Your Google Business Profile is the single most powerful free tool available to an Irish tradesperson. It is what puts you on Google Maps, gets you into the local map pack at the top of search results, and shows customers your reviews, photos, and contact details.
If you have not set one up yet, stop what you are doing and do it today. If you have one but it is half-finished, this guide will show you how to get it right.
What Is a Google Business Profile?
When you search for “painter Dundalk” on Google, you see a map with three businesses listed below it. Each of those listings is a Google Business Profile. They include the business name, rating, address, phone number, and a link to the website.
That is prime real estate. It appears before the regular search results. Most people click on one of those three listings without scrolling further.
Getting into that map pack, or at least appearing in Google Maps results, starts with your Google Business Profile.
Step 1: Claim or Create Your Profile
Go to google.com/business and sign in with a Google account.
Search for your business name. If a listing already exists (sometimes Google creates them automatically from public data), claim it. If not, create a new one.
You will need to verify that you are the real owner. Google usually does this by sending a postcard to your business address with a verification code, though some businesses can verify by phone or email.
Step 2: Fill in Your Business Name
Use your real business name exactly as it appears on your van, your invoices, and your website. Do not add extra keywords into your business name. “Dundalk Painter SEO Best Reviews” is not your business name and Google may suspend your listing for it.
Step 3: Choose the Right Category
This is more important than most people realise. Your primary category tells Google what type of business you are. Be as specific as possible.
Some examples:
- Painter and Decorator (not just Contractor)
- Roofing Contractor (not Building Contractor)
- Garden Centre (not Home Services)
- Electrician (not Tradesperson)
You can add secondary categories too. If you do both painting and plastering, add both.
Step 4: Add Your Location and Service Area
If you work from a premises that customers visit, add your full address. If you work from home and do not want your home address public, you can choose to hide the address and just show your service area instead.
Add every county, town, and area you regularly work in as your service area. If you cover all of Co. Louth plus Monaghan and Meath, list them all.
Step 5: Add Your Phone Number and Website
Use the phone number you actually answer. If customers ring on a different number to the one on your website, that inconsistency weakens your local SEO.
Add your website URL. If you do not have a website yet, this is one more reason to get one.
Step 6: Set Your Opening Hours
Be accurate. If you take calls from 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday, say so. If you do emergency call-outs outside those hours, you can add special hours for that.
Customers make decisions based on your hours. Do not put 9 to 5 if you actually answer at 7am.
Step 7: Write Your Business Description
You have 750 characters. Use them well. Write naturally about what you do, where you work, and what customers can expect from you. Mention your key services and locations in a way that reads like a human wrote it.
Example: “We are a family-run painting and decorating company based in Dundalk, serving Co. Louth, Co. Monaghan, and Co. Meath. We specialise in interior and exterior painting, wallpaper hanging, and commercial painting. Fully insured. Free quotes. All work guaranteed.”
That tells Google and customers exactly who you are and where you work.
Step 8: Add Your Services
There is a dedicated services section in your profile. Add every service you offer with a short description. This helps Google match your profile to more search terms.
If you are a roofer, add: flat roofing, pitched roofing, roof repairs, guttering, fascia and soffit replacement, and so on.
Step 9: Add Photos
Google says businesses with photos receive 42 percent more requests for directions and 35 percent more clicks to their website than those without.
Add at least 10 photos to start:
- A few before and after shots from recent jobs
- Your van or equipment
- A photo of you or your team
- Any completed projects you are proud of
Keep adding photos regularly. Active profiles rank better than dormant ones.
Step 10: Get Your First Reviews
An empty Google Business Profile with no reviews will not convert many customers. Once your profile is live, reach out to recent customers and ask them to leave a review.
Send them a direct link to your review page. To get that link, open your Google Business Profile, click “Get more reviews”, and it will generate a short link you can share by text or WhatsApp.
Five honest reviews from real customers is enough to start building trust. Keep asking after every job.
Keeping Your Profile Active
Google rewards active profiles. After setup, keep your profile alive by:
- Posting updates every few weeks (a photo of a finished job, a seasonal tip, a service highlight)
- Responding to every review, positive or negative
- Answering any questions customers ask through the profile
- Adding new photos regularly
This is not a set-and-forget tool. The businesses at the top of local search are the ones maintaining their profiles consistently.
Need Help Getting Set Up?
If you just want it done properly from the start, our SEO Pro package includes Google Business Profile setup and optimisation as part of the service.
Written by Maebh Collins
ACA qualified, Dundalk-based. I build websites and write SEO content for trade businesses across Ireland and the UK. If you have questions, get in touch.