How to Set Up and Optimise Your Google Business Profile (Step-by-Step)

Why Your Google Business Profile Matters More Than Your Website

Here's a stat that might surprise you: for local searches like "electrician near me" or "café Braddon", your Google Business Profile appears before any website result. It's the first thing potential customers see.

Yet most Canberra businesses either haven't claimed their profile or have it set up poorly. Let's fix that.

Step 1: Claim Your Profile

If you haven't already:

1. Go to business.google.com
2. Search for your business name
3. If it exists, click "Claim this business"
4. If not, click "Add your business"
5. Follow the verification process (usually a postcard or phone call)

Important: If your business shows up but you didn't create it, someone (possibly Google) auto-generated it from web data. Claim it before a competitor does.

Step 2: Complete Every Single Field

Google rewards complete profiles with better visibility. Fill in absolutely everything:

• Business name (use your real business name, no keyword stuffing)
• Category (choose the most specific primary category available)
• Address (if you serve customers at your location)
• Service area (if you go to customers)
• Phone number
• Website URL
• Hours of operation

• Business description (750 characters, use naturally)
• Services with descriptions and pricing
• Products section
• Attributes (wheelchair accessible, free Wi-Fi, etc.)
• Opening date

Step 3: Add High-Quality Photos

Businesses with photos receive 42% more direction requests and 35% more website clicks than those without.

• Your storefront or office exterior (helps people find you)
• Interior shots showing the space
• Team photos (builds trust)
• Photos of your work, products, or food
• Your logo as the profile picture

• Use well-lit, professional-looking photos
• Minimum 720px wide
• Add new photos regularly (monthly is ideal)
• Geotag photos with your business location

Step 4: Get Reviews (And Respond to Them)

Reviews are the single biggest factor in local search ranking after your profile completeness.

• Simply ask happy customers. Most will if you make it easy
• Send a direct link via email or text after service
• Add a "Review us on Google" link to your email signature
• Create a QR code for your counter or invoice

• Respond to EVERY review (positive and negative)
• Thank positive reviewers by name
• Address negative reviews professionally and offer to resolve
• Respond within 24-48 hours

• Don't offer incentives for reviews (against Google's rules)
• Don't buy fake reviews (Google detects these)
• Don't ignore negative reviews (it looks worse than the review itself)

Step 5: Post Regular Updates

Google Business Profile has a "Posts" feature that most businesses ignore. Posts show up in your listing and signal to Google that your business is active.

• What's new (business updates, new services)
• Offers (promotions, discounts)
• Events (workshops, open days)
• Tips related to your industry

Posting frequency: Aim for once a week. Posts expire after 7 days for most types, so regular posting keeps your profile fresh.

Step 6: Use the Q&A Section

People can ask questions on your profile. If you don't answer them, random people will.

• Ask and answer your own common questions
• "Do you offer free quotes?" → "Yes, we offer free no-obligation quotes..."
• "What areas do you service?" → "We serve all of Canberra and Queanbeyan..."
• Monitor for new questions weekly

Step 7: Track Your Results

Check your profile's Performance section monthly:

• Search queries: What people searched to find you
• Profile views: How many people saw your listing
• Actions: Calls, website visits, direction requests
• Photo views: Are your photos being seen?

Track these numbers monthly. If they're going up, your optimisation is working.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Keyword stuffing your business name - Google penalises this
2. Wrong category - Be specific. "Restaurant" is better than "Food"
3. Inconsistent information - Your name, address, phone must match everywhere online
4. Ignoring reviews - Both good and bad need responses
5. Stale profile - No updates signals an inactive business

The Bottom Line

A well-optimised Google Business Profile is genuinely free marketing. It takes about 2 hours to set up properly and 15 minutes a week to maintain. For local businesses in Canberra, there's no higher-ROI marketing activity.

If you need help setting up or optimising your profile, reach out to us. We'll do a free audit and show you what's missing.