The 15-point business profile checklist for trades
The exact things we check on every profile audit, in the order that moves the needle.
Daniel VoLocal SEO and profiles7 min read
The short version
- Your primary category is the single biggest ranking lever you control.
- Photos and review replies signal that the business is alive.
- List suburbs by name, not a radius.
Why the profile matters more than the website
For most local searches, the map results sit above every website. A customer can read your reviews, see your hours and tap to call without ever visiting your site. In sample accounts we manage, 50% to 65% of tracked calls come from the profile.
The good news is that profile work is mostly housekeeping. It rewards consistency more than cleverness.
The foundations
- Profile claimed, verified and owned by an email address you control
- Primary category matches your main money-making service
- Three or more secondary categories that reflect real services
- Service areas listed as named suburbs
- Opening hours correct, including public holidays
- Phone number and website link correct and tracked
The proof
- 20 or more photos of real jobs, your team and your vehicle
- At least one new photo in the last 30 days
- 25 or more reviews, with a steady flow of new ones
- Average rating of 4.5 or higher
- Every review from the last month replied to
The extras that most competitors skip
- A post in the last 30 days
- Common questions answered in the Q&A section
- A services list with descriptions and prices where you can
- Booking or quote link and messaging switched on
Score yours in two minutes
We turned this checklist into a scorecard. Tick what you have, enter your review count and rating, and it gives you a score out of 100 with a prioritised fix list.
Figures in this article are sample numbers for illustration.
Score my business profile