Frank's Web Studio
Why your Google Business Profile isn't getting calls.
For most local service businesses, the Google Business Profile brings in more calls than the website does. When it goes quiet, it's usually one of a handful of fixable problems.
When someone in Chicago searches "plumber near me," the first thing they usually see is the map with three businesses under it. Those come from Google Business Profiles. Google says local results are based mainly on three things: relevance (how well your profile matches the search), distance (how far you are from the person searching) and prominence (how well known and well reviewed you are). You can't move your shop, but you can work on the other two. Here's the order I check things in.
1. Your primary category is wrong or too broad
Your primary category tells Google what you are. "Contractor" is vague. "Roofing contractor" or "Gutter cleaning service" is specific. Pick the most specific category that describes your main service, then add secondary categories for the other things you really do. Don't add categories for services you don't offer; it brings the wrong calls and can hurt trust.
2. Your service area doesn't match where you work
If you go to customers, set your service area to the towns and neighborhoods you actually cover. If you have a shop people visit, make sure the address is exact and shows on the map correctly. A pin in the wrong spot sends people to the wrong building and makes you look unreliable before they ever call.
3. Your hours say you're closed
This one is simple and common. If your profile says "Closed" at 7 p.m. but you take emergency calls, people won't try. Set your real hours, add special hours for holidays, and if you answer the phone 24/7, say so.
4. Your photos are old, few or not yours
People pick the business that looks real. Add photos of your work, your trucks, your team and your storefront if you have one. Before-and-after shots work well for trades. Add new ones every month or two so the profile looks active.
5. You have too few reviews, or old ones with no replies
Reviews are a big part of prominence, and they're what people read before they call. Ask every happy customer, every time, right when the job is done, and send them the direct link. Reply to every review, good or bad, in a calm and specific way. Never buy reviews or offer something in exchange for them. Google prohibits that, and it can get reviews removed.
6. The link goes to a website that doesn't help
Your profile's "Website" button sends people to your site. If that site is slow, hard to use on a phone, or has no tap-to-call button, you lose the people who wanted one more look before calling. Link to a page that matches what they searched for, and make the phone number the first thing they see.
7. Your name, address and phone don't match everywhere
Your business name, address and phone number should be exactly the same on your profile, your website, Yelp, Facebook and other directories. Different numbers or old addresses confuse customers and make your business look less established.
A 20-minute checkup you can do today
- Search your business name on your phone. Does the profile show up, with the right hours and number?
- Check your primary category. Is it the most specific one for your main service?
- Count your photos from the last three months.
- Reply to any review that doesn't have a response.
- Tap "Website." Does the page load fast and let you call in one tap?
If you'd rather have someone handle this every month, that's what my Local SEO Plan is for: profile upkeep, fresh photos and posts, review requests and replies, and a monthly report. No one can honestly guarantee a ranking, and I won't, but these are the things that move it.
Common questions
Why does my Google Business Profile get views but no calls?
Usually because something on the profile stops people: wrong hours, few or old photos, few reviews, or a website link that's hard to use on a phone. Fix those before anything else.
How long does it take for Google Business Profile changes to show up?
Simple edits like hours often show within days, sometimes after Google reviews them. Ranking changes from more reviews and photos build gradually over weeks and months.
Can I pay to rank higher in the Google map results?
Not organically. The map results are based on relevance, distance and prominence. Google does sell ads that can appear above them, but those are labeled as sponsored.
Want me to check your site?
Book a free call and I'll look at your website on a phone with you and tell you what I'd fix first. No pressure, no long contracts.
Keep reading
- Snow Removal Company Website: 7 Things to Fix Before the First Storm
- The 60-Second Phone Test: Is Your Website Losing You Calls?
Frank's Web Studio · Serving Chicagoland and the Midwest · (773) 474-4780 · [email protected]
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