Google Business Profile: the free listing that matters more than your website

Google Business Profile is the free listing that puts your business on Google Maps and in those local search results. It shows your name, phone, hours, photos, reviews and service area.

It used to be called Google My Business. Same thing, new name. You manage it from a free Google account.

When someone searches for a local trade on their phone, Google knows they want to call someone nearby right now. So it shows the map first, above the regular website results.

Those map results have a call button and directions built in. The customer doesn't even need to visit a website. They tap, they ring, you answer.

This is why a tradie with no website but a well-kept profile can still get steady work, while a flashy website with no profile sits invisible.

Go to google.com/business and sign in with a Google account. Search for your business in case a listing already exists. If it does, claim it. If not, create one.

Google will verify you actually run the business, usually by phone, text, email or sometimes a postcard. This step matters because it stops other people controlling your listing.

Verification can take a few days. Be patient and follow the prompts exactly.

Use your real, consistent business name, the exact same phone number you use everywhere else, and accurate hours. Pick the most specific category that fits, like "Plumber" rather than "Contractor".

Add your service areas, the suburbs you actually cover. Write a plain description of what you do. Then add real photos: your ute, your team, finished jobs. Photos make a big difference to whether people trust you.

Turn on messaging only if you'll actually check it. A missed message is worse than no messaging at all.

Reviews drive how high you appear and whether people call. The simplest system that works: finish a good job, then send the customer a direct link to leave a review.

Reply to every review, good or bad. A calm, polite reply to a complaint reassures the next person reading far more than the complaint hurts you.

Never buy fake reviews. Google detects them and it can get your listing suspended, which is a disaster you can't easily undo.

The profile gets you found and gets the quick calls. The website is where people go when they want more: to check you're legit, see your work, read your services, or fill in a form after hours.

The two reinforce each other. Your profile links to your site, and a tidy site makes your profile more convincing. Start with the profile because it's free, then add the site when you're ready to look the part.