Set Up Your Google Business Profile
Your free listing that puts you on the map — literally
When a homeowner searches "plumber near me" or "electrician Parramatta", the first results they see are Google Business Profiles. If you are not there, you are invisible. Setting it up takes 15 minutes and costs nothing.
Why every tradie needs a Google Business Profile
Appear when customers nearby search for your trade — before the ads, before the directories.
Happy customers leave reviews that convince new customers before they've even called you.
Customers tap to call or get directions straight from the search result — zero friction.
Google Business Profile costs nothing. It is one of the best free marketing tools available to tradies.
How to set it up — step by step
Go to Google Business Profile
Visit business.google.com and click Manage now. Sign in with the Google account you want to use for your business — ideally a business Gmail rather than your personal one.
Enter your business name
Type your business name exactly as you want customers to find it. If you are a sole trader, this is often your name + trade (e.g. "Dave Smith Plumbing"). Keep it consistent with how your name appears on your website, invoices, and Tradies Bio® profile.
Choose your business category
Pick the most specific category that matches your primary trade. Examples:
- Plumber (not just "Tradesperson")
- Electrician
- Carpenter
- Air conditioning contractor
- Tiler
- Painter
- Landscaper
You can add additional categories later (e.g. "Drainage service" as a secondary category alongside "Plumber"). The primary category has the most influence on what searches you appear for.
Set your service area
Most tradies travel to customers — you do not have a shopfront. Choose "I deliver goods and services to my customers" and then enter the suburbs or postcodes you service. You can list up to 20 service areas.
Add your contact details
Add your phone number and website. For your website, use your Tradies Bio® URL:
Your Tradies Bio® profile is designed to convert visitors — it has your credentials, services, reviews, and a direct enquiry/booking form. Sending Google traffic straight there is smarter than sending them to a generic website.
Verify your business
Google needs to confirm you are a real, active business. Verification options include:
- Postcard (most common) — Google mails a card with a PIN to your address. Takes 1–2 weeks.
- Phone or email — Available for some accounts, faster.
- Video verification — Google may ask you to record a short video showing your work vehicle, tools, or a job site.
- Instant verification — If your business is already verified in Google Search Console, you may be verified automatically.
Until verified, your listing may not appear publicly. Complete verification as quickly as possible.
Complete your profile (do not skip this)
Google rewards complete profiles with better placement. Once verified, fill in:
- Business description — 750 characters. Explain what you do, what areas you cover, and what makes you different. Write naturally for customers, not for algorithms.
- Services — List every service you offer. Be specific (e.g. "Hot water system replacement", "Leak detection", "Tap installation").
- Business hours — Include your actual availability, including any after-hours emergency service.
- Photos — See the photo section below.
- Attributes — e.g. "Veteran-led", "Licensed", "Insured" — any that apply.
Photos — the highest-impact thing you can add
Profiles with photos receive significantly more clicks and calls than those without. Google recommends at least 10 photos. Here is what to add:
- Your trade vehicle (branded if possible)
- Before and after shots of completed jobs
- You or your team at work on site
- Your tools and equipment
- Your logo (as the cover photo)
- Any licences or certificates on display
- Stock photos or images from the internet
- Blurry or poorly lit photos
- Photos with text overlays or watermarks
- Unrelated personal photos
- Screenshots of other websites
Getting reviews — the single most important ongoing task
Reviews directly influence how high you appear in local search results and how many customers choose you over a competitor. The best time to ask for a review is immediately after a job goes well — while the customer is still happy.
To get your direct review link:
- Go to your Google Business Profile dashboard at business.google.com
- Click Get more reviews
- Copy the link and save it — send it via SMS after every good job
Responding to reviews
Always respond to reviews — positive and negative. For positive reviews, a brief, genuine thank you is enough. For negative reviews:
- Respond calmly and professionally — other potential customers are reading your response
- Acknowledge the issue without admitting fault if it was not your error
- Offer to resolve it offline ("Please call us at…")
- Never argue or be defensive in public
How Tradies Bio® and Google Business Profile work together
Google Business Profile gets customers to find you. Tradies Bio® converts them once they do.
