Section 1: Basic Profile Setup (12 Items)
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Choose Your Primary Category — Research top competitors. Single most important GBP decision.
2
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Add Secondary Categories (2–9) — Expand the types of searches you're eligible for.
3
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Fill Every Field in GBP Dashboard — Description, opening date, attributes, service areas.
4
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Ensure NAP Consistency — Name, Address, Phone identical everywhere online, character-for-character.
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Add Service Areas (10–20 Cities or ZIPs) — Every area you actively want business from.
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Add All Relevant Attributes — ADA, women-owned, veteran-owned, emergency services, payment methods.
7
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Set Regular & Holiday Hours — Accurate hours for every day + all major holidays for 12 months ahead.
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Create a Short Name — Custom URL: google.com/maps/yourshortname.
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Reach 100% GBP Completion Score — Fill every field. Check monthly for new fields.
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Verify Contact Info Still Accurate — Monthly check.
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Confirm All Attributes Still Accurate — Monthly audit.
12
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Update Service Areas If You've Expanded — Keep this current as your business grows.
Section 2: Business Description & Services (4 Items)
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Write 750-Character Business Description — Specific services AND specific cities. Use every character.
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Add All Core Services (Minimum 20) — Break broad categories into specific services. Each is a keyword.
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Add Offers, Menus, or Pricing Lists — Transparency builds trust and improves conversion.
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Complete "From the Business" Section — Certifications, awards, differentiators, specialties.
Section 3: Photos & Videos (13 Items)
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Upload Logo (Min 720×720px) — Professional square logo. No stock images.
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Upload Cover Photo (Min 1024×576px) — Best visual representation of your business.
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Add 3+ Interior Photos — Verify real physical location, show professionalism and workspace.
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Add 3+ Exterior Photos — Help customers find you, verify location to Google.
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Add 3+ Team Photos — Humanize your business. Faces build trust and reduce uncertainty.
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Add 10+ Work Photos — Show completed projects across different service types.
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Upload 1–3 Videos (30–60 seconds each) — Team intro, facility tour, project time-lapse.
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Use Only Original Photos (No Stock) — Google's image recognition detects stock photos.
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Add New Photos Monthly — Consistent uploads signal active, engaged business.
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Enable Geotagging on All Business Photos — Location Services → Camera → While Using. Validates your physical location.
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Upload Geotagged Photos Weekly — Consistent geographic verification signals legitimacy.
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Set Up Photo Scheduling System — Consistency beats volume. Calendar reminders or automation.
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Organize Photo Library by Category — Exterior, interior, team, work, seasonal, events.
Section 4: Posts & Updates (6 Items)
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Publish Minimum 1 GBP Post Per Week — Signal active, engaged business. Pre-schedule 52 posts at once.
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Include City and Service in Each Post — Reinforce geographic relevance every single time.
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Never Reuse Old Post Content — Google detects duplicate posts. Each must be unique.
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Include a Photo with Every Post — Posts with photos outperform text-only posts significantly.
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Pre-Schedule 52 GBP Posts at Once — Batch-create a full year. Consistency during busy seasons.
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Monitor Post Performance — Track which post types get more views and engagement. Create more of what works.
Section 5: Customer Interaction (5 Items)
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Enable GBP Messaging Feature — Another conversion path. Respond within hours, not days.
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Add Booking Button to Scheduling Page — Calendly, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, etc.
38
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Preload 5–10 Q&A Items — Control the narrative. Address: emergency hours, service areas, licensing, payment, response time.
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Respond to All Customer Questions Within 24 Hours — Monitor weekly. Unanswered = inactive business signal.
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Monitor Q&A for Spam/Inappropriate Content — Flag competitor sabotage and spam immediately.
Section 6: Website Foundation (9 Items)
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Display NAP in Footer of Every Website Page — Consistent with GBP, character-for-character.
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Homepage Title Tag: [Service] in [City] | [Business Name] — Most important on-page SEO element.
