What gets ignored most often
Walking through the average Kansas small-business GBP, the missing fields cluster predictably:
- Description field is empty or under 200 characters (should be 700+).
- Only 2-3 photos uploaded (should be 20+).
- Hours don't reflect holidays.
- Service area or product list is empty.
- No GBP posts in months.
- Reviews go unanswered.
The primary category is the biggest single signal
Google uses the primary category as the strongest signal for which queries you'll appear for in local pack and Maps results. Pick the most specific category that fits — not the most general.
- Wrong: "Contractor."
- Right: "HVAC Contractor," "Plumber," "Roofing Contractor," "Electrician."
- Don't pick "Business Service" if a more specific category exists.
- Use secondary categories (up to 9 additional) for related services you offer.
What photos actually move the needle
Google's research on photo engagement shows certain photo types drive more clicks and calls than others. Upload all of these:
- Exterior — the storefront or building with signage. Helps customers find you in person.
- Interior — workspace, lobby, showroom. Builds trust pre-call.
- Team — real photos of the actual team members. Faces beat stock photos.
- Equipment / trucks — branded trucks, gear, tools.
- Completed jobs / before-after — proof of work, in-context.
- Logo — high-resolution, square crop.
- Cover photo — high-quality landscape, 1080x608 or larger.
How to write the description
The 700+ character description should: name what you do (specifically), name where you serve (specifically), name what makes you different (concretely), and end with a call to action. Don't keyword-stuff. Don't repeat "Hays Kansas HVAC repair" 12 times — Google penalizes it. Write the description for a human.
Weekly GBP posts
GBP posts are an underused surface. Google rewards active profiles. Post weekly at minimum:
- Offers (current promotion, seasonal special).
- Updates (new service, new hire, new equipment).
- Events (sponsoring, attending, hosting).
- Service highlights (a specific service with a 1-2 sentence explainer).
- Each post: 150-300 words, one photo, clear CTA, link to the relevant page on your site.
Review management cadence
Reviews need active management, not passive accumulation. Two practices:
- Ship automated review-request after every closed job. Aim for at least 4-8 new reviews per month.
- Respond to every review within 48 hours. Use the business name and city in the response (signals).
- For negative reviews: respond publicly with empathy + an offer to resolve offline. Never argue in public.
- Aim for 4.5+ stars across 50+ reviews to compete in Kansas markets.