For a local business, the Google Business Profile is often seen more than the website. I do Google Business Profile optimization for businesses in Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia and beyond: the right categories, complete services, good photos, a steady flow of genuine reviews, and regular posts, so you show up in the map results when people nearby search.
Four parts of the profile do most of the work in the map results.
A new profile, or claiming one that already exists, with the right business name, address or service area, hours and contact details. Google decides how a business is verified, often with a short video, and I walk you through it.
The primary category matters more than almost anything else on the profile. I choose it and the secondary categories carefully, and fill in services and products in the words customers use.
Real photos of the premises, the team and the work, regular posts, and every attribute and detail filled in, so the profile looks active and answers questions before people call.
A simple way to ask every happy customer for a review, and help replying to reviews, good and bad. No fake reviews and no review gating, which break Google's rules.
A profile set up once and left alone slowly falls behind competitors who post, add photos and collect reviews every month. After the initial optimisation I can keep managing it, or set you up to do it yourself with a short routine you can actually keep up.
The profile works best alongside a website that confirms the same name, address and services, which is where my local SEO services and web development come in. You get one person looking after both.
These are the checks I run on every profile. You can use the list yourself:
Optimised the Google Business Profile and worked on local SEO so new customers could find the restaurant when searching nearby on Google Maps.
Worked through the profile, services and categories alongside local SEO, and set out a clear plan the owner could follow.
Worked on the Google Business Profile and local SEO, and walked the owner through how people actually search for a barber nearby.
A free 20-minute call about the business, the area you serve and the profile today.
I compare your profile with the businesses that rank above you and list what is missing.
I fix categories, services, details and photos, and set up a review routine.
Monthly posts, photos and review replies, by me or by you with a simple plan.
It is the free business listing that appears on Google Maps and in the map results on Google Search, with your address or service area, hours, phone number, photos and reviews. It used to be called Google My Business.
You create it at business.google.com with your business name, category and address or service area, then verify that you run the business. Google chooses the verification method, often a short video. I can do the setup with you and handle the optimisation afterwards.
Ask every happy customer, at the right moment, with a direct link to the review form. Make it one tap, reply to every review, and never offer rewards for reviews, which is against Google's rules.
Fixes to categories and details can show up within weeks. Reviews and regular activity build up over months. Distance to the person searching also matters, and that part nobody can change.
The profile itself is free. My work depends on whether we start from scratch or fix an existing profile, and whether you want ongoing management. After a first look I send a clear quote.
Yes. Creating and running a Google Business Profile is free. What takes time is setting it up properly and keeping it active with photos, posts and replies to reviews, which is the part I can do for you.
Send me the name of your business. I'll look at the profile and tell you honestly what I would fix first.