A plumber or sparky types their trade and suburb into Google. The first thing they see isn’t your homepage. It’s three businesses in the Maps pack: address, rating, call button. If you’re not in that three, you don’t exist for that search.
What your Google Business Profile actually does
Your Google Business Profile controls what shows up in the Maps pack and the knowledge panel next to Google search results. It’s where your hours live, your reviews, your photos, and the call button. Customers can book or call you directly without ever visiting your website. For most tradies, the GBP drives more incoming calls than the homepage ever will. It’s the first real estate your customers see, and it’s free to fill in.
The profile works because it answers the question someone just typed in: “Are you near me? Are you open now? Can I call you?” Your homepage answers different questions. The GBP answers the ones that matter first.
Five fields most trades leave blank
Most businesses fill in their name and address, then stop. Here’s what gets left out, and why it costs you jobs.
Business category. Pick the most specific one. “Plumber” beats “Contractor.” Google uses this to match customer searches.
Service area. Tell Google which suburbs you cover. If someone’s in a suburb you don’t service, there’s no point showing up — but if you’re silent, Google has to guess.
Hours. Get this wrong and you lose calls. Update your public holidays. Nothing angers a customer more than turning up at a business they thought was open.
Photos. At least ten. Exterior, team, before-and-after work. Reviews help ranking, but photos help selling. People call because they trust what they see.
Q&A. Answer the questions your customers already search for. “Do you quote on weekends?” “Do you service rental properties?” “Are you licensed and insured?” Type out answers. Google ranks them, and you look responsive.
Reviews: the ranking factor everyone misses
Google uses review volume, recency, and rating as a ranking signal. A business with 40 reviews at 4.8 stars will almost always outrank one with 5 reviews at 5.0 stars. Volume matters more than perfection.
You don’t need five-star reviews to rank. You need recent ones. A review from last week beats a perfect one from six months ago.
The trick is timing. Ask the moment the job is done, when the customer is happy. Text them a link — make it one tap. Don’t wait two weeks. Don’t email them a bulk survey at the end of the quarter. Ask today, when they’re still grinning at your work.
The one thing to do this week
Log into your Google Business Profile right now. Check that every field is filled in. Look at your photos — are there at least ten? Do they show real work, not stock images? Check your hours are current for the season and any upcoming holidays.
If you haven’t asked a customer for a review in the last month, send one link today. Just one. That’s it. Start there.
Let us help
If you want your Google Business Profile set up properly or audited, that’s part of what we do at LBA. Our Search & Listings service covers GBP setup, optimization, and review management. No guessing, no half-measures.
Book a free call to see how your profile stacks up.
Written by Benjamin — Benjamin is the founder of Local Business Accelerator, a Brisbane digital agency helping local businesses grow their online presence through websites, SEO, and Google Ads.