The Google Business
Profile Audit

The easy one! Make sure it’s spelled exactly the way it appears everywhere else online. Same on your website, same on your socials, same here.

Be as specific as possible when you choose your category. “Commercial photographer” instead of just “photographer.” “Website designer” instead of just “designer.” The more specific your primary category, the better Google can match you to the right local searches.

You can also add a few secondary categories, but lead with the one that most closely describes the bread-and-butter of your business.

If you have a business address, add it. If you don’t, add your service area instead.

I do NOT recommend listing “worldwide,” even if you offer 100% digital services. The whole point of your Google Business Profile is to be found by LOCAL clients. If you list everywhere, you’ll actually be found by no one. Pick the cities or regions you're close to.

If you have a physical space, upload clean, well-lit photos of it. Ideally these are professional brand photos. If you don’t have those yet, use your phone in natural light until you can invest in pro photography.

If you don’t have a location and you offer a service, use brand photos of yourself, portfolio work, and behind-the-scenes shots that show how you actually work.

This should clearly state what you do, who you help, and how people can work with you.

A total stranger should be able to read your description and know exactly who you work with.

Another easy one — but double-check that the link actually goes to the right page, and that the page loads. A broken or outdated link is a huge trust killer.

Bonus points: link to the page that’s most useful for someone discovering you for the first time (often your homepage or a services page — rarely your contact form).

This one matters a lot. You want a steady stream of reviews from past clients — and you want them to be DETAILED, not just “she was great!”

The easiest way to make this happen: build a review request directly into your client experience. Send the ask at the moment they’re most likely to rave about you (right after delivery), and give them a prompt or two to make it easy. Something like “Tell us about the project and what stood out” works way better than a generic “please leave a review.”

Link your active social accounts. If a profile is dormant or hasn’t been touched in years, leave it off — you don’t want a curious client landing on a graveyard with your last post from 2021.

If you offer digital products, add them here. You can also add your freebies and lead magnets — this is a great signal to Google about what you actually offer, and it gives potential clients another low-stakes way to enter your world.

Treat the posts feature like a mini blog. Share new offers, behind-the-scenes, recent work, or seasonal updates. Active profiles get rewarded — and an empty posts section is a missed opportunity.

This is a real “it depends” one. I used to have my Google Voice number listed, but I personally prefer not to take calls. I get fewer inquiries as a result — but the ones I do get are way more qualified.

There’s no right answer here. If you want to book more, leave a phone number. If you want to filter for higher-intent inquiries, skip it. The one hard rule: ONLY add your phone number if you can actually respond in a timely manner. An unanswered phone number is worse than no phone number.

Make sure your hours are UP TO DATE — including holiday hours.

Same rule as the phone number: ONLY enable chat if you’re going to respond quickly. A chat option that gets ignored is a bigger turn-off than no chat at all.