Google Business Profile Optimization: For Painting Companies

Your painting company’s Google Business Profile (formally “Google My Business” or “GMB”) includes all the relevant information customers need when conducting a local search. Think of your Google Business Profile as the base of your online marketing. Use it properly and you provide the key information that leads people to your website.

It also helps Google see you are legitimate and local. Filling out every applicable field in your account provides accurate information that Google needs. Keep your information up to date so it remains consistent across all your online channels, and you improve your “rankability” on Google.

As a free tool, your Google Business Profile holds a lot of clout when it comes to your SEO and local search ranking. The trick is knowing how to optimize your painting business’ profile to outrank your competition. Here’s how.

Before we get started it’s important you have have a verified Google Business Profile already created. This typically involves confirming a phone number (phone call with verification code) or a physical business address (postcard with verification code) depending on what information Google has already verified in the past. Note that changes to your GBP can take several days, or even weeks to begin reflecting in search results and on Google Maps. So be patient, the payoff for having a well optimized GBP for your painting business is priceless.

Ensure that you have an active Google account then click the button below to get started. If you already have an active GBP you can skip to the next step.

Always use a local phone number for your primary contact to show Google and customers:

Unless you are leveraging call tracking you should always use the same phone number on your website, social media, and any other online business listing. If Google identifies multiple numbers tied to the same business it can lead to GBP penalties due to a NAP (name, address, phone number) mismatch.

Google Business Profile has a standard, free call tracking feature, or “call history” as Google labels it. This can be accessed under the Info tab. The primary phone number field should be used for your main business number, Google will automatically assign a tracking number when a lead clicks the “Call” button in Google search results or in Google Maps. This allows you to optimize your NAP while still being able to track calls and determine which source is generating your leads.

When your customers search for your painting business online they typically avoid general terms like “painting companies”. For instance, someone looking for “cabinet refinishing” will search for that specific term. To rank well for these service-specific searches it’s critical that you include all of the services you offer under the Services section of your GBP.

Choose the right service categories to increase your chances of top ranking for relevant searches. Instead of choosing “General Contractor”, “Painter” works best as a primary category for painting businesses. At the time of writing this article Google currently allows for 10 primary categories. Choose the fewest number of categories it takes to describe your overall core business.

If you offer another service in additional to painting, such as pressure washing, you would want to list that as a separate primary category with its own subcategories.

Located under the Info tab, your business description should engage prospects so they know you can handle their project. Your unique selling point should be front and center with no more than two high-value keywords. For example, you should be clear on whether you offer commercial painting, residential painting, or both. Use words to instill trust, not salesy copy or offers. You have a 750 character limit so make sure you leverage every letter to stand out as trustworthy and experienced.

Jump over to the Photos tab for this one. Your work is highly visual, so pictures are the best way to tell your story. You can upload either JPEGS or PNGs no larger than 5MB. Include your logo as well as an impressive cover photo in hand with images such as before and after shots, or your team at work. Avoid poor quality shots as this takes away from your trustworthiness and professionalism.

Google allows you to use your GBP much like a social media platform. You can post news, images, specials, a recent project, etc. to help improve SEO while allowing people to learn more about your brand. Include a call to action on posts to increase leads.

We find that reposting your blog to this feature works best for generating more traffic to your website.

Customers can use the Q&A section to not just ask questions, but also raise concerns. Because of this, you need to keep an eye on this section and make sure the information is accurate. When you track your Q&As you ensure the answers are provided by your team quickly and you help increase engagement and awareness. Otherwise, customers can provide their own answers which could be misleading.

The best way to maintain a positive review status is to ask your happy customers to provide reviews. This improves your online credibility and will push your painting business up the search results page on both Google and Google Maps. These reviews also provide a quick visual reference for prospects looking for a painting company they can trust. Be sure to monitor and respond quickly to negative reviews to help save your online reputation.

An easy way to obtain new reviews is to grab your Google Business Profile reviews link located under the Home tab, then share that link with past customers via text and email.

Along with your website address include your social media links to encourage customer engagement. Social media also helps improve your online credibility. Keep posts up to date to help build authority and ensure your NAP is consistent with your website and profile.

Avoid Google penalties by using best practices for your profile management. Follow their guidelines to remain on the up and up or you’ll suffer the consequences of suppressed ranking.

All this attention to your GBP will go to waste if you fail to optimize your website. Optimize your content with painting appropriate keywords and include title tags and meta descriptions. High-quality content in hand with speedy loading, responsive design and pages that are geo-modified for local searches optimize your site. Your Google Business Profile not only provides customers with crucial information about your business but also impacts your SEO.