Google Business Profile Optimisation

For local search queries ("plumber near me", "accountant Leeds"), Google shows the Map Pack above the organic results. Being one of the three businesses in that pack typically drives more calls than ranking #1 organically. The Map Pack is decided almost entirely by your Google Business Profile.

• Primary category: the most specific match for your core service.
• Secondary categories: add every relevant one — they expand your eligibility.
• Business name: your real legal trading name. Do not stuff keywords (it's against Google's guidelines and a common reason profiles get suspended).
• Address: exact match with your website footer and all directories.
• Service area: realistic radius — not "the whole UK".
• Hours: accurate, including bank holidays.
• Description: 500–750 characters describing what you do, who for, and where.

1. Reviews — quantity, recency and quality. A profile with 80 recent 5-star reviews outperforms one with 200 old ones.
2. Owner activity. Replying to reviews, adding photos weekly, posting updates — Google treats this as freshness.
3. Proximity. Searchers close to your address see you higher. You can't change this, but you can target the right service areas.
4. Website strength. Map Pack rankings borrow heavily from your website's organic authority for the same query.

• Reply to all new reviews.
• Upload 2–3 new photos (real work, real team, real premises).
• Publish a short Google Post — an offer, a job you completed, an FAQ.
• Add any new Services or Products that have come into your line-up.

• Add keywords to your business name.
• Use a virtual office or coworking address as your verified location.
• Buy or incentivise reviews (Google detects review velocity anomalies).
• Set service areas covering counties you can't realistically serve.