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How do you optimize a Google Business Profile?

The fields that actually move map pack rankings, in the order to fix them.

Fix the primary category first, then services, then service areas and hours, then photos, then posts. Most Google Business Profile advice is an undifferentiated checklist. The order is where the value is, because the first item on this list outweighs the rest combined.

The order, and why

  • Primary category. It maps you to a set of queries. Nothing else on the profile changes which searches you are eligible for as directly. Google's guidelines say to use as few categories as possible and to pick what the business is, not what it has.
  • Services. Add every service you actually offer, using Google's predefined services where they match and custom entries where they do not. Write a real description on each one.
  • Service areas and address. Google allows up to 20 service areas and says the overall boundary should not exceed about two hours of driving time from your base. If you do not serve customers at your address, Google's guidelines say to remove it.
  • Hours. Regular hours plus special and holiday hours. Google's local ranking guidance names hours explicitly.
  • Photos. Google accepts JPG or PNG between 10 KB and 5 MB, recommends 720 by 720 pixels, and accepts video up to 30 seconds, up to 75 MB, at 720p or higher.
  • Description, products, Q and A, posts. Worth doing. Not worth doing first.

What is cosmetic

Weekly posts do not appear to move rankings. They are useful for the person already looking at your profile, which is a conversion job, not a ranking job. The same goes for most attributes. Do them because they help a human decide, not because you expect a position change.

Before you change anything

Record where you currently rank in the map pack for your core terms, from a few different points in your service area. Google reviews profile edits before they go live, so change one meaningful thing at a time and wait. Changing six fields in one afternoon means you learn nothing.

Related: Should I change my categories?, What is the Google map pack?, Local SEO in Texas, SEO services.