Google Business Profile: the 20-minute contractor setup

Say you do pool repair in McKinney. One truck, eleven reviews, the newest from March.

A homeowner with a green pool searches "pool repair McKinney" on a Sunday, sees a competitor at 4.7 with a review from last week, sees you at 4.6 with nothing since spring, and never finds out you're $400 cheaper. The profile decided that job. Your quote never got a look.

Video verification is the best thing Google has done for honest contractors in years. It's a nuisance for twenty minutes and it clears out the lead-gen shells with a P.O. box and no truck that used to outrank you.

A profile that says open and rings out loses the job.

Before you start

• A Google account on the business email
• Your phone, since verification runs from it
• The truck, a sign or your tools within reach for the video
• License number, business phone, towns or zip codes you serve
• Logo file and 10 or more real job photos

The steps

1. Step 1 - Search for your business first

   Open Google Maps and search your exact business name. Google often creates one from public records before you do. If it exists, choose Claim this business, then Manage now. If nothing shows, go to business.google.com/add and enter the name.

2. Step 2 - Set it up as a service-area business

   When Google asks whether customers visit your location, answer no. Google's rules say a business that visits customers removes its address from the profile. Add up to 20 towns or zip codes as service areas, all within about two hours' drive of your base.

3. Step 3 - Pick the category

   Choose one primary category that matches what you sell most, such as Roofing contractor, Plumber, HVAC contractor or Landscaper. The primary decides which searches you show up in.

4. Step 4 - Verify, most likely by video

   Tap Get verified. Google picks the method; for a service-area contractor it is usually video.

   Record one continuous clip of at least 30 seconds, live from the app, no edits: a street sign near your base, the truck with the company name, your tools, and proof you run the business, such as starting the truck or a permit in the business name. Google reviews it within 5 business days.

5. Step 5 - Add hours and phone

   In your profile, open Edit profile, then Hours. Use the hours a human actually answers, and add the business phone under Contact. A profile that says open and rings out loses the job.

6. Step 6 - Add services

   Under Edit services, list each thing you sell with a one-line plain description: "Roof replacement, asphalt shingle and metal." Use the words a homeowner types, not trade jargon.

7. Step 7 - Upload 10 or more job photos

   Tap Add photo. Logo first, then the truck, then finished jobs. Real work only. Add two or three a month so the profile never looks abandoned.

8. Step 8 - Copy the review link

   Open Ask for reviews (or Manage your reviews) in your profile. Copy the short link and save it as a note on your phone. This is what you text after every job.

9. Step 9 - Turn on messaging and reply to every review

   Turn on Messages or Chat. Then make a rule: every review gets a reply in your own words, good or bad. Never offer anything in exchange for a review. Google's policy calls that fake and misleading content and can suspend the profile.

What your verification video has to show

Common mistakes

Listing the home address as a storefront. It breaks Google's rules and puts your house on the map for every homeowner you ever quoted. Service area, not address.

Stopping after verification. Three photos, no services, no replies. That profile reads as a business that folded in 2023.

Templated review replies. BrightLocal found 50% of consumers see copy-paste responses negatively. Two real sentences that name the job beat any boilerplate, and they take thirty seconds.

Offering a gift card for a review. Against Google policy, and the FTC testimonial rule applies to any gift tied to one. Ask everyone, offer nothing.

One more, on order. Contractors jump to the review link first, and we argued about putting it in step 1 for that reason. It stayed in step 8 because you can't copy a link off a profile that isn't verified yet.

FAQ

Do I need to show my home address on Google Business Profile?

No. If you do not serve customers at your address, Google's rules say to remove it from the profile and list service areas instead. You can add up to 20 towns or zip codes.

What do I film for Google video verification?

One continuous clip of at least 30 seconds, recorded live from the Business Profile on your phone: a street sign near your base, your branded truck or tools, and proof you run the business, such as a permit in the business name. Google reviews it within 5 business days.

Can I offer a discount for a Google review?

No. Google's policy calls incentives for reviews fake and misleading content and can suspend the profile. Ask every customer and make the link easy.

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