Google Business Profile optimization: the complete checklist

Google Business Profile optimization is mostly about doing the basics completely and accurately: the right name and category, correct hours, real photos, a working booking link and a steady flow of genuine reviews. Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to appear in local results.¹⁹ This checklist takes you through every section in order, using Google's own guidance.

Work through it once from top to bottom, then come back to the ongoing items (photos, posts, reviews and performance) every week or month.

Before you start: eligibility and the rules

1. Check you qualify. Google says you can create a profile if your business has a physical location customers can visit, or travels to customers.¹ A virtual office or rented mailing address isn't eligible.
2. One profile per business. Google says there should be only one profile per business, and not more than one per location.¹ Duplicates confuse customers and put both profiles at risk.
3. Read the guidelines once. Google's "Guidelines for representing your business on Google" is the rulebook,¹ and Google may suspend profiles that don't follow it.¹⁷
4. Verify the profile. You need a verified profile to edit details and reply to reviews. Google assigns the verification method based on your business, and review can take up to five business days.²

1. Business name: your real name, nothing else

Your name should match your real-world name, as used on your signage, website and stationery.¹ Google gives examples of what's not allowed: marketing taglines, phone numbers, website addresses, opening hours, and location or service words that aren't part of your actual name.

So "Lagoon View Villa" is fine. "Lagoon View Villa – Best Luxury Villa Galle Pool Wedding" is keyword stuffing. It can lead to suspension, and Google says unnecessary information in a name isn't permitted.¹

2. Categories: primary first, then a few secondary

• Primary category: choose the most specific one that describes what your business is. Google's example is "Nail salon" rather than "Salon".³
• Secondary categories: add a few for genuine extra services, not every product. Google's 2026 playbook says you can add up to 10 in total: one primary and nine secondary.² Its guidelines say to use as few as possible, and never categories "solely as keywords".¹
• Why it matters: your category unlocks features. Google says hotels can show class ratings and amenities, restaurants can add menu and reservation links, and health and beauty businesses can add a booking button and services list.³

3. Address or service area

• If customers visit you, show your full street address and check the map pin is exactly right.
• If you only travel to customers, such as a mobile spa therapist or an airport transfer service, Google says to hide your address and set a service area instead.¹
• Keep the service area realistic. Google says it shouldn't extend beyond about two hours' drive from your base, and you can add up to 20 areas.¹²
• Never add keywords or URLs to the address lines.¹

4. Hours, including special hours

• Enter your regular customer-facing hours. Google says some businesses, including hotels and other indoor lodging, shouldn't list hours at all.¹
• Set special hours for holidays and short closures of up to six days. Google recommends confirming holiday hours even when they're the same as normal.⁴ In Sri Lanka, that means Poya days, Sinhala and Tamil New Year and Christmas.
• Use more hours for things like delivery or treatment times that differ from your main hours. If you'll be closed seven days or more, mark the business as temporarily closed instead.⁴

5. Description

You have up to 750 characters. Google says to describe what you offer, what sets you apart and how long you've been operating. Don't include URLs or HTML, and focus on the business rather than promotions or prices.⁵ Google can suggest a description using AI, which you can then edit.² Always check it for accuracy.

Write it for a customer, not a search engine. A clinic in Colombo might say which specialists it has, which languages staff speak, whether it has parking and how patients book.

6. Services, menu and products

• Add each service with a short description. Google's playbook says service lists with descriptions and pricing build trust.²
• If you add custom services, keep the names clean. Google says names containing prices, phone numbers or personal information are rejected automatically.²
• Restaurants and cafes should add a menu. Shops can add products.

7. Attributes

Attributes are yes-or-no details such as "free Wi-Fi", "wheelchair accessible" or "outdoor seating", shown on Search and Maps.² Which ones you see depends on your category. Fill in every one that's true. They help customers who are filtering for exactly that feature.

8. Photos and videos

• Use JPG or PNG files between 10 KB and 5 MB, ideally 720 by 720 pixels or more.⁶
• Videos can be up to 30 seconds and 75 MB, at 720p or higher.⁶
• Avoid heavy filters. Google says images should "represent reality".⁶
• Add a logo and a cover photo. Google may show a customer photo instead if your cover is low quality.⁶
• Cover what customers want to see: rooms and bathrooms, the view, the entrance, the treatment room, the food, the team.

9. Booking links and the "Book" button

For hotels, villas, clinics and salons, this is the step that turns views into bookings.

