How to Set Up Your Google Business Profile as a Tradesperson (Step-by-Step)

For most tradespeople, the Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single most valuable thing on the internet. It's free, it's owned by you, and it's what puts you in the Google Map Pack — those three businesses with the map pins that appear at the very top of local searches like 'plumber Bath' or 'roofer near me'.

Most clicks on local searches go to those three Map Pack results. If you're not in there, you're invisible to a huge chunk of people who would have hired you. Setting up your GBP correctly — and keeping it active — is the fastest way to start getting enquiries from Google without spending money on ads.

Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. Search for your business name. If it already exists (sometimes Google auto-generates listings from other directories), click 'Claim this business'. If it doesn't exist yet, click 'Add your business to Google'.

Use your real business name — no keyword stuffing like 'Bath Plumber — Fast Response'. Google can suspend listings for that. Your actual trading name is what goes here.

This is one of the most important decisions in the whole setup. Your primary category tells Google what type of business you are and directly affects which searches you show up for. Be specific: 'Plumber' is better than 'Contractor'. 'Electrician' is better than 'Home Services'.

You can add secondary categories too — for example, a plumber might also add 'Heating Contractor' or 'Bathroom Remodeler'. Add every category that genuinely applies to your work. Don't add categories just because they sound related; they need to reflect real services you offer.

If you go to customers (which most tradespeople do), you'll set your listing as a 'service area business'. This means you don't show a physical address on Maps — instead, you list the areas you cover. You can add towns, postcodes, or whole regions.

Be realistic here. If you're based in Keynsham and regularly work in Bath, Saltford, Radstock, and Midsomer Norton, add those. Don't claim you cover Bristol and London if you don't. Google cross-references your claimed area against where your reviews come from and where you actually are — artificially wide service areas can hurt your ranking.

Google needs to confirm you're a real business. The most common method is a postcard sent to your address with a verification code — this usually takes 5–14 days. Some accounts can verify by phone, email, or video call instead. Complete verification before you do anything else: an unverified listing won't show on Google.

Once verified, you can start filling in the rest of your profile. Don't skip this and assume the listing is live — an unverified GBP is invisible.

You get 750 characters. Use the first few sentences for the most important information: what you do, where you work, and what makes you worth calling. Mention your main services and the towns or areas you cover. Don't keyword-stuff it — write it like a human introduction.

For example: 'Bath Plumbing Co provides domestic plumbing, heating installation, and emergency call-outs across Bath, Keynsham, and North East Somerset. With 15 years of experience and a 5-star average on Google, we're trusted by homeowners and landlords across BA1–BA3.' That's clear, local, and credible.

GBP lets you list individual services — use it. Add every service you offer: boiler installation, bathroom fitting, leak repair, emergency call-out, whatever applies. Include a brief description for each one and a price range if you're comfortable doing so.

Google uses this information to match your listing with relevant searches. A plumber who has listed 'boiler service' as a service is more likely to appear when someone searches 'boiler service Bath' than one whose profile just says 'Plumber'. It takes 20 minutes and makes a measurable difference.

Listings with photos get significantly more clicks than those without. Add at least 10 photos when you launch: your van (with signage), a few examples of finished work, a photo of yourself if you're comfortable, and your tools or workspace. Real photos, taken on your phone, outperform stock images.

After that, add new photos regularly — once a fortnight is ideal. Google treats active profiles as more credible than dormant ones. Every new photo is a small signal that your business is trading, current, and worth showing.

Reviews are the single biggest factor in whether you appear in the Map Pack — and which position you land in. Ask every happy customer for a Google review, ideally the same day you finish the job. The easiest way: get your Google review link (in GBP dashboard under 'Share review form'), save it as a note on your phone, and send it in a WhatsApp message when the job is done.

A short, natural ask works better than a formal email. 'Really glad you're happy with it — if you've got two minutes, a Google review would mean a lot' is all you need. Respond to every review — thank people for good ones, address any concerns in negative ones. Google notices.