Your Google Business Profile: 7 mistakes that send customers elsewhere

When someone searches for "bakery near me" or "auto repair open Saturday", the first thing they see usually isn't your website or your Facebook page. It's your Google Business Profile: the box with your name, hours, photos, reviews and a button to call.

For a lot of customers, that profile is your business. They decide in a few seconds whether to drive over, call, or move on to the next result. And most profiles we see from neighborhood businesses have at least one of the mistakes below.

1. Opening hours that are out of date

This is the most expensive mistake. A customer who drives over and finds the door locked rarely comes back, and sometimes says so in a review.

Check your hours every time they change, and use special hours for holidays, vacations or inventory days. Google lets you enter them in advance for a specific date without touching your regular hours (Google's instructions).

2. A primary category that's too vague

Your profile has a primary category ("Bakery", "Auto repair shop", "Hair salon") and can have a few more. The primary one matters a lot: it tells Google which searches you're relevant for.

Pick the most specific option available. A "Bicycle repair shop" gets found more easily than a generic "Store". Only add secondary categories if they truly describe what you do.

3. No photos, or photos from 2017

A profile without photos looks like a business that closed. And if you don't add any, Google shows your customers' photos instead: sometimes blurry, sometimes taken on your busiest day.

At a minimum, add your storefront (so people recognize you from the street), the inside, your products or your work, and your team if you're comfortable with that. Replace them when things change. Google explains how to manage them here.

4. Reviews left without a reply

Replying to reviews, good and bad, shows there's a real person behind the counter. For a good review, "Thanks Julie, see you next time!" is plenty.

Bad reviews are a skill of their own (we'll cover them in a full article soon). The basic rule: stay calm, say thank you, and offer to sort it out offline.

5. A link to a website that no longer exists

Many profiles still point to an old Facebook page, a website whose domain expired, or nothing at all. The customer who taps through to see your prices or menu lands on an error.

Your profile should lead to a real, up-to-date website where people find what the profile can't show: your services in detail, your prices, your menu, a way to reach you. If you don't have one, website templates by trade can get you online quickly, and you edit everything yourself.

6. Two profiles for the same business

This often happens after a move or a name change: the old profile stays up next to the new one. Customers don't know which one to trust, and your reviews get split in two.

Search for your business on Google Maps. If you see a duplicate, report it so it can be merged or closed. Google's guidelines also explain what's allowed in your business name (no added keywords, for instance).

7. A profile you never claimed

If you've never claimed your profile, anyone can suggest changes to it: a customer, a competitor, a bot. You won't even be told.

Claim it and verify it. It's free, and it's the only way to control what people see.

How long does this take?

One evening for most businesses. After that, a few minutes a month: reply to new reviews, add a photo, and check your hours before each holiday.

According to Google itself, local ranking depends on three things: relevance, distance and prominence. You can't do anything about distance. But a complete, accurate and active profile helps with the other two.

For a lot of customers, your Google profile is your business.

Your turn

When did you last check your hours on Google, and were they still right? Try it now: search for your business the way a customer would.