Google Business Profile for contractors: what it is and why it matters more than your website

When a homeowner searches for a plumber, HVAC company, or roofer near them, the first thing they see is not a list of websites. It is a map with three business listings showing names, star ratings, review counts, phone numbers, and hours. That section is called the Google local three-pack. The businesses in it are the first ones a homeowner sees.

Your Google Business Profile is what gets you into the three-pack. Not your website. Not your social media. Not your Yelp page. Google Business Profile is the single most important digital asset a local service contractor can have, and it is completely free.

A complete Google Business Profile includes your business name, address or service area, phone number, website, business hours, photos of your work and team, and a description of your services. Every field you fill in correctly makes it easier for Google to match your business to relevant local searches. Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local search results.

Reviews are part of how Google decides which businesses to show. Google names three factors for local results: relevance, distance, and prominence, and it says that more reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking.

The practical implication is straightforward. If you are not actively collecting reviews on a regular basis, your Google Business Profile is slowly losing ground to competitors who are.

To set up a Google Business Profile, go to business.google.com, sign in with your Google account, and follow the steps to add your business. Google will then ask you to verify that you run it, by phone, text, email, video, or postcard, depending on your business. Once verified, your profile goes live and you can start building it out. The most important thing to do immediately after verifying is to set up a system for collecting reviews.