Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first thing customers see about you — before your website, before your social media. It shows up in Google Maps and in the local results at the top of a search, and it’s free. Yet many Alberta businesses have profiles that are half-finished or years out of date.

Use this checklist to get yours in shape. Most of it takes an afternoon; the rest is a few minutes a week.

1. Ownership and verification

  • Claim your profile at business.google.com and complete verification.
  • Make sure the owner account is yours, not a former employee’s or an old agency’s. Add others as managers instead of sharing your login.
  • Remove or report duplicate listings for the same business.

2. Name, address and phone

  • Use your real business name exactly as it appears on your signage and paperwork — no added keywords or locations.
  • Use a real address where you meet customers, or hide your address and set service areas if you travel to customers.
  • Use a local phone number (780, 587, 403, 825 or 368 area codes) and keep it identical on your website and other listings.

3. Categories

  • Choose the most specific primary category that describes your main business.
  • Add a handful of secondary categories for other things you genuinely do.
  • Check what categories your top-ranking competitors use for ideas — but only add ones that are true for you.

4. Service areas (for businesses that travel)

  • List the cities and neighbourhoods you actually serve — Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Leduc, and so on.
  • Keep it realistic. Google suggests not extending your service area too far beyond where you’re based.

5. Hours

  • Set accurate regular hours.
  • Add special hours for statutory holidays — Family Day, Heritage Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas — before they arrive.
  • If you answer calls after hours (for example with an AI receptionist), say so in your description rather than listing 24-hour hours you don’t keep.

6. Description, services and products

  • Write a clear description (up to 750 characters) covering what you do, who you serve and where. Write for people, not keywords.
  • Fill in the Services section with each service and a short description.
  • Add products or packages if relevant, with prices where you’re comfortable sharing them.
  • Fill in attributes that apply: wheelchair accessible, online appointments, women-owned, and so on.

7. Photos and video

  • Upload a clear logo and a cover photo.
  • Add real photos of your exterior (so people can find you), interior, team and work.
  • Add new photos regularly — monthly is a good habit. Stock photos don’t help.
  • Short videos of your work or space are a nice bonus.

8. Website and booking links

  • Link to your website — ideally a fast, mobile-friendly page with your phone number visible.
  • Add your booking or appointment link if you use online booking.
  • Make sure the details on your website match your profile exactly.

9. Reviews

  • Get your direct review link (our free review link generator does this in 30 seconds).
  • Ask every customer for an honest review — never offer incentives or only ask happy customers.
  • Reply to every review, positive or negative, within a couple of days.
  • Consider an NFC review card or QR stand at your counter — see Google review cards.

10. Posts and updates

  • Post an update weekly: a recent job, a seasonal tip, an offer, an event.
  • Include a photo and a clear button (call, book, learn more).
  • Use offer posts for genuine promotions with dates.

11. Questions and answers

  • Check the Q&A section regularly and answer questions quickly.
  • Add your own frequently asked questions and answers — parking, payment methods, service area.

Mistakes that can get a profile suspended

  • Adding keywords or locations to your business name.
  • Using a virtual office, mailbox or co-working address you don’t actually operate from.
  • Creating more than one profile for the same business at the same location.
  • Posting fake reviews or reviewing yourself.

Use the Performance report

Your Business Profile includes free performance data: how many people viewed your profile, what they searched to find you, and how many called, asked for directions or visited your website. Check it once a month. You’ll learn which searches bring people to you (often different from what you expect), whether calls are rising as your reviews grow, and which months are busiest — useful for planning posts and offers.

A quick monthly review

  • Are your hours, phone number and website link still correct?
  • Did you add new photos this month?
  • Have you replied to every new review and question?
  • Has anyone suggested an edit to your profile? Google sometimes accepts public edits — check that nothing changed without you knowing.
  • Are your services and prices still current?

Keep it going

A complete profile is the foundation, but an active one ranks and converts better. Ten minutes a week — a post, a few photos, replies to new reviews — keeps you ahead of most competitors. For how your profile fits into the bigger ranking picture, read how to rank on Google Maps in Edmonton.

Short on time? Aethely’s Growth plan includes Google Business Profile management with weekly posts, and Pro adds full local SEO. Or start with a free local SEO check to see what your profile is missing.