How to Set Up Your Google Business Profile Properly!
Its More Than Just a Google Listing.
More Than Just a Google Listing
Most trades businesses create a Google Business Profile, add a few details, and never look at it again.
The problem is…
Your Google Business Profile is often the first impression customers have of your business.
It can influence whether someone phones you, visits your website, or chooses a competitor instead.
When it’s complete, accurate and regularly updated, Google has much more confidence in recommending your business to local customers.
That’s exactly what this guide and workbook are designed to help you achieve.
Lets get your page setup...
10 Easy steps to get your page listed by Google.
Create or Claim Your Google Business Profile
By the End of These steps You Will Have:
✅ A Google Business Profile for your business
✅ Your business showing on Google
✅ Your profile ready to optimise in the next lessons
Don’t worry if you’ve never done this before.
Just follow each step in order.
It should only take around 15–20 minutes.
Why We Created This Workbook
Most Google Business Profile advice online tells you what to do.
Very little shows you how to assess your own profile or decide what to improve first.
That’s why we created the Google Business Profile Growth Workbook.
Instead of guessing, you’ll work through a series of simple worksheets that help you:
- Review your profile properly
- Identify missing information
- Improve trust signals
- Create an action plan
- Track your progress over time
By the end, you’ll know exactly where your profile is strong and where it needs attention.
Before You Start
You’ll need:
- A Google account (Gmail)
- Your business name
- Your business phone number
- Your business email address
- Your website (if you have one)
- Your business address (if customers visit you)
- Or the areas you work in (if you travel to customers)
- Your business logo (optional for now)
If you don’t have everything yet, don’t worry. You can always come back and add it later.
Step 1 – Go to Google Business Profile
Open your internet browser and go to:
Click the Manage now button.
Step 2 – Sign In
Sign in using your Google account.
If you don’t already have one, click Create account and follow the instructions.
💡 Vetted Local Tip
Try to use a business email address rather than a personal one if possible.
Step 3 – Enter Your Business Name
Type the name of your business exactly as you use it everywhere else.
For example:
JCF Services
Don’t try to add keywords like:
❌ JCF Services – Best Plumber Brighton
Just use your genuine business name.
Step 4 – Does Your Business Already Exist?
Google may find your business.
If it does…
Click Claim this business.
If it doesn’t…
Click Create a business with this name.
Either option is fine.
Step 5 – Choose Your Business Category
This tells Google what your business does.
Don’t worry about getting it perfect.
We’ll improve this in a later lesson.
Examples:
Plumber
Electrician
Builder
Roofer
Carpenter
Gas Engineer
Choose the category that best describes your main service.
Step 6 – Choose How You Work
Google will ask if customers visit your business.
Most trades businesses choose:
I deliver goods and services to my customers.
This creates what’s called a Service Area Business.
Customers won’t see your home address if you don’t want them to.
Step 7 – Add Your Service Areas
Now tell Google where you work.
For example:
Brighton
Hove
Shoreham
Only choose areas you genuinely work in.
Don’t add towns just because you want to rank there.
Step 8 – Add Your Contact Details
Enter:
- Business phone number
- Website address (if you have one)
If you don’t have a website yet…
Leave it blank.
You can always add it later.
Step 9 – Verify Your Business
Google now needs to confirm that your business is genuine.
The verification method will vary depending on your business.
You may be asked to:
- Record a short video
- Receive a phone call
- Receive a text message
- Verify by email
- Use another verification method provided by Google
Simply follow the instructions on your screen.
Verification can sometimes happen within minutes, but in some cases it may take a few days.
Congratulations!
If you’ve completed all the steps above, your Google Business Profile is now created or claimed.
You don’t need to make it perfect today.
The important thing is that you’ve taken the first step.
In the Lessons. we’ll show you how to turn a basic profile into one that looks professional, builds trust and gives your business the best chance of being found by local customers.
Vetted Local TIP – Do The 9 Steps Above first , this is how the page gets built.
VettedLocal.com
