You set it up. Added your address, your phone number, maybe even a photo or two. You ticked the box, moved on, and haven’t thought about it since.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Most service-based businesses have a Google Business Profile — but very few are actively using it to its full potential.
And that gap is quietly costing them visibility.
What Is Google Business Profile (and Why Does It Matter for Service Businesses)?
Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) is the listing that appears when someone searches for your business by name — or searches for a service in your area. It’s the panel that shows up on Google with your hours, address, reviews, photos, and a link to your website.
For service-based businesses — coaches, consultants, copywriters, web designers, wellness practitioners — it’s easy to assume this is mainly for cafes and retail shops. It’s not. When someone searches for the kind of help you offer in your area, Google uses your Business Profile as one of the signals it considers when deciding who to show.
An incomplete or inactive profile is a missed opportunity. An active, well-maintained one is one of the best free tools you have.
5 Things to Check on Your Google Business Profile Right Now
These are the most common gaps I see on service business profiles — and every single one is fixable without any technical knowledge.
1. Are Your Business Hours Accurate?
This sounds basic, but outdated hours are more common than you’d expect. If your working arrangements have changed since you first set up the profile — or if you never added hours at all — fix that today.
Also worth using: the special hours feature for upcoming public holidays or planned leave. It shows searchers that someone is actively managing the listing, which builds quiet trust before they’ve even clicked through.
2. Are You Getting (and Responding to) Reviews?
Reviews are one of the most powerful trust signals on your profile. A business with 20 genuine, detailed reviews will almost always attract more enquiries than one with 3 — even if the quality of service is identical.
If you’re not proactively asking happy clients for a review, start now. A simple note at the end of a project — “if you found working with me valuable, a quick Google review would really help other business owners find me” — is all it takes. Most people are happy to help when you ask.
And when reviews come in, respond to them. Every response shows potential clients that you’re present, engaged, and the kind of person who acknowledges the people they work with.
3. Do You Have Recent Photos?
Google favours profiles with photos. So do people. Listings with photos receive significantly more clicks than those without.
You don’t need a professional shoot. A few solid phone photos — your workspace, you at work, examples of your output where appropriate — are enough. Aim to add at least one fresh image every couple of months to keep things looking current.
4. Is Your Business Category as Specific as It Could Be?
Your primary business category is one of the most important settings on your profile. It tells Google what type of business you are — and directly influences which searches you show up in.
Many service businesses default to something too broad (“Marketing Agency”, “Consultant”) when a more specific option would serve them far better. “SEO Specialist”, “Web Designer”, “Business Coach” — these more targeted categories help Google match you to the right searches. Take five minutes to check yours and see if there’s a more precise fit.
5. Are You Using Google Posts?
Google Posts are the most underused feature on most profiles. They let you publish short updates — a new service, a link to your latest blog post, a seasonal offer — directly to your Business Profile, where they appear in search results.
You don’t need to post every day. Once a week or once a fortnight is enough to keep the profile looking active. And active profiles signal to both Google and to potential clients that someone is genuinely looking after the business.
The Quick Win to Take Today
Pick just one of the five things above and fix it today. You don’t need to do all of them at once.
My suggestion: if you have happy clients who haven’t left a Google review, send one message today. It takes them two minutes and can meaningfully change how your business shows up when someone nearby is searching for what you offer.
Your Google Business Profile is one of the few places online where a small amount of consistent attention makes a real difference — without needing to pay for ads or master a new platform.
If you’d like a step-by-step guide to getting the most from yours, I’ve put together a free resource: How to Use Google My Business to Drive More Traffic to Your Website. Grab it here and get started!