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H1 Heading Matches Homepage Title Tag — Aligned title and H1 reinforce your primary message.
44
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Embed Google Map on Website — On contact/location page. Connects website to GBP.
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Mention All Secondary Categories on Homepage — List all main service categories clearly.
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Add Driving Directions & Landmarks Page — Hyperlocal content reinforces geographic relevance.
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Implement LocalBusiness Schema Markup — Yoast SEO plugin or Google's Markup Helper. Validate with Rich Results Test.
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Add Google Review Widget to Website — EmbedSocial, Elfsight, or Trustindex. Social proof on every page.
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Create Dedicated GBP Landing Page — Link to your profile, embedded reviews, map, CTA to leave a review.
Section 7: Website Structure (13 Items)
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One Optimized Homepage — Clear headline with service + city, service overview, trust signals, contact info.
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3–4 Service Category Pages — Broad pages: Residential, Commercial, Emergency, etc.
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25–30 Individual Service Pages — One dedicated page per specific service. 1,000+ words each.
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Service Page Names Match GBP Service Names Exactly — Character-for-character consistency.
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[Service] + [City] Keyword on Each Service Page — In title tag, H1, URL, and first paragraph.
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FAQ Section on Each Service Page — 5–10 questions. Targets featured snippets and question searches.
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Internal Links: Service Pages → Category Pages — Clear hierarchy for Google to understand your site structure.
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Service Schema Markup on Each Service Page — Service type, description, areas served, provider.
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One External Validation Link Per Service Page — Link to manufacturer specs, industry certifications, or safety standards.
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FAQs from Google's "People Also Ask" — Real questions real people are searching. Search your service + city.
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Research Questions from Reddit Industry Subreddits — Raw, unfiltered customer questions and concerns.
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Research Questions from Industry Forums — Contractor Talk, Nextdoor threads, Facebook groups.
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Mine Top Competitor Service Pages for FAQ Patterns — If 3+ competitors answer the same questions, cover them too.
Sections 8–13: Content, Geo, Analysis, Reviews & Links (60 Items)
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Short FAQ Answers on Service Pages (2–4 sentences) — Direct, scannable. Optimized for featured snippets.
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In-Depth Supporting Articles (1,000–2,000 words) — How-to guides, problem/solution, buying guides.
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Link Supporting Articles → Relevant Service Pages — Pass authority, guide readers toward conversion.
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Create How-To Content — "How to [do X]" — establishes expertise, converts DIYers to customers.
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Create "Why" Content — "Why [problem happens]" — educational, shows professional value.
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Create "When to Call a Professional" Content — Addresses the DIY vs. hiring decision point.
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Create Common Problems Content — "Most Common [service] Problems in [city]" — local and authoritative.
70
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Organize Content into Topic Silos — Group related content hierarchically. Clusters authority.
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Internal Linking: Connect All Related Pages — Descriptive anchor text. Never "click here."
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Create Pillar Pages for Major Service Categories — Comprehensive hub page linking to all related specific pages.
73
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Update All Content Quarterly — Review pricing, refresh examples, add new FAQs, fix broken links.
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Geographic Pages for Individual Neighborhoods — Rank for "[service] in Nichols Hills" not just "[service] Oklahoma City."
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Geographic Pages for Subdivisions — Housing developments people identify with by name.
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Geographic Pages Targeting Local Landmarks — "[Service] near [Mall/Hospital/School Name]"
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Geographic Pages Targeting Major Intersections — "[Service] near NW 122nd & May Avenue"
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Geographic Pages Targeting Parks & Recreation Areas — Popular local reference points.
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Geographic Pages Targeting Business Districts — "Commercial [Service] in Bricktown"
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Genuinely Local Content on Every Geographic Page — Never just swap city names. Real info: home ages, soil, infrastructure, common issues.
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Hyperlocal Photos on Geographic Pages — Geotagged photos actually taken in that specific neighborhood.
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Mention Area-Specific Characteristics — Home ages, common issues, soil types, infrastructure. Prove you know the area.