Customer searches → finds your listing → sees your reviews and location
Customer clicks your website link → sees your full profile → books or enquires instantly
Set your Google Business Profile website link to your Tradies Bio® URL
(tradiesbio.au/u/your-slug). Your Bio has your credentials, licence details,
service areas, and a booking form — everything a customer needs to choose you with confidence.
Keeping your profile strong — ongoing best practices
- Post updates regularly — Google Posts (like mini social media posts on your profile) show customers you are active. Post a completed job photo, a seasonal offer, or a tip once a month.
- Keep your hours accurate — Update for public holidays. Customers who show up when you are closed leave bad reviews.
- Answer questions promptly — Anyone can ask a question on your profile. Answer them quickly and factually.
- Use Google's Messaging feature — Enable it so customers can message you directly from search. Respond within a few hours.
- Add new photos monthly — Fresh content signals an active business to Google's algorithm.
- Check your insights — Google shows you how many people found your listing, called you, or asked for directions. Use this to understand what is working.
Ready to set yours up?
It takes 15 minutes and it is completely free. Once verified, you start appearing in local searches immediately.
📍 Open Google Business ProfileNot on Tradies Bio® yet? Join free and get your professional Bio page to link from your Google profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google Business Profile cost money?
No — creating and maintaining a Google Business Profile is completely free. Google does offer paid advertising (Google Ads) that can make your listing appear above organic results, but the organic listing itself costs nothing.
I am a sole trader working from home. Do I need an address?
No. You can set up your profile as a service-area business and hide your home address. Select "I deliver goods and services to my customers" during setup, enter your service areas, and your address will not be shown publicly. You still need to provide an address for Google's verification process, but it will not be visible to customers.
How long until I appear in Google search results?
Once verified, your listing typically appears within a few days. However, ranking well in the local "map pack" (the top 3 business results) takes time and depends on your number of reviews, profile completeness, proximity to the searcher, and how long your listing has been active. New listings often take 4–8 weeks to gain traction.
Can I have more than one Google Business Profile?
Only if you genuinely have separate business locations or distinct businesses. Creating duplicate listings for the same business is against Google's policy and can result in both listings being suspended. If you operate across multiple locations under the same brand, Google provides multi-location management tools.
Someone else has already claimed my business on Google — what do I do?
This happens occasionally with older, auto-generated listings. Go to business.google.com, search for your business name, and click Request access. Google will contact the current manager and give them 7 days to respond. If they do not, you can claim the listing automatically. If there is a genuine dispute, Google's support team can assist.
A customer left a fake or unfair review. Can I remove it?
You can flag a review for removal if it violates Google's policies — spam, off-topic, fake, contains personal information, or is from a competitor. Go to your profile, find the review, click the three-dot menu, and select Report review. Google reviews the flag and may remove it within a few days, though they do not remove reviews simply because they are negative. Responding professionally to any negative review is always the right move regardless of the outcome.
Should I link my Google Business Profile to my Tradies Bio® page?
Yes — this is strongly recommended. Your Tradies Bio® page
(tradiesbio.au/u/your-slug) is purpose-built to convert visitors: it
shows your licence, credentials, services, availability, and has a booking form.
Sending Google traffic to a generic website or no website at all loses enquiries.
Set your Google Business Profile website field to your Tradies Bio® URL.
What is the difference between Google Business Profile and Google Ads?
Google Business Profile is your free organic listing — it appears in the "map pack" and in regular search results based on relevance, proximity, and reputation. Google Ads are paid advertisements that appear above organic results. You do not need Google Ads to appear in local search — a well-maintained Business Profile with good reviews often outranks paid ads for local service searches.
I need help — who can I ask?
The Google Business Profile Help Centre covers every step in detail. For help connecting your profile to your Tradies Bio® account, reach us via WhatsApp or hello@tradiesbio.au.