Google Business Profile Setup & Optimisation
If you serve customers in Auckland (or anywhere in New Zealand), your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the fastest ways to improve local visibility on Google Search and Maps. This page is a practical, step-by-step guide you can follow without tools, plugins, or jargon.
If your business is home-based or you travel to customers, you can hide your address and use a service area instead. If you’re a storefront, make sure your signage and address match exactly what customers see.
Part 1: Setup fundamentals (do these once)
1) Claim or create the profile priority
Search your business name on Google. If a profile exists, claim it. If not, create one using a Google account you control long term.
2) Verify properly
Complete verification (video, phone, email, or postcard depending on Google). Use real signage, real location cues, and consistent business details.
3) Lock down NAP consistency
NAP = Name, Address, Phone. Make it identical across your website, invoices, and directories. Small mismatches can cause ranking and trust issues.
4) Choose the right primary category
Your primary category is one of the strongest signals. Pick what you actually are, not what you also do. Add secondary categories only when they truly apply.
5) Add hours, service areas, and attributes
Set accurate hours (including public holidays if you can). Add service areas (suburbs or regions) and relevant attributes customers care about.
6) Link the correct pages
Use a website link that matches the service in the profile. If you have multiple services, point to the most relevant page (not always the homepage).
Part 2: Optimisation (the work that compounds)
Build relevance
- Services: list your core services using customer language (what people search).
- Description: write a clear “who you help + where + what you do” description. Keep it factual.
- Products (if relevant): add key products with prices or ranges when you can.
- Landing pages: match GBP intent with the right website page.
Build trust
- Photos: upload real photos regularly (front, team, work, vehicles, tools, inside).
- Reviews: ask consistently, reply to every review, and use specifics in replies.
- Q&A: seed common questions yourself, then answer them clearly.
- Messaging/calls: only enable if you can respond quickly.
Posts: what to publish (and how often)
Publish simple updates: offer, before/after, new service, seasonal reminders. Aim for weekly if possible, fortnightly if you’re busy.
Photos: what “good” looks like
Clear, real, recent. Avoid stock photos. Add location cues when it makes sense (job sites, suburbs, recognisable areas).
Reviews: ask without being awkward
Ask right after a good outcome. Send one link. Make it easy. Don’t “gate” reviews or offer incentives.
Spam and bad edits: protect your listing
Use owner-level access for you only. Add managers sparingly. Monitor edits, hours changes, and suspicious category updates.
Part 3: Measure what matters
GBP metrics to watch
- Searches: what terms triggered your listing (brand vs non-brand).
- Actions: calls, website clicks, direction requests, messages.
- Photo performance: which photos attract views.
- Best times: when customers call or message.
Tracking tip (simple but powerful)
Add UTM tracking to your GBP website link so you can see GBP traffic in analytics. If you’re using GA4, it will show up as a source/medium like google / organic with your campaign name.
Example URL format (edit to match your site):
https://www.yourdomain.co.nz/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp
Common mistakes that hold Auckland businesses back
Duplicate listings
Two profiles for the same business splits reviews, confuses Google, and can tank visibility. Claim and merge or remove duplicates.
Wrong category
If your primary category is wrong, you’ll attract the wrong searches. Fix category before you worry about anything else.
Stock photos and vague content
Generic photos and generic descriptions rarely convert. Real photos and specific services do.
If you want help improving your wider online presence, start here: website design Auckland Contact Kiwi Web Design
GBP optimisation schedule (what to do, and how often)
| Task | How often | Why it matters | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check categories, hours, and contact details | Monthly | Stops ranking drops caused by incorrect info or unexpected edits | Low |
| Add new photos (real work, team, location cues) | Weekly or fortnightly | Builds trust and freshness signals for local searches | Low |
| Publish a post (update, offer, seasonal reminder) | Weekly | Creates steady activity and improves engagement | Low |
| Request and respond to reviews | Ongoing | Reviews are a major conversion lever and a trust signal | Medium |
| Add and refine services | Quarterly | Improves relevance for non-brand searches in Auckland suburbs | Medium |
| Review Insights and improve tracking (UTMs) | Monthly | Shows which actions drive calls and site visits, so you don’t guess | Medium |