Most local businesses lose rankings on tiny profile mistakes. Here's the exact checklist we run on every new client.
You don't need to be a marketing expert to outrank your local competitors — you need to be complete. Google's local ranking algorithm rewards businesses that dot every i and cross every t. In our experience auditing hundreds of Indian local businesses, these 12 gaps show up again and again.
Your profile name should match your registered business name. Adding keywords like "best plumber in Pune" to the name is against Google's guidelines and can get your profile suspended.
Use a number with the correct country code (+91) and keep it identical across your website, directories and profile. Inconsistency confuses Google's matching system.
Set your service area honestly. Businesses with service areas should list them precisely instead of a huge radius that dilutes relevance.
Pick your primary category carefully — it's the single strongest category signal — then add 2–3 accurate secondary categories.
Profiles with 100+ photos get dramatically more clicks. Post real photos of your work, your team and your premises on a schedule.
Add every service with a description and price range. This is free SEO — Google can now match you for those exact service terms.
Ask (and answer) the questions customers actually ask you in person. This is a ranking signal many competitors ignore.
Google weighs fresh reviews heavily. A steady trickle of new reviews every month beats a spike followed by silence. Never buy or incentivize reviews.
Respond to 100% of reviews within a week — especially the negative ones. Engagement is a ranking factor and a trust factor.
Link your website, make sure it's mobile-first and fast. Google checks the landing experience for the keywords you want to rank for.
Your Name, Address, Phone must match everywhere — website, Yelp, Justdial, directories. We build citations on 50+ platforms for clients.
Google Posts are indexed and appear in your profile. Use them for offers, events and updates every month.
Fix the free stuff first (items 1–5), then build momentum with reviews and posts (8–12). Most of our clients see movement in 60–90 days once the profile is complete and citations start matching.