GUIDE · PUBLISHED 2026-09-16

HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE.

How do you optimize a Google Business Profile? Verify it, fill in every section with complete and accurate details, add real photos and videos, and reply to your reviews. Those are the steps Google's own help page lists for improving local ranking,1 and this Conqueror Capital guide turns them into a checklist you can work through in order.

Below: the checklist first, then the right categories, services, photos, videos and posts, following what Google's own help pages say today, including a feature Google has retired.

Last updated:

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THE CHECKLIST

12 steps, in order

  1. Is your profile verified?

    Google says verifying tells it you're authorized to represent the business, so the profile is more likely to show up in search results.1 Not verified yet? Start with Business Profile setup.

  2. Is there only one profile for your business?

    Google's guidelines say there should be only one profile per business; duplicates can cause problems with how your information shows on Maps and Search.2

  3. Does the name match your signage?

    Use your real-world name, as it appears on your storefront, website and stationery, with no added keywords.2 The table below lists what Google rejects.

  4. Is your primary category the most specific fit?

    Google asks for the fewest categories it takes to describe your core business.2 Pick the exact trade, then add extras only for things you really are.3

  5. Are your address or service area, hours and phone right?

    Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local results.1 Set special hours for holidays and short closures so your regular hours stay correct.9 Service-area business? List only the towns you actually serve: see service-area pages.

  6. Have you added your services and attributes?

    List each real service if your category supports it.4 Attributes, such as accessibility features or payment options, show on Search and Maps, and Google says adding certain attributes can help you show up in searches for places with those features.10

  7. Does the description say what you do, for whom, and where?

    Plain words, no links, and no focus on promotions or prices.2

  8. Do your photos and videos show your real work?

    Real jobs, team, storefront and vehicles, in focus and not heavily filtered.6 File sizes and formats are in the table below.

  9. Are you posting real updates, offers and events?

    Posts older than 6 months are archived unless they have a date range, so keep something current.7 More in posts and photos.

  10. Are you asking for reviews and replying to them?

    Google says replying shows customers you value their feedback, and that helpful replies can help your business stand out.1 Replies are checked against Google's content policies before they post.11 See how to get more Google reviews.

  11. Does your website back up the profile?

    Google counts how many websites link to your business as part of prominence.1 Show the same name, address and phone on your site as on the profile, and link the two. No site yet? See our website plan.

  12. Still not showing on Google Maps?

    Work through why your business is not showing on Google Maps, or let us handle the profile as part of local SEO.

WHAT CHANGED RECENTLY

from our blog

This guide covers what stays true. The blog tracks the changes as they land.

WHAT GOOGLE RANKS ON

relevance, distance, prominence

Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence.1 Relevance is how well a profile matches what someone searched for; distance is how far the business is from the searcher; prominence is how well-known the business is, including links to its website and its review count and ratings.1 Google also says there's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.1

You can't move your location closer to searchers, so optimizing is about relevance (complete, accurate details) and prominence (real reviews and a strong website). This guide assumes you already have an eligible, verified profile. If not, start with Business Profile setup.

THE OPTIMIZATION TABLE

per Google's help pages
SectionWhat Google saysWhat to do
Business nameShould be your real-world name, with no keywords, taglines, hours, phone numbers or location details [2]Match your signage exactly. Keyword-stuffed names break the guidelines
Primary categoryPick the one that best describes the business, and a specific one from the list [3]Choose the most specific fit, for example the exact trade rather than a general one
Additional categoriesDon't add a category for every product or service; use a few [3]Add only categories for things you really are, like a bakery inside a grocery store [3]
ServicesAvailable for certain categories; custom services with prices or phone numbers in the name are rejected [4]List each real service, with a plain description
DescriptionNo links, and no focus on promotions, prices or sales [2]Say what you do, who for and where, in plain words
Service areaUp to 20 areas, by city or postal code, within about 2 hours' drive of your base [5]List the towns you actually serve. See service-area pages
PhotosJPG or PNG, 10 KB to 5 MB, 720 × 720 px recommended, in focus and without heavy filters [6]Real photos of your work, team, storefront and vehicles
VideosUp to 30 seconds, up to 75 MB, 720p or higher [6]Short clips of real jobs or the space
PostsUpdates, offers and events; posts older than 6 months are archived unless a date range is set [7]Post real news and offers; schedule or repeat them

Google changes these pages often. Check each linked help page before making big edits.

POSTS AND PHOTOS

the ongoing work
  • Pick the right post type. Updates can include a description, photo, video and button; offers need a title and dates and can include a coupon code and terms; events need a title and start and end times.7
  • Leave phone numbers out of posts. Google says posts containing phone numbers might get rejected.7
  • Use scheduling. Google lets you schedule a post or set it to repeat, and publish to one or several profiles.7
  • Show reality. Google asks for photos that are in focus, well lit and not heavily altered.6 Stock photos of someone else's work mislead customers.

RETIRED: Q&A

don't chase old advice

Many older checklists tell you to seed the Questions and Answers section. Google discontinued the My Business Q&A API on November 3, 2025, saying it was updating the Q&A functionality and user experience.8 If you relied on Q&A, put those answers on your website and in your services and description instead, and check your profile for what Google shows today.

FAQ

common questions

Will adding keywords to my business name help?

It breaks Google's guidelines, which say names shouldn't include keywords.2 It can also lead to a suspension.

How often should I post?

Google doesn't set a number. It does archive posts older than 6 months unless they have a date range,7 so post whenever you have real news, and keep at least something current.

Do reviews matter for ranking?

