Your GBP is the single most important free marketing tool you have as a local service business. But most profiles are incomplete, inconsistent, or set up in a way that's quietly costing leads every week. Here's how to do it right from the start. 1. Business name Use your exact legal business name. No keywords, no city names added, no extras. Just the name as it appears on your license and signage. Adding "plumber in Austin" to your business name is a fast track to suspension. 2. Category Your primary category is the most important ranking signal in your entire profile. Choose the one that most accurately describes your core service. Be specific, "Plumber" beats "Contractor." You can add secondary categories but don't overload them. 3. Description Write 2 to 3 sentences that clearly explain what you do, who you serve, and what makes you different. Mention your service and city naturally. This is not a place for keyword stuffing, it's a place to help Google and customers understand your business quickly. 4. Service area If you go to the customer, set your service area and hide your home address. List every city and zip code you actually serve, not every city you wish you served. 5. Services and products Fill these out completely. List every service you offer with a short description. This is one of the most underused sections and one of the most valuable for showing up in specific searches. 6. Photos Add at least 10 photos before you consider your profile live. Before and after jobs, your team, your vehicles, your equipment. Real photos outperform stock images every time. 7. Hours Make sure they are accurate and keep them updated. Incorrect hours are one of the most common reasons customers lose trust before they ever call. One important note on making changes: Set it up right the first time. Once your profile is live, avoid making multiple edits repeatedly in a short window, especially to your name, address, or phone number. Google notices rapid changes and it can trigger a review or suspension. Do it right once and then let it settle.