Most Google Business Profile problems are not visible until you go looking for them. Wrong hours during a holiday closure, a services list that has not been touched since the profile was created, photos nobody has updated in a year — each one quietly costs calls. Run through this checklist before the Q4 search volume hits or get a free profile scan.
Business information (7 checks)
- Name matches your storefront/legal signage exactly — no keyword stuffing in the business name field
- Primary category is the single most accurate one, not the broadest one
- Secondary categories reflect services you actually and currently offer
- Address is correct, including suite number, and matches your website footer exactly
- Phone number rings to a real, staffed line
- Hours are correct for the current season, including any holiday hour changes already scheduled
- Website URL points to the right landing page, not just the homepage by default
Services and attributes (5 checks)
- Every service you actively sell is listed individually, not lumped into one line
- Service descriptions are written in plain language a customer would search, not internal jargon
- Attributes (women-led, veteran-owned, accessibility features, payment types) are filled in where true
- Service area is accurate if you serve a radius rather than a fixed location
- Products section, if applicable, is not empty
Reviews (4 checks)
- Every review from the last 90 days has an owner response
- Negative reviews have a calm, specific, non-defensive response — future customers and AI models both read these
- You have a simple, repeatable way to ask happy customers for a review (a link, a QR code, a text template)
- Review count and star average are trending up quarter over quarter, not flat
Photos and posts (5 checks)
- Cover photo and logo are current and correctly cropped
- At least 10 real photos exist — not stock images — showing the actual location, team, or work
- Photos have been added within the last 90 days
- Posts are going out on a real cadence, not sitting dormant for months
- Q&A section has no unanswered questions, including any old ones from years ago
Technical and duplicate checks (4 checks)
- Search your business name plus city in Google Maps to confirm there is no duplicate or old unclaimed listing competing with the real one
- NAP (name, address, phone) matches exactly across your website, GBP, and major directories
- Profile is verified, not pending
- Messaging, if enabled, is actually being monitored and answered
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a full Google Business Profile audit take?
For a single-location business, 30–45 minutes done properly. Multi-location profiles take longer because each location needs its own pass — hours, categories, service areas, and photos all vary by site.
How often should I re-audit my profile?
Quarterly at minimum, and immediately after any change to your hours, address, services, or ownership. Profiles drift — a category someone added two years ago, a phone number from a closed line — and small drift compounds.
Does posting on Google Business Profile actually affect ranking?
It affects engagement signals and keeps your profile active, which matters for both Google’s local algorithm and for what AI assistants find when they read your profile. It is not the single biggest lever, but it is a free one most businesses skip.
What is the single most commonly missed item on this checklist?
Services list completeness. Most businesses fill in the category and hours and stop there, leaving the services section — which both Google and AI models read closely — mostly or entirely blank.
Skip the Manual Checklist
Leedly’s free scan checks your Google Business Profile and your AI-answer visibility in one pass, and hands you a prioritized fix list instead of a spreadsheet. Get your free scan.