• Add your booking or appointment link under the relevant section of your profile. Google lets you add up to 10 links per type and mark one as your preferred link.⁷
• Booking providers that work with Reserve with Google can add a booking option directly to your profile. Google says your provider may charge a fee.⁸ The prominent "Book online" button only appears with an approved partner.²
• Check third-party links. Google can show links from other providers automatically, and you can ask for them to be removed.⁷
• Test every link on your phone. A broken booking link loses customers at the last step.

If people click but don't book, the problem is often on the booking page itself. See why ads get clicks but no bookings; the same fixes apply to traffic from Google Maps.

10. Messaging: WhatsApp or text

Google's own chat feature ended on 31 July 2024.⁹ Instead, verified businesses can add a WhatsApp click-to-chat link or a phone number that receives texts, under Contact in the profile editor. Google says this is available in select regions only, so check whether you see the option. If you add both, customers only see the text option.¹⁰ Make sure someone actually answers, including evenings.

11. Posts and updates

• Use the three post types: updates, offers and events.¹¹
• Add a photo and a button, such as "Book".¹¹
• Google's playbook suggests posting at least once a week.² Posts older than six months are archived unless you set dates.¹¹
• Post real news: a new treatment, a seasonal menu, monsoon rates, an event.

12. Questions and answers: what changed

The old Q&A section has gone. Google discontinued the Q&A API on 3 November 2025 while it updated the feature.¹² Local search specialists reported in early 2026 that Q&A no longer appears on profiles, and that the Google Maps app now shows AI-generated answers to questions about a place.¹³

Those answers are drawn from what Google knows about you. So put the answers to common questions where Google can find them: in your description, services, attributes, posts and a clear FAQ on your website.

13. Reviews: ask, reply, follow the rules

• Ask every customer. Google says you can share a review link or QR code.¹⁴ Put it on receipts, checkout messages and follow-up WhatsApp messages.
• Reply to reviews. Replies appear publicly under the review, as your business.¹⁵ Thank people, answer criticism calmly and never share private details.
• No incentives. Google prohibits offering payment, discounts or free services for reviews.¹⁶
• No review gating. Don't ask only happy customers, and don't discourage negative reviews. Both are against Google's policy.¹⁶
• No reviews from staff or family. Google's policy covers conflicts of interest, including employment ties.¹⁶

14. Keep everything consistent

Your name, address, phone number, hours and website should match across your profile, your website, booking sites, social media and directories. Google's playbook also suggests adding your social profiles to your Business Profile.² When something changes, update everything on the same day.

15. Avoid suspension

Google says it may suspend profiles that don't follow its guidelines.¹⁷ The rules in this checklist are the ones to watch most closely: keyword-stuffed names, virtual office addresses, duplicate profiles and fake or incentivised reviews all break Google's guidelines or review policy.¹¹⁶

If you are suspended, fix the problem first, then appeal using Google's appeals tool with documents such as a business registration or utility bill. Google warns that appeals can only be submitted once, and that you should not create a new profile for the same business.¹⁷

16. Measure with Performance

The Performance section shows views, the searches that found you, calls, website clicks, direction requests, messages and bookings.¹⁸ Check it monthly. The search terms show how customers describe what you do. If views rise but bookings don't, check your photos, reviews and booking link first.

A word on ranking

Google says local results depend on relevance, distance and prominence, and that there is no way to pay for a better local ranking.¹⁹ We cover those factors in how to get recommended by ChatGPT and Google AI. For the wider picture, including languages and directories, see our guide to SEO in Sri Lanka.

Frequently asked questions

How do I optimise my Google Business Profile?

Start with the essentials: your real business name, the most specific primary category, an accurate address or service area, and correct hours, including holidays. Then add a 750-character description, services, attributes, real photos and a working booking link. After that, keep it active by posting regularly, asking every customer for a review and replying to reviews.

Can I add keywords to my Google Business Profile name?

No. Google's guidelines say your profile name should match your real-world business name, as used on your signage and website. Adding locations, services or marketing taglines that aren't part of your real name breaks the guidelines and can lead to suspension. Put that information in your categories, description, services and posts instead, where it belongs.

Does Google Business Profile still have Q&A?

Not in its old form. Google discontinued the Q&A API in November 2025, and local search specialists reported in early 2026 that the Q&A section no longer appears on profiles. The Google Maps app now shows AI-generated answers about places instead. Make sure your description, services, attributes and website answer common customer questions clearly.

Is it allowed to offer a discount for a Google review?

No. Google's policy prohibits offering payment, discounts, free goods or free services in exchange for reviews. It also bans asking only happy customers for reviews and discouraging negative ones. Reviews that break these rules can be removed. You can freely ask every customer for an honest review, for example with a review link or QR code.