Google Business Profile for tradesmen: a practical checklist

A Google Business Profile for tradesmen is free, and it’s often the first thing customers see. When someone searches for “tree surgeon near me” or “fencer in Bristol”, Google shows a map and a list of local businesses before most websites. A well-kept profile can bring in calls on its own, so it’s worth an hour of your time.

Here’s a checklist you can work through. Google changes its screens from time to time, so buttons may move, but the ideas stay the same.

Get the basics right

• Business name. Use your real trading name, the one on your van and invoices. Adding extra words like “Best Cheap Tree Surgeon Devon” breaks Google’s guidelines and can get your profile suspended.
• Primary category. Pick the one that best describes your main work, such as “Tree service” or “Fence contractor”. Add a few secondary categories for other work you really do.
• Service area. If you go to customers rather than them coming to you, set a service area and hide your home address.
• Phone number and website. Make sure they match your website exactly.
• Opening hours. Set hours you’ll actually answer the phone. Customers notice when “open now” isn’t true.

Describe what you do

• Description. A few plain sentences: what you do, where, and what makes you different (insured, qualified, waste taken away, free estimates).
• Services. List your main jobs, with a short line on each and, if you can, a typical price range.
• Website link. Point it at the page most likely to turn into an enquiry. If you have an instant estimator or your own estimator page, that’s often a better link than the home page.

Add photos regularly

Profiles with real, recent photos look more trustworthy. Add:

• your van and team, so customers know who will turn up;
• before-and-after pairs from real jobs;
• a few photos every month, not just once when you set up.

Make reviews a habit

Reviews are one of the biggest things customers look at. Ask every customer at the right moment, usually just after the job is finished. Reply to every review, good or bad, briefly and politely. Our guide on how to get more Google reviews has message templates.

Post updates now and then

Posts are short updates that show on your profile: a job you’ve just finished, a seasonal reminder (“book your winter tree work now”), or a link to your estimator. Once or twice a month keeps the profile looking active.

Check it every month

• Look for suggested edits from the public. Anyone can suggest a change, and they aren’t always right.
• Check the performance numbers: calls, website clicks and direction requests show whether it’s working.
• Update your hours for holidays.

Turn profile visitors into enquiries

A good profile gets people to click. What happens next depends on your website. If they land on a page that answers “roughly how much?” and makes it easy to get in touch, more of them will. Our website checklist for tradesmen covers what that page needs. A QR code on your van that goes to the same page helps people who see you working in their street.

Questions

Is a Google Business Profile free?

Yes. Setting up and managing a profile is free. Google also sells adverts, which are separate and optional.

Can I have a profile if I work from home?

Yes. Set it up as a service-area business, choose the areas you cover, and hide your home address.

How long does it take to show up on Google?

Google usually asks you to verify the business first. Once verified, the profile can appear in searches, but how high it shows depends on things like relevance, distance and how well-known the business is.

What’s the most important thing to do?

Get the basics right, then keep a steady flow of genuine reviews and photos. Those two habits make the biggest difference over time.