Gmb Client Setup Playbook

Full process guide for setting up a Google Business Profile for a client. Includes the client questionnaire, screen-by-screen setup walkthrough, and post-setup checklist.

June 30, 20267 min read

This is the complete internal playbook for setting up a Google Business Profile for a client from scratch. Use this every time a new client needs GMB setup.

Step 1: Send the Client Questionnaire

Send this over email or WhatsApp before touching anything. Do not start setup until you have the answers.

BUSINESS INFORMATION

  1. Full legal business name (exactly as registered):
  2. Business phone number (the one clients should call):
  3. Business email address (for the profile):
  4. Do you have a fixed office/shop address, or do you travel to clients only?
  5. All cities/areas you currently serve:

HOURS AND OPERATIONS

  1. Business hours (e.g. Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-4pm):
  2. Do you take calls or jobs on weekends or holidays? (Yes / No / Emergency only):

SERVICES AND CREDENTIALS

  1. List all services you offer:
  2. Which 2-3 services are your specialty or most in demand?
  3. Are you licensed? (Yes / No):
  4. Are you insured? (Yes / No):
  5. Are you WSIB covered? (Yes / No — Canada only):
  6. Year the business was founded:

ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS

  1. In 3-5 sentences, describe your business, what you do, how long you have been doing it, and what makes you different:

PHOTOS

  1. Your business logo (PNG format, transparent background if possible):
  2. 10-20 of your best project photos (mix of all service types):
  3. Any before and after photos:
  4. A photo of yourself or the team:

EXISTING ONLINE PRESENCE

  1. Do you have a Facebook or Instagram page? If yes, share the links:
  2. Are you already listed on HomeStars, Yelp, or any other directory? If yes, which ones:

Missing hours? Send this WhatsApp follow-up:

Hey! One quick thing I still need before I finish setting up your Google profile. What are your regular working hours? For example: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 10am-3pm. And on weekends, is it emergency calls only, or do you take regular project bookings too?

Missing mailing address for verification? Send this:

Hey, one more quick thing. Google needs a mailing address just to verify the business (it stays completely hidden from the public, no one will see it). Can you share your home address or any address where you can receive mail? Street, city, province, postal code.

Step 2: Decide the Primary Category

Before opening Google Business Profile, decide the primary category based on the business type:

  • Multi-service renovation/contractor: General Contractor
  • Kitchen only: Kitchen Remodeler
  • Plumber only: Plumber
  • Electrician only: Electrician
  • Single specialty: use the most specific category that exists in Google's list

Rule: if the business does more than one type of work, use the broader category as primary and add specific ones as secondary later.

Step 3: Setup Walkthrough (Screen by Screen)

Go to business.google.com and sign in with the client's Gmail.

Screen 1: Business name Enter the full legal name exactly as registered. "Inc", "Ltd", "Co" are important if they are part of the legal name.

Screen 2: Choose your business type

  • Storefront: customers come to them
  • Service business: they go to customers
  • Online retail: sales through website
  • Select all that apply. Most contractors are service business only.

Screen 3: Business category Enter the primary category decided in Step 2. Click Next.

Screen 4: Contact details

  • Phone number: use the main client number
  • Website: enter if live. Leave blank if not built yet.
  • Chat: enable Text message, use the same phone number

Screen 5: Verify — mailing address This address is hidden from the public. Use the client's home address or any address where they receive mail. No PO boxes.

Screen 6: Do you want to add a location customers can visit?

  • Service area business with no storefront: select No
  • Physical store or office: select Yes and enter the address
  • This can be updated later when they open an office

Screen 7: Add your services Click "Show more" to see the full list. Select every service that honestly matches what the business does. Use official list entries where possible. Add custom services only for things not on the list. Do not add services the business does not offer.

Screen 8: Add business hours Set exact hours for each day. Mark closed days explicitly. If hours are not confirmed yet, click Skip and update from the dashboard after.

Screen 9: Add business description Do not use the client's generic description. Write one that includes:

  • All cities they serve
  • Their specific services
  • Their credentials (insured, licensed, WSIB)
  • A call to action

Template:

[Business name] is a fully insured, WSIB-covered [type] serving [city list]. We specialize in [top 3 services], with competitive pricing across all projects. Our team includes in-house licensed [trades if applicable], so you get complete work under one contractor. Contact us for a free estimate.

