Google Business Profile Optimisation: A Practical Checklist

Complete every field — Google rewards it

A half-finished profile quietly costs you visibility. Google favours complete, accurate profiles in local results, and customers trust them more. Treat every field as worth filling in properly.

• Exact business name, address and phone number — identical to your website and other listings.
• Primary category that matches what you actually do, plus relevant secondary categories.
• Opening hours, including public holidays and any seasonal changes.
• A genuine, specific business description (what you do, who for, what makes you different).
• Services or products, with short plain-language descriptions.

Photos do a lot of quiet selling

Profiles with current, real photos get more clicks and direction requests. Show the storefront, the team, the work, and the result — the things a customer wants to picture before they choose you.

Refresh them periodically. A profile whose newest photo is three years old signals a business that may not still be there.

Reviews are part of the profile, not separate from it

Your review count, your star rating, and — crucially — your replies all show right on the profile. A steady flow of genuine reviews and thoughtful responses is one of the strongest signals you can send to both Google and a hesitant customer.

Ask happy customers at the right moment, make it effortless with your direct review link, and reply to everything. Never gate reviews or pay for them — both breach Google's policies and Australian Consumer Law.

Keep it active

An optimised profile isn't a set-and-forget task. Post updates, answer the Q&A section before customers answer it for you, keep hours accurate, and respond to new reviews promptly. Activity tells Google the business is alive and well-run.