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Internal Links: Geographic Pages → Service Pages — Connect geographic and service content together.
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Build Local Backlinks to Geographic Pages — Sponsor area events, join neighborhood organizations.
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Partner with Neighborhood Organizations — Community involvement creates genuine, relevant link opportunities.
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Run City-Wide Rank Map — Understand exactly where you're strong and where you're invisible.
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7×7 Grid for Smaller Cities (50K–150K pop) — 49 test points gives adequate coverage.
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13×13 Grid for Larger Cities (150K+ pop) — 169 test points for granular analysis.
89
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Identify & Document Green Zones (Top 3 Rankings) — Understand what's working and why.
90
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Identify & Document Yellow Zones (Positions 4–10) — Prioritize for improvement toward top 3.
91
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Identify & Document Red Zones (Not Ranking) — Primary targets for geographic content creation.
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Document Weak Zones — Create Content Roadmap — Turn your rank map gaps into a content creation priority list.
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Calculate Top 3% KPI Monthly — (Green points ÷ Total points) × 100. Your primary success metric.
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Top 3% Under 20%: Focus on Topical Authority — Build authority before expanding geographically.
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Top 3% 20–60%: Balance Topical + Geographic Content — 50/50 split: authority building and local expansion.
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Top 3% 60–80%: Shift to Geographic Expansion — You have authority. Now expand your footprint.
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Top 3% 80–100%: Expand to Nearby Towns — Dominate adjacent markets with city-specific pages.
98
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Maintain 4.5+ Star Average Rating — Below 4.3 actively damages rankings.
99
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Request Reviews After Every Completed Job — Within 24–48 hours while experience is fresh.
100
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Automate Review Requests via SMS/Email — GoHighLevel Customer Completion Snapshot handles the entire workflow.
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Respond to Every Review Within 24–48 Hours — 100% response rate. Never skip a review.
102
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Use Personal, Non-Template Review Responses — Reference specific details from each review. Google detects templates.
103
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Ask Customers to Mention Service and City in Review — Keyword-rich reviews help rankings. Suggest context, never script.
104
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Check Weekly for Fake/Suspicious Reviews — Early detection enables faster removal.
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Report Spam Reviews Promptly — Three dots → "Flag as inappropriate" with clear explanation.
106
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Maintain Review Velocity (2–4+ per month minimum) — Consistent flow is more important than burst campaigns.
107
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Diversify Review Platforms — Google is #1, but also Yelp, Facebook, and industry-specific sites.
108
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Monitor Review Trends for Operational Signals — Repeated mentions of same issue = fixable business problem.
109
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Feature Best Reviews on Website and Marketing — Display social proof everywhere potential customers look.
110
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Respond to Negative Reviews Professionally (2–3 sentences max) — Acknowledge, reference standards, offer offline resolution.
111
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Create Review Funnels — Direct review link in emails, texts, invoices. Remove every friction point.
112
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Minimum 1 Medium-Quality Backlink Per Service Page — Real, relevant, from a legitimate website with actual traffic.
113
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Backlinks from Industry Organizations — Trade associations, professional certifications, PHCC, BBB.
114
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Backlinks from Suppliers and Partners — Certified installer pages, authorized dealer directories.
115
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Educational Resource Citations — Expert content worth citing. Guest posts, industry interviews, original research.
116
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Manufacturer References Where Applicable — Certified installer/dealer directory listings.
117
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Join 2–4 Chambers of Commerce — Primary city + 2–3 surrounding cities. Member directories provide quality local links.
118
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Partner with Local Charities — Sponsor nonprofits for community goodwill and quality local links.
119
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Sponsor Local Sports Teams — Youth leagues, high school, community. Jerseys + website recognition.
120
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Advertise in Local Newspapers — Print and online. Advertiser directory links + community visibility.
121
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Collaborate with Local Bloggers — Home/lifestyle content creators, community influencers, local publications.
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Focus All Partnerships Within 70-Mile Radius — Geographic proximity to linking sites reinforces local relevance.