Section 1: Basic Business Information (Non-Negotiable)
Before anything else, your core business details must be 100% accurate and consistent everywhere online. This is called NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) and it's foundational to local SEO.
Complete this first:
- 1Business name — use your exact legal trading name, no keyword stuffing (e.g., "John's Plumbing Manchester" not "Best Plumber Manchester John")
- 2Primary category — choose the most specific category that describes what you do
- 3Secondary categories — add all relevant additional categories (up to 10)
- 4Physical address — exact address with postcode; mark service areas if you go to customers
- 5Phone number — local Manchester number preferred over 0800 numbers for local trust signals
- 6Website URL — link directly to the most relevant page (e.g., your homepage or a specific service page)
- 7Business hours — including special hours for bank holidays
- 8Business description — 750 characters, use your primary keywords naturally in the first 250 characters
Common Mistake That Kills Rankings
Having different phone numbers or addresses across your website, GBP, Yell, and other directories confuses Google and destroys your local SEO. Make sure your NAP information is identical everywhere. Even a minor difference like "Street" vs "St" can hurt you.
Section 2: Photos & Visual Content (Most Neglected)
Businesses with photos on their GBP receive 42% more requests for directions and 35% more click-throughs to their website. Yet most Manchester businesses either have no photos or outdated ones from 3 years ago.
| Photo Type | Minimum Count | Recommended Size | Update Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover photo (hero image) | 1 | 1080 x 608px | Seasonally (4x/year) |
| Profile / logo photo | 1 | 720 x 720px | When branding changes |
| Interior photos | 5-10 | 1080 x 608px | Every 6 months |
| Exterior / storefront photos | 3-5 | 1080 x 608px | Seasonally |
| Team / staff photos | 3-8 | 720 x 720px | When team changes |
| Work in progress / job photos | 10-20+ | Any (min 720px) | Weekly or after each job |
| Before & after photos | 5-10 sets | Any (min 720px) | Monthly |
| Product / service photos | 5-10 | 1080 x 1080px | When services change |
Google's 2026 Photo AI Feature
Google now uses AI to analyse your photos and match them to relevant search queries. A photo tagged "emergency roof repair Manchester" (in the filename and caption) has a much better chance of appearing when someone searches that term. Name your photos descriptively before uploading!
Section 3: Reviews — Your Most Powerful Trust Signal
Reviews are the lifeblood of your Google Business Profile in 2026. Google's algorithm — and its AI Overviews — heavily weights businesses with frequent, high-quality reviews. Here's how to build a review strategy that compounds over time.
Getting More Reviews (Ethically)
- Send a review request text/email within 2 hours of completing a job — this is when satisfaction is highest
- Create a short link to your GBP review page (Google provides this in your dashboard)
- Add a QR code to your invoices, business cards, and van signage linking to your review page
- Train your team to verbally ask happy customers: "Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review?"
- Set up an automated follow-up sequence for completed jobs (email or SMS)
- Never offer incentives for reviews — this violates Google's terms and can get you penalised
Responding to Reviews (Often Ignored, Always Impactful)
Responding to every review — positive and negative — signals to Google (and potential customers) that you're an active, engaged business. Google's AI reads your review responses and uses them to understand your business.
| Review Type | Response Time Target | Response Strategy | SEO Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-star positive | Within 48 hours | Thank, mention the service, invite back | Medium positive |
| 4-star positive | Within 48 hours | Thank, address any implied concern | Medium positive |
| 3-star neutral | Within 24 hours | Acknowledge, ask to discuss offline | High positive (shows care) |
| 1-2 star negative | Within 4 hours | Apologise, take responsibility, offer solution | Very high (crisis management) |
| Fake/spam review | Within 1 hour | Flag to Google + polite public response | Protects reputation |
Section 4: Google Posts — The Underused Power Feature
Google Posts appear directly on your Business Profile in search results. They're essentially free adverts. Yet only 8% of UK local businesses use them regularly. This is one of the biggest missed opportunities in local marketing right now.
What to post and how often:
- Offers & promotions — post any special deals, seasonal discounts, or limited-time offers
- New services — announce when you add a new service to your offering
- Events — local events, open days, or community involvement
- News & updates — team news, awards, certifications, or milestones
- Job photo updates — show recent completed work (before/after is especially effective)
- Post at least 2-3 times per week for maximum visibility
- Include a clear call-to-action in every post (Call Now, Book Online, Get Quote)
- Add a photo to every post — posts with photos get 5x more views
Section 5: Products & Services (The 2026 Game-Changer)
The Services and Products sections of your GBP are now directly feeding Google's AI Overviews. When Google AI answers "what does [your business] do?" it pulls from your GBP services section. An empty or vague services section means you're not getting cited.
How to add services for maximum impact:
- 1Go to your GBP dashboard → Edit profile → Services
- 2Add every service you offer, even small ones — more services = more search queries you can show up for
- 3Write a description of at least 250 characters for each service
- 4Include the price range if possible — transparency builds trust and filters serious enquiries
- 5Use the exact language your customers use when searching (check Google Search Console for ideas)
- 6Add location context where relevant (e.g., "Emergency Plumbing in Manchester and Greater Manchester")
Section 6: Q&A Section (Feed the AI)
The Questions & Answers section of your GBP is incredibly powerful — and almost entirely ignored by local businesses. Google AI uses Q&A content to answer searcher questions. Here's how to take control of it.
Seed Your Own Questions
You can add questions to your own GBP profile and answer them yourself. This is completely legitimate. Think of the 10 most common questions your customers ask and add them here with thorough, helpful answers. Include location keywords naturally: "Do you offer same-day plumbing in Salford?" → "Yes, we provide 24/7 emergency plumbing across Salford, Trafford, and all Greater Manchester areas."
Your Complete GBP Audit Checklist
Use this checklist to score your profile out of 30:
| Element | Completed? | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Business name (exact, no keyword stuffing) | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| Primary + secondary categories set | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
| Complete address or service area defined | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| Local phone number added | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| Website URL linked | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| Business hours (incl. bank holidays) | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| Business description (750 chars) | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
| Cover + profile photos uploaded | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| 10+ work/job photos uploaded | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
| New photo added in last 7 days | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| 50+ Google reviews | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
| All reviews responded to | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
| Google Post published this week | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
| 5+ services listed with descriptions | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 3 |
| 10+ Q&A entries seeded | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
| Messaging enabled | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| Products section filled in (if applicable) | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 1 |
| GBP verified (green tick) | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
| Website NAP matches GBP exactly | ☐ Yes ☐ No | 2 |
💡What's Your Score?
25-30: Excellent — you're in the top 5% of Manchester businesses. Keep it up! 20-24: Good — a few gaps, fix them this week. 15-19: Moderate — significant improvements needed. Focus on reviews and services first. Below 15: Urgent action needed — your profile is actively losing you customers right now.
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