You can tune up your Google Business Profile in about ten minutes by checking five things: your hours, your main category, your photos, your phone number and how you answer reviews. Do it from your phone, and you will fix the mistakes most likely to cost you calls. Time: about 10 minutes. Skill: easy.
Google changes its screens from time to time, so use its own help pages if a button has moved. The checklist below stays the same.
Are your hours right?
Start here. Wrong hours are the fastest way to lose a customer.
- Check regular hours for each day.
- Add special hours for holidays and for days you will be closed.
- If you shorten hours in the summer heat, change them for the season.
- If you are appointment-only or on call, say so in your description.
Arizona does not change its clocks, which confuses some people who deal with out-of-state customers. If you work with customers elsewhere, say "Arizona time" in your description.
Is your main category correct?
Pick the category that matches your main job, then add the extras that are true. A company that mostly repairs air conditioners should not lead with a general "contractor" label. The more closely your category matches what people type, the more likely you are to show up for it.
Do you have real photos?
Add photos of your storefront, your truck, your team, and finished work. Take them in morning or late-day light, because Arizona midday sun is harsh. Replace old photos if your sign, location or look changed. Skip anything with a customer’s face or address in it unless they agreed.
Do you answer your reviews?
Reply to each review, short and plain.
- Thank the person by first name if you know it.
- Mention one specific thing, like the job or the dish.
- Keep it short.
- For a bad review, do not argue. Say you are sorry it went that way, and offer to talk by phone. Never share private details about the customer.
Future customers read how you respond, not only what the reviewer said. If you want more reviews, you have to ask. A simple text after a job, with a link, works better than hoping. Jetsy can send review requests automatically, if you want that handled for you.
Do your name and phone match everywhere?
Your business name, phone number and city should read the same on Google, on your website, on social media, and on listings like AZ Business Directory. If one place has your old number, customers dial the wrong one, and search engines get confused about which is right.
Check your own listing on the directory. If it is not there, add your business free. If it is there and something is out of date, tell us and we fix it.
What should you do every few months?
Set a reminder each season. Check hours, replace one photo, and answer any new reviews. This takes five minutes and keeps your profile current for the monsoon, the snowbird season and the summer slowdown.
Questions people ask
How often should I update my Google Business Profile?
Check it at least once a season, and any time your hours, phone number or address change. Add a few new photos from recent jobs now and then.
Should I reply to every review?
Yes, if you can. A short thank-you for good reviews and a calm, polite reply to bad ones shows future customers how you treat people.
Do I need a website for my business profile?
A website helps, but it is not the only thing. Start with correct hours, a phone you answer and real photos. If you do not have a website yet, your listing on AZ Business Directory can hold your hours, photos and words.
Own a business in Arizona? Your basic listing on the directory is free — add it in two minutes, or find who to call for the job in front of you.