Frequently Asked Questions

A Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free listing that appears when people search for your business — or businesses like yours — on Google Search and Google Maps. It shows your name, address, phone number, hours, photos, reviews, and more. Think of it as your storefront on Google.

When someone searches "plumber near me" or "best cafe in [city]", the results that appear at the top of the page — in the map and the local pack — are Google Business Profiles. If yours isn't there, or isn't optimized, you're invisible at the exact moment a potential customer is ready to buy. A well-managed GBP is essentially a free, always-on advertisement.

Optimization means making your profile as complete, accurate, and compelling as possible so Google ranks it higher and customers are more likely to choose you. This covers your business categories, description, services, photos, posts, Q&A, and review strategy — all working together to maximize your visibility.

GroHound audits your current profile, identifies exactly why you're not ranking as well as you should, and then fixes it — optimizing every element from categories and description to photos and review strategy. We also monitor your profile ongoing so nothing slips.

We handle everything: profile setup (if needed), keyword-rich business description, correct category selection, service listings, photos, posts, opening hours, and review generation strategy. We also provide a before-and-after performance snapshot so you can see exactly how your visibility and rankings improve.

That's exactly where we come in. GroHound can manage your profile for you — keeping it updated with posts, photos, and review responses so you get all the benefits of a well-maintained presence without it taking a single minute of your time.

You can — and it's worth doing over not having one at all. But most self-managed profiles are missing the elements that actually move the rankings needle: correct category combinations, keyword-optimized descriptions, service attributes, a review strategy, and regular posting activity. We go beyond basic setup to make your profile genuinely competitive.

Yes — that's the whole point. A properly optimized profile ranks higher in local searches, shows up in the Google Maps pack, builds trust through photos and reviews, and converts more profile visitors into calls, direction requests, and website clicks.

Absolutely. Over 65% of customers check Google reviews before visiting a business, and local searches like "near me" often lead directly to a booking. For most local businesses, an optimized GBP backed by steady reviews is one of the most cost-effective ways to grow — you're getting in front of customers at the exact moment they're ready to buy.

The three main factors Google uses for local ranking are relevance (how well your profile matches what someone searched for), distance (how close you are to the searcher), and prominence (how well-known and trusted your business is online). GroHound optimizes all three — particularly relevance and prominence, which are the most actionable.

You can claim your profile yourself by visiting google.com/business, searching for your business name, and following the verification steps — usually via postcard, phone, or email. If it all sounds like too much hassle, GroHound can handle the whole thing for you.

You can still have a fully active Google Business Profile. Just select "I deliver goods and services to my customers" during setup and define your service area instead of a fixed address — and you won't need to share your address publicly if you'd prefer not to. GroHound can help you set this up correctly so you still rank well in your target area.

At minimum, update it whenever anything changes — hours, phone number, services, or location. Beyond that, posting new photos, offers, and updates at least once a week signals to Google that your profile is active, which positively affects your ranking. It also gives potential customers fresh reasons to choose you over a competitor. GroHound can handle all of this for you.

Update your address in your Google Business Profile as soon as possible — incorrect information can seriously damage your ranking and send customers to the wrong place. GroHound can help you update it quickly and correctly.

You can update your hours at any time by logging into your profile and editing them directly — you can also add special hours for public holidays. If you'd rather not deal with it yourself, GroHound can manage your hours for you, including keeping your holiday hours always up to date.

Yes — and you should. Profiles with photos receive 42% more direction requests and 35% more website clicks than those without. GroHound can help you choose and upload the right photos to make a strong first impression.

Posts are short updates that appear directly on your profile — similar to social media posts but on Google itself. You can share offers, announcements, new products, or events. They help keep your profile active and give customers a reason to choose you. GroHound can create and schedule these for you.

Yes! The "Offer" post type lets you promote discounts and special deals directly on your profile with a start and end date. GroHound can create these for you and make sure they look professional.

You can reply to reviews directly by logging into your profile and clicking "Reply" under the Reviews tab. If you'd rather not manage this yourself, GroHound can handle review responses for you as part of our Review Management service.

Don't panic — one bad review won't ruin your reputation, especially if you respond to it professionally. GroHound can help you craft a calm, constructive reply that actually builds trust with future customers. If the review violates Google's policies, we can also help you flag it for removal.

That's okay — even a few strong, keyword-rich reviews can make a real difference to your ranking. GroHound sets up a review generation system that makes it easy for your happy customers to leave feedback. Each new review builds on the last, so the results compound over time.

Google provides built-in performance data inside your profile — showing how many people searched for you, called you, clicked for directions, or visited your website directly from your profile. These numbers can start moving quickly once key information is updated: a phone number or address change or booking link addition can result in more calls, direction requests or bookings within days. Ranking improvements from the broader optimization work tend to show over 2–4 weeks, while ongoing management — regular posts, photos, and review activity — is a longer-term play that compounds over months. GroHound reviews these stats with you and uses the data to keep improving your profile over time.

Yes! Google provides a performance dashboard inside your profile showing views, searches, calls, direction requests, and website clicks. GroHound can walk you through what the numbers mean and help you use them to make better decisions about your profile.

Yes — and you absolutely should. Linking your website to your GBP strengthens Google's "Prominence" score for your listing, which is a key local ranking factor. GroHound adds this as standard during optimization, and can build you a website if you don't have one yet.

GBP Optimization is a one-time investment — you pay once and the improvements stay. If you'd like us to manage your profile on an ongoing basis (regular posts, photos, review responses), that's a separate monthly plan with no lock-in contract. You can cancel the management plan anytime with 30 days' notice. Visit our Google Business Profile page for full pricing details.

A suspension means Google has flagged your profile for a policy issue — it is not uncommon and can happen for a range of reasons, including a recent profile update, an address change, a category edit, or simply Google's automated systems flagging something for review. GroHound has experience handling suspensions: we'll identify the cause, fix it, and submit a reinstatement request on your behalf to get your profile back up as quickly as possible.