where Google actually displays social posts on Google and you can influence these by filling in this section.

Identity Attributes

Did you know that identifying attributes can help improve your rankings? If your business qualifies as “women-owned,” “veteran-owned,” or another identity, selecting these attributes can boost your visibility in relevant searches like “female doctor near me” or “woman-owned business near me.”

For instance, one of our tests showed that adding the “women-owned” label created a 3-pack result where there was none before.

And while you’re at it, remove “onsite services” and “online appointment” attributes. Google likes to highlight these, but they can push your valuable reviews out of sight.

Opening Date: The Subtle Detail That Screams Credibility

Let’s talk about your business’s opening date. Yes, that tiny little line that most people ignore—but Google doesn’t.

Google gives you the option to set your opening date in your profile. Here’s the deal: pick the oldest date you legitimately can. If your business has been around for 15 years, but your current location has only existed for 2, go with the full 15. Google doesn’t care which one you use—so lean into the version that actually builds trust.

Would you rather potential customers see “15+ years in business” or “1+ years in business”? 

And if you don’t set it at all? Google might just pull a random year from the internet and run with it. 

Reviews: Quantity is Key, But Frequency Wins

Reviews are more than just social proof—they can significantly impact your local ranking. Businesses that have at least 10 reviews tend to see a boost in their rankings. 

But here’s the catch: don’t stop at 10 reviews. If your competitors are consistently gaining new reviews and you’re not, it can have a negative impact on your ranking. 

Pro Tip: Regularly ask for reviews. Otherwise, you might as well be handing over the crown to your competition.

Business Hours: Stay Open Longer Than Your Competitors

One simple but powerful tweak to your GBP is adjusting your business hours. If Google sees that you’re available 24/7 (thanks to a call answering service), you could get a ranking boost. Google prefers to show businesses that are open and available, so if your competitors have limited hours, use this to your advantage.

Ready to Actually Start Ranking?

Now that you’re armed with these tips, your Google Business Profile should be looking better than ever. From choosing the right categories to filling out social profiles and tweaking your business hours, every little detail counts.

Which of these tips did you not know before? Drop a comment and let me know.

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