Categories
One primary category that describes your business as precisely as possible, plus suitable additional categories.
Local SEO
Google Business Profile: your most important listing in local searches
Have your Google Business Profile set up, optimised and maintained: categories, services, photos, posts, opening hours. Der-H Medien, nationwide.
Local SEO
Google Business Profile: what exactly is it?
The Google Business Profile is your business's listing on Google Search and Google Maps. It shows your name, address, telephone number, opening hours, photos, services, posts and reviews, often right next to or above the regular search results. For many customers it is their first contact with you.
For local searches, Google looks mainly at relevance, distance and prominence. A complete, correctly categorised and well-maintained profile improves relevance. Photos, posts and reviews also make it more likely that people will click on your profile rather than a competitor's.
Background
Google Business Profile: why it matters.
In location-based searches, the profile often appears prominently, ahead of the regular results. For many customers it is their first impression of you.
A complete, up-to-date profile can bring phone calls, route requests and visits without the customer ever opening your website.
Overview
Google Business Profile: building blocks and variants.
Services and products
What you offer, with a short description, so that people searching can see immediately whether you are a good fit.
Opening hours
Regular hours, public holidays and special openings, so that nobody turns up to a closed door.
Photos and videos
Exterior, interior, team, finished work. Genuine, recent images are more convincing than stock photos.
Posts
News, offers and notices that show you are actively in business.
Questions and answers
Answer typical customer questions in advance.
Reviews
Feedback from customers, which plays a large part in how your listing is perceived.
Our work
Google Business Profile: what we do for you.
Set-up & verification
We create the profile or take over an existing one, and have it verified by Google.
Categories & services
The right primary category and all the relevant services and attributes.
Photos & posts
Current images and regular news show that you are actively in business.
Opening hours
Kept accurate, including public holidays and special openings.
Questions & answers
Answer typical customer questions in advance.
Reporting
Keep an eye on calls, directions requests and views.
Quality
Google Business Profile: how to recognise good work.
- The primary category describes your business precisely
- Name, address and telephone number match your website and directories exactly
- Opening hours are up to date, including public holidays
- There are recent, genuine photos
- All services are listed
- Reviews are answered promptly
- Posts are published regularly
- The link leads to the right page of your website
Costs
Google Business Profile: what it costs.
The profile itself is free. Costs arise for the set-up, optimisation and ongoing maintenance by us, depending on the state of the profile and the number of locations.
The calculation behind this: How we calculate our prices.
What determines the price
- State of the existing profile
- Number of locations
- Effort for photos and copy
- Ongoing maintenance (posts, replies, reporting)
What you can prepare
- Access to the existing profile, if there is one
- Current opening hours, services and contact details
- Photos of your business, team and work
- A list of typical customer questions
Pitfalls
Google Business Profile: common mistakes.
- a wrong or overly general primary category
- keywords in the business name that breach Google's guidelines
- out-of-date opening hours
- no replies to reviews
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the Google Business Profile.
What does a Google Business Profile cost?
The listing itself is free. We charge for set-up and maintenance according to the work involved, as agreed in the quotation.
How long does verification take?
Depending on the method, anything from a few days to several weeks. We guide you through the process.
My profile has been suspended. What should I do?
Usually there has been a breach of the guidelines, such as a prohibited business name. We look into the cause and help with reinstatement, although there is no guarantee of success.
Do I need an address that customers can visit?
Not necessarily. Service providers who travel to their customers can specify a service area. We will work out which option suits you.
How often should I post?
Regularity matters more than quantity. A fixed rhythm that you can keep up is better than lots of posts all at once.
Guides
Further reading.
Local SEO Step by Step: How to Be Found LocallyLocal SEO explained: Google Business Profile, regional content, consistent listings and reviews, in a clear order of steps.Read more →Optimising Your Google Business Profile: A ChecklistA checklist for a complete Google Business Profile: category, services, photos, opening hours, posts and reviews.Read more →NAP Consistency: Name, Address, Phone the Same EverywhereNAP consistency explained: why uniform details for name, address and telephone number matter for local SEO, and how to check and clean up your listings.Read more →Local Pack: How Google Chooses Local ResultsThe local pack explained: the three factors of relevance, distance and prominence, and what you can do to appear in the map results.Read more →Replying to reviews properly: examples and rulesReplying to Google reviews: rules and sample wording for positive and negative reviews, so that your business comes across as professional.Read more →
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