Character limit: 750. Use most of it.

Screen 10: Add a storefront photo Service area businesses have no storefront. Click Skip.

Screen 11: Add photos of your work Upload the best 3-5 project photos now. More can be added from the dashboard.

Screen 12: CA$600 Google Ads credit (Canada) Click "Claim your credit." This saves the credit to the account. No ads run automatically. The credit requires spending a matching amount to unlock. Complete the minimum ad setup steps, then pause the campaign immediately after. Do not leave it running.

Screen 13: Final screen Click Continue. Setup is complete. Verification is pending.

Step 4: Complete the Profile from the Dashboard

After setup, go to Edit Profile and complete these sections:

Secondary categories (add after primary):

  • For contractors: Kitchen Remodeler, Bathroom Remodeler, Basement Remodeler
  • Match to the actual services offered

Service areas: Add every city the client serves individually. Do not add entire provinces or regions.

Cover photo: The best single project photo. Criteria:

  • Wide angle showing the full scope of work
  • No people, no toilets in frame, no unfinished elements
  • Best lighting, most finishes visible in one shot

Logo: Upload under "Add a logo" in the Photos section.

Booking URL: Add the contact page URL under Bookings. Format: https://domain.com/contact

More tab attributes: Work through every applicable sub-section:

  • Owned by (woman-owned, veteran-owned, etc.)
  • Accessibility
  • Amenities (Wi-Fi, outdoor seating)
  • Service options

Step 5: Photos — What to Upload and What to Skip

Upload:

  • Completed project photos with good lighting
  • Wide angle shots showing multiple finishes
  • Clean spaces with no clutter or people visible

Skip:

  • Unfinished work (wires visible, blue tape, materials lying around)
  • Rotated or sideways photos
  • Abstract close-up shots (floor corners, ceiling details)
  • Photos with people's reflections in mirrors
  • Photos where a toilet or bathroom clutter dominates the frame

Ask the client to retake any photo that shows great work but has a fixable issue (wrong orientation, bad angle). Premium work deserves premium photos.

Step 6: Verification

Google sends a postcard to the mailing address provided. It arrives in 5-14 days.

When it arrives, the client will see a 5-digit code on the card. They send it to you, you enter it in the dashboard under the verification prompt, and the profile goes live publicly.

WhatsApp message to send the client:

Hey! The Google verification postcard should be arriving at your address soon. Once you receive it, send me the 5-digit code on the postcard and I will enter it to make the profile go live.

Step 7: Post-Verification Tasks

Once verified and live:

  1. Get first reviews immediately. Ask the client to contact 3-5 past customers or family members who have seen their work and ask them to leave a Google review. A profile with zero reviews ranks poorly. Even 3 reviews changes visibility.

  2. List on HomeStars (Canada) or Yelp. Consistent name, phone, and address across directories signals credibility to Google.

  3. Add a post. Go to Add Update in the dashboard and post one project photo with a short caption. Google uses post activity as a freshness signal.

  4. Confirm special hours before every major holiday. Even if hours do not change, Google flags unconfirmed hours on holidays. Takes 30 seconds to confirm.

Common Gotchas

Client has no hours confirmed: Skip the hours screen during setup. Add from dashboard once confirmed. Never enter 24 hours as a placeholder.

Business already exists on Google Maps: Search before creating. If a partial listing exists, claim it instead of creating a new one. Claiming is faster.

Rotated photos from iPhone: iPhones sometimes save photos sideways. Ask the client to check orientation before sending. Do not upload sideways photos.

Generic client description: Never use it. Rewrite every time with city names, services, and credentials. The generic version has zero SEO value.

Ad credit setup: Claiming the CA$600 credit starts an ad campaign flow. Complete the minimum steps to save the credit, then immediately pause the campaign. Do not leave it active without the client's approval and billing setup.

Verification postcard takes too long: If no postcard after 14 days, go to the dashboard and request a new one. There is also a video verification option as an alternative.

The Essentials

  1. Get the questionnaire answered fully before starting. Missing hours or address causes unnecessary back-and-forth mid-setup.
  2. Never use the client's own description. Always rewrite it with city names, services, and credentials for local SEO.
  3. Photo quality matters as much as quantity. 8 great photos beat 20 mediocre ones. Rotated and unfinished photos hurt credibility.

Further Reading and Watching