Maps and Local
Getting Your Google Business Profile Right for Local Search
Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing local customers see. We set it up correctly, keep it accurate and active, and build a review process that respects Google's policies, so your listing gives people a clear reason to call, visit or click.
- Categories, services and details set correctly
- Review strategy within Google's policies
- Monitored for unwanted edits and spam
01 Overview
Why your listing deserves proper attention
For many local searches your Business Profile appears before your website does, so the accuracy, completeness and activity of that listing can shape whether people get in touch.
When someone searches for a plumber, dentist or restaurant nearby, Google often shows a map with a small group of local listings above the standard results. Those listings come from Google Business Profiles. Google says local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. You cannot change how far a searcher is from you, but you can make your profile as relevant and complete as possible, and build the reviews and reputation that contribute to prominence. That is where our work focuses.
Small details carry real weight. Your primary category is a particularly important choice, and many businesses pick one that is too broad or not quite right. Services, products, the business description, opening hours, attributes and photos all help Google and customers understand what you offer. We also check that your name, address and phone number match your website and key directories, because inconsistent details can confuse searchers and search engines alike.
Profile work is most effective as part of wider local SEO, supported by strong location pages and local links. It also needs ongoing care. Members of the public can suggest edits, competitors can create spam listings, and profiles can be suspended if details conflict with Google's guidelines, so we keep watch. Reviews are handled within Google's policies: every customer is asked, never selectively, and never with incentives. No one can guarantee a place in the map pack, but a well-managed profile gives you a fairer chance of competing for it.
02 Benefits
What a well-managed profile can do for you
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01
Accurate first impressions
Correct hours, contact details, services and photos mean customers see reliable information at the moment they are deciding, reducing wasted calls and frustrating visits to a closed door.
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02
Better relevance for local searches
The right primary and secondary categories, a clear description and detailed services help Google match your listing to the searches you actually want to appear for.
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03
A steady flow of genuine reviews
A simple, consistent process for asking every customer to leave a review builds recent, authentic feedback over time, which supports both prominence and the confidence of people comparing options.
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04
Professional review responses
Thoughtful replies to positive and negative reviews show prospective customers how you treat people. We help you respond calmly and specifically, including to the difficult reviews that need a measured answer.
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05
Protection from unwanted changes
Regular monitoring catches suggested edits, incorrect information and spam listings early, so problems are corrected before they confuse customers or put your profile at risk of suspension.
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06
Insight into how customers find you
Performance data shows the searches that triggered your profile, along with calls, direction requests and website clicks. We explain what the trends mean and what is worth changing as a result.
03 What is included
Everything we check, fix and maintain
We start with a full review of your current listing, correct what is wrong, then keep it accurate and active.
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Profile audit and verification check
A review of every field on your profile, plus checks for duplicate listings, verification problems, ownership access and anything that conflicts with Google's guidelines.
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Categories, services and products
Selection of the most accurate primary and secondary categories, with services and products added in detail so your listing reflects the full range of what you offer.
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Business description and attributes
A clear, honest description written for customers rather than stuffed with keywords, plus relevant attributes such as accessibility details and the service options you provide.
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Service-area or storefront setup
Correct configuration depending on whether customers visit you, you visit them, or both. Businesses that do not serve customers at their address should hide it, in line with Google's guidelines.
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Photos and Google posts
Guidance on genuine photos of your premises, team, vehicles and completed work, plus regular posts covering offers, updates, events and seasonal services.
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Review strategy and response support
A compliant process for asking every customer for a review, with guidance and example wording for replies. No review gating, no incentives and no fake or staff reviews.
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NAP consistency and citations
Checks that your business name, address and phone number match across your website, key directories and data sources, with corrections made where they do not.
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Monitoring and performance reporting
Regular checks for edits, spam competitors and policy issues, alongside a summary of profile performance data and what it suggests about how customers find you.
04 Process
Five steps to a well-managed profile
Every engagement starts with understanding your goals and the current state of your search presence. No templated packages.
Start with a free audit-
01
Review access and ownership
We confirm who owns and manages the profile, check verification status and look for duplicates. Problems often start with lost logins or old agency accounts, so access is sorted first.
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02
Audit against your website and competitors
We compare your profile with your website and with the listings that appear alongside yours, noting differences in categories, services, photos, review activity and overall completeness.
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03
Correct and complete the profile
Categories, services, description, hours, attributes and photos are updated carefully. Some edits can trigger re-verification, so changes are planned to avoid unnecessary disruption to your listing.
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04
Set up reviews and posting
We put a simple, policy-compliant review request process in place for your team, plus a posting plan and reply guidance, so the profile stays active without becoming a burden.
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05
Monitor and report
Each month we check for unwanted edits, spam listings and policy issues, review performance data and recommend adjustments based on the searches and actions your profile is generating.
05 Who it is for
Common profile problems we help with
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Scenario 01
A tradesperson working from home
You cover Blackpool, Poulton and Thornton-Cleveleys from a home address you do not want displayed. We set up a service-area profile with the address hidden and service areas configured, in line with Google's rules.
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Scenario 02
A seafront business with seasonal hours
A café or attraction on the Promenade changes its hours around the summer season and the Illuminations. Keeping special hours and posts up to date avoids disappointed visitors and negative reviews about turning up to find you closed.
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Scenario 03
A suspended or duplicate listing
Your profile has been suspended, or customers keep finding an old duplicate with the wrong number. We work out the likely cause, correct what needs fixing and guide you through Google's reinstatement or removal process.
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Scenario 04
Few reviews compared with competitors
Nearby competitors have far more recent reviews, and your listing looks quiet by comparison. A consistent, compliant process for asking every customer, built into your normal workflow, helps you gather genuine feedback over time.
FAQ
Google Business Profile questions, answered
Still have a question? Call +44 20 8686 4577 or send us a message.
No one can honestly guarantee that. Local rankings depend on relevance, distance and prominence, and distance is outside anyone's control because it changes with each searcher's location. What we can do is make your profile as complete, accurate and well supported as possible, which gives you a stronger chance of appearing for relevant searches.
No. Google's policies prohibit offering incentives for reviews, and they also prohibit review gating, which means only asking customers you expect to be happy. You can and should ask every customer for honest feedback. We help you build a request process that is simple for customers, consistent for your team and within the rules.
It depends on how you serve customers. If people visit your premises, such as a shop, salon or office, show the address. If you travel to customers and do not serve them at your address, Google's guidelines say it should be hidden and service areas set instead. Hybrid businesses can show both, provided the address is staffed during the stated hours.
Suspensions often follow details that conflict with Google's guidelines, such as adding keywords to the business name, using a virtual office or showing an address where customers are not served. Sometimes they happen without an obvious reason. We review the profile against the guidelines, fix any issues and help you submit a clear reinstatement request with supporting evidence.
Google has been changing how customer questions are handled on Business Profiles, and the options available can vary. Where questions can be asked publicly, we monitor them so inaccurate answers from the public do not go unchallenged. We also make sure common questions are clearly answered on your website and in your profile details, which helps whatever the feature looks like.
Business Profile performance data, previously called Insights, shows the searches your profile appeared for, how many people viewed it and actions such as calls, direction requests and website clicks. The figures are useful for spotting trends, though they are not a complete picture of customer behaviour. We interpret them alongside your website analytics and enquiry records.
Keep exploring
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Get your Business Profile in better shape
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- Emailhello@telsamedia.com
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