Google Business Profile, done properly.

Head to business.google.com and search for your business name plus address. If it already exists on Google Maps, click Claim this business. If not, use Add your business.

Google will verify ownership by phone, email, video, or postcard. Postcard is the slowest (5–14 days) but the most reliable. Whichever method you pick, don't try to skip it. An unverified listing is invisible in Maps.

Google favours listings that are complete. Fill in every field it lets you fill in: business name (exactly as it appears on your signage), physical address, phone, website, business hours, and the most specific category available (“HVAC Contractor” beats “Contractor”).

Add secondary categories only if they genuinely apply. Miscategorising to grab extra search visibility is a common mistake, and Google penalises it.

Ten photos beats zero. Twenty beats ten. Include a storefront or exterior shot, interior shots, team photos, and photos of the actual work you do. Real photos beat stock every time. Google is smart enough to detect stock imagery and ranks it lower.

Update photos every three months. Fresh photos are a ranking signal.

Reviews are the single biggest lever for local Maps ranking. Ask every happy customer, in person, with a simple sentence: “If you have thirty seconds, a Google review would mean a lot.” Give them a direct link to your review page (Google Business Profile, then Get more reviews, then Share).

Reply to every review, positive or negative. Public, professional replies to bad reviews often convert readers better than the original review does.

Google Business Profile has a “Posts” feature almost nobody uses. A short update once a week (a new service, a seasonal offer, a photo from a recent job) keeps your listing active in Google's eyes and adds surface area for keyword matches.

It takes ten minutes. Set a recurring calendar reminder.