Guide · For tradesmen

The tradesman's guide to Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is the single most valuable free marketing channel most tradesmen have — it's what gets you into the local map pack where the calls come from. This guide covers how to set it up, optimise it, and the mistakes that keep trades invisible.

By Elliot · Last updated 19 June 2026 · 7 min read

Why it matters

The map pack is where local work comes from

When someone searches “electrician near me” or “roofer in Poole”, Google shows a little map with three businesses above the normal results. That's the “map pack”, and it captures the majority of the clicks and calls for local trade searches. Getting into it is the highest-value thing most tradesmen can do online — and your Google Business Profile is how you get there.

The best part: it's free, and most of your competitors do it badly. A complete, active, well-reviewed profile beats a half-finished one almost every time. Pair it with a fast website — see our local SEO guide and trades lead generation guide — and you have a local lead engine you own outright.

The setup

Six steps to a profile that ranks

Work through these in order. Each one is free and most take minutes.

Claim and verify it

Search your business name on Google; if a profile exists, claim it, otherwise create one. Verify by video or postcard. An unclaimed profile is the most common reason a trade is invisible in local search.

Get the categories right

Your primary category carries the most weight, so be specific (“Electrician”, not “Contractor”). Add relevant secondary categories for the other work you do. Categories are one of the strongest ranking factors in the map pack.

List your services and areas

Add every service you offer and the towns you cover. This is free real estate that tells Google exactly which searches to show you for across your patch.

Add real photos regularly

Profiles with recent, genuine photos of your work and team get more clicks and calls. Add a few every month — it signals an active, real business to both Google and customers.

Build a steady flow of reviews

Reviews drive ranking and conversion. Ask every happy customer with a one-tap review link, and reply to each one. A regular trickle beats a one-off burst.

Use Posts and Q&A

Post recent jobs, offers and updates, and seed and answer common questions. Both keep the profile active and give customers more reasons to choose you.

Red flags

The mistakes that keep trades invisible

Six common errors — and why each one costs you work.

Leaving it unclaimed

If you've never claimed your profile, you're invisible in the map pack and have no control over what customers see. It's free and it's the single biggest quick win for most trades.

A vague primary category

Choosing “Contractor” instead of “Plumber” or “Roofer” tells Google to show you for the wrong searches. Be as specific as your trade allows.

Inconsistent name, address and phone

If your details differ between your profile, your website and directories, it weakens your local ranking. Keep your name, address and phone identical everywhere (NAP consistency).

Never asking for reviews

Happy customers will leave a review if you ask and almost none will if you don't. No system for asking is why many good trades look average online.

Ignoring it after setup

A profile set up once and forgotten slips down the rankings. Photos, posts and fresh reviews are signals of an active business — keep them coming.

Keyword-stuffing the business name

Adding “Best Cheap Emergency Plumber Poole” to your business name breaks Google's guidelines and risks suspension. Use your real trading name; rank through categories, services and reviews instead.

FAQ

Common questions

Is Google Business Profile free?

Yes, completely. Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is free to set up and manage, and it's the single most valuable free marketing channel most tradesmen have. It's what gets you into the local “map pack” — the three businesses shown with a map for local searches — which drives the lion's share of local calls.

How do I rank higher in the Google map pack?

Google ranks the map pack on relevance, distance and prominence. In practice that means: a specific primary category, complete services and service-area info, consistent name/address/phone everywhere, a steady flow of recent reviews you reply to, regular photos and posts, and a fast, relevant website linked to the profile. There's no instant fix, but these compound over weeks and months.

How many reviews do I need?

There's no magic number — what matters is having more recent, genuine reviews than your local competitors, and replying to them. A steady trickle (a few a month) signals an active, trusted business far better than a one-off burst, and it keeps you visibly ahead of competitors who ask sporadically or not at all.

Do I still need a website if I have a Google Business Profile?

Yes. They work together: your profile gets you into the map pack, and your website is where customers check you out and convert on your terms. A profile linked to a fast, relevant website ranks better than one linked to a weak site or none at all — and the website is the one channel you fully own.

Can you set up and manage my profile for me?

Yes. Google Business Profile optimisation is part of our local SEO work — we set up or fix the profile, get the categories and services right, sort review strategy and citations, and keep it active. It runs alongside the website so the two reinforce each other.

References