It’s the box that pops up on the right of a Google search, or the pin on Google Maps, with your name, your phone number, your reviews and your hours. It’s free, it’s yours to claim, and it’s one of the few bits of marketing that genuinely gets a trade business more phone calls.

What it actually does for you

  • Shows up when someone searches your trade plus their town, like “joiner Carluke”
  • Puts your phone number one tap away, no website needed
  • Shows your reviews right there in the search results
  • Lets people see your opening hours and whether you’re open now
  • Shows photos of your work if you’ve added any

Why it matters more than people think

A lot of searches for local trades never reach a website at all. Someone searches, sees the map and the profile, and calls straight from there. If your profile’s thin or missing, you don’t get the chance to be the one they call.

What a good profile needs

  • The right category, not just “business”
  • Your real phone number and service area
  • Opening hours that are actually right
  • A handful of recent photos of your work
  • A steady flow of reviews, not just a few from years ago

It’s not instant

Google doesn’t rank a brand new or half-filled profile straight to the top. It takes photos, reviews and a bit of time. But a profile sitting empty or badly filled in is one of the easiest wins going, because so many competitors haven’t bothered.

How Toflin helps with this

Setting one up properly, or fixing an existing one, is part of the Kickstart package. After that, keeping reviews coming in and photos current is an ongoing job, same as the social media side.

Quick answers

Is a Google Business Profile free?

Yes, it’s free to claim and run. What costs money is the time it takes to set it up properly and keep it current.

Do I need a website as well as a Google Business Profile?

Both help, and they do different jobs. The profile gets you found and called. A website backs that up once someone wants more detail.

How long does it take to rank well?

It varies, but reviews, photos and consistent details all help. Expect weeks, not days, for a new or neglected profile to start performing.

Written by Tony Flynn, who runs Toflin from Carluke and works with trades across Lanarkshire. Want a hand with any of this? Call 01698 598763 or see the prices.