When someone searches “plumber near me” or “electrician Parramatta”, the map and the list of local businesses under it usually come before the ordinary results. Those listings come from Google Business Profile. It’s free, it’s where a lot of local work starts, and most of it you only have to set up once.
Here’s how to set it up properly as a tradie or service business, and what to keep doing afterwards.
Claim or create your profile
Search for your business name on Google. If a profile already shows, look for the option to claim or manage it. If there isn’t one, go to Google Business Profile and create it.
Google will ask you to verify that you run the business. The method varies: often it’s a short video showing your business, vehicle or tools, and sometimes it’s a phone call, text or email. Until you’re verified, your profile may not show and you can’t change much.
Set yourself up as a service-area business
Most tradies go to the customer, rather than customers coming to a shop. Google calls this a service-area business. When you set up:
- Hide your address if you work from home and don’t have customers visit. Google still needs it to verify you, but won’t show it.
- Add your service areas by suburb, city or region. Keep them to places you actually work. Google lets you list up to 20.
Choose your categories carefully
Your primary category is one of the strongest signals Google uses to decide which searches you show up for. Pick the one that matches your main work, like “Plumber” or “Electrician”, rather than something broad.
Then add additional categories for other work you genuinely do, such as “Gas installation service” or “Air conditioning contractor”. Don’t add categories for work you don’t want.
Fill in everything else
- Business name: your real name, as it appears on your van and invoices. Adding suburbs or keywords to the name is against Google’s guidelines and can get your profile suspended.
- Phone number: the number you actually answer, or the one that diverts to whoever does.
- Website: link to your homepage, or a page for your main service area.
- Hours: your normal hours, plus special hours for public holidays and your Christmas break.
- Services: list each service, with a short description. Use the words customers use: “blocked drains”, not “drainage solutions”.
- Description: a few plain sentences on what you do, where, and anything that sets you apart, like your licence, years in business or same-day service.
Add real photos
Add photos of your work, your vehicle and your team, and keep adding them as you finish jobs. Before-and-after photos work well for most trades. Use your own photos rather than stock images: customers can tell, and they’re looking for proof you’re real.
Get reviews, and reply to them
Reviews are what most people read before they choose. The simplest way to get them is to ask, right after a job goes well. Your profile has a short link for leaving a review, so you can text it to the customer before you drive off.
Save your review link as a text you can resend, so asking takes ten seconds before you drive off.
Reply to every review, good and bad. A short thank-you is enough for good ones. For a bad one, stay calm, don’t argue, and offer to sort it out.
Future customers read your reply as closely as the review.
Don’t pay for reviews or offer discounts in exchange for them. It’s against Google’s rules, and fake reviews can attract penalties under Australian consumer law.
Keep it up to date
A few minutes a month keeps your profile working for you:
- update holiday hours before every public holiday
- add photos from recent jobs
- reply to new reviews
- check that Google hasn’t changed any of your details; anyone can suggest edits to a profile
Make sure your website backs it up
Google compares your profile with your website. Use the same business name, phone number and service areas on both, and make sure your website has a page for each main service and lists the suburbs you cover. Our checklist for tradie websites covers what else to include.
Many people check your website before they get in touch, often at night. If you’d like those visitors answered while you’re off the clock, Ernie answers from your website and texts you the job details. You can try it on your website for free.