Set up a Google Business Profile and reach the map results

What Google weighs at this point

• Distance between the person searching and your registered location
• How complete the profile is: categories, services, hours, photos, attributes
• The number, recency and answering of your reviews
• Name, address and phone number written identically across the web
• A website that covers the same service and the same place in its content

The mistake that costs the most

Inconsistent address data. “St.” on the website, “Street” in the profile, an old phone number in a directory from six years ago. Google compares these entries and pushes back businesses where they diverge. The first step is therefore always an inventory of every listing that already exists about you.

Reviews: the lawful route

Buying reviews is unlawful in Germany and is caught regularly. What works is dull and still rarely done: ask right after the job, by WhatsApp or SMS, with a link that opens the review window directly rather than the Google home page. I set that up to run automatically, so it also happens in a busy week.

What you end up with

• Profile cleaned and complete
• Address data identical everywhere
• Review request automated