Google lists review count and ratings as part of prominence.1 Earn them honestly. See how to get more Google reviews.

Can you manage my profile?

Yes, if your business is eligible. It's part of our local SEO work, with the profile kept in your name.

Prefer a short checklist? Read Google Business Profile checklist: 20 minutes to a complete profile on our free small business guides site.

SOURCES

checked 2026-10-13
  1. Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google.
  2. Google Business Profile Help, Guidelines for representing your business on Google.
  3. Google Business Profile Help, Manage your business category.
  4. Google Business Profile Help, Manage your services on your Business Profile.
  5. Google Business Profile Help, Manage your service areas for service-area and hybrid businesses.
  6. Google Business Profile Help, Manage your Business Profile photos and videos.
  7. Google Business Profile Help, Create and manage posts on your Business Profile.
  8. Google for Developers, Q&A API change log.
  9. Google Business Profile Help, How to set special hours.
  10. Google Business Profile Help, Manage your business attributes.
  11. Google Business Profile Help, Manage customer reviews.

KEEP READING

related pages
Business Profile setupEligibility to verification Get more Google reviewsAsk lawfully, reply, flag Local SEO checklistWhat to check, and how Not showing on Google Maps?8 causes to check Local SEOGet found nearby

Websites and local SEO by trade: plumbers · electricians · roofers · HVAC · handymen · landscapers · general contractors · all industries

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GUIDE · PUBLISHED 2026-10-13

HOW MUCH DOES A WEBSITE COST FOR A CONTRACTOR?

How much does a contractor website cost? It depends on who builds it and who keeps it running: a do-it-yourself builder costs a monthly subscription plus your own time, while a freelancer or agency usually charges a one-time build fee and then extra for hosting and changes. At Conqueror Capital, a contractor website is $297 a month in the US, with two sites (your main website plus a Resource Hub of local guides), hosting and updates included, and no contract.

Below: the four ways contractors usually get a site, side by side, then the costs people forget and what a trade website needs to do. For the general small-business version, see how much a website costs.

Last updated:

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YOUR FOUR OPTIONS

DIY vs freelancer vs agency vs plan
OptionHow you payWho does the workWatch for, as a contractor
Do-it-yourself builderMonthly subscription. Squarespace, for example, lists its Basic plan at $25 a month billed monthly, or $19 a month billed annually1YouEvenings spent building instead of quoting jobs, and whether the site ever names your trade and towns
FreelancerUsually a one-time build feeOne personWho hosts and fixes it after launch, and what a new service page costs
AgencyA larger one-time project, often plus a monthly retainerA teamContract length, and who owns the domain and the content
Conqueror Capital plan$297 a month in the US, no contractWe build and run itIt is a monthly plan, not a one-time purchase

We do not quote other agencies' or freelancers' prices: they vary too much to state honestly. Builder prices change often; check the provider's own page. Pricing for Canadian businesses is different from the US price; ask us on a call and we will tell you what applies.

COSTS PEOPLE FORGET

ask every provider
  • Domain renewal every year, and whose name it is registered in.
  • Hosting and security updates, and who fixes the site if it goes down.
  • Changes: a new service, a new town, new job photos. Ask what each one costs.
  • Your time. On a builder, every hour spent on the site is an hour not on a job.
  • Email on your domain, often billed separately.

WHAT A CONTRACTOR SITE NEEDS

so it earns its cost

  1. One page per service you sell

    Roofing repair and roof replacement are different searches. Give each real service its own page in plain words.

  2. The towns you serve, in text

    List the cities and areas you really cover, as text a search engine can read, not only inside a map image.

  3. Your phone number, tap-to-call

    Most people looking for a trade are on a phone. Put the number at the top of every page.

  4. The same name, address and phone as your Google profile

    Google asks that your business name match how it is used on your storefront, website and stationery.2 Keep the details identical everywhere.

  5. A link to and from your Google Business Profile

    Google says prominence is based partly on how many websites link to your business.3 Your own site is the first of those links.

  6. Real job photos

    Your crews, trucks and finished work. Stock photos of someone else's roof do not build trust.

The full list, with speed, HTTPS and schema, is in our small business website checklist.

FAQ

how people ask it

How much does a website cost for a contractor?

It depends on who builds it and who keeps it running. A builder costs a monthly subscription plus your time; a freelancer or agency usually charges a one-time fee plus hosting and changes. At Conqueror Capital it is $297 a month in the US, with hosting and updates included and no contract.

Is a DIY website builder enough for a contractor?

It can be, if you have the time to write a page per service, list your towns, add real photos and keep it updated. The subscription is the small part of the cost; your hours are the big part.

What does the Conqueror Capital plan include?

Two sites: your main website and a Resource Hub of local guides that links back to it, plus hosting and updates, with no contract.

How much does it cost in Canada?

Pricing for Canadian businesses is different from the US price; ask us on a call and we will tell you what applies.

Will a new website get me more calls?

No one can honestly promise that. Google says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. A clear site with your services, towns and phone number makes it easier for the people who do find you to call.

SOURCES

checked 2026-10-13
  1. Squarespace, Pricing (checked 2026-10-13).
  2. Google Business Profile Help, Guidelines for representing your business on Google.
  3. Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google.

KEEP READING

related pages
Website costSmall business pricing, plainly Website vs Business ProfileWhat a local business needs Website checklistSpeed, HTTPS, schema, accessibility General contractorsWebsites and local SEO 48-hour websitesHow our builds work

BOOK A STRATEGY CALL

15 minutes · no obligation

Want a straight quote for your trade? We will look at what you have now and tell you what it would take, on a 15-minute call.

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