A Google Business Profile checklist for SA trades.

Checklist before you call it done

Business identity

• Business name matches how you trade (no keyword stuffing in the name)
• Primary category matches the real trade (electrician, plumber, solar energy contractor, construction company, or the closest accurate option)
• Additional categories only if they are true for the business

Where and how you work

• Service areas reflect places you actually serve
• Hours are current, including public holidays if you publish them
• If you offer emergency call-outs, only say so when you truly provide them

Contact and website

• Phone number is the number you answer
• WhatsApp number is correct if you show it
• Website link points to the live site (not an old domain or a social page you abandoned)
• Same NAP-style details appear on the website footer and Connect pages

Services and proof

• Services list matches what you sell today
• Photos are yours to use: vans, team (with consent), real jobs with permission
• Descriptions stay factual. No invented review scores or "#1 in town" claims

Hygiene

• Profile is claimed and verified (Google's process)
• Old phone numbers and closed locations are removed
• You have a habit for updating the profile when details change

How the profile and website split the work

The profile answers: who are you, where are you, are you open, how do I call or message you? The website answers: what does this service include, what should I prepare for a quote, what areas do you cover in detail, and what should I send on WhatsApp?

Elevate includes Google Business Profile assistance on Rise and Elevate where the business is eligible. Spark focuses on the website and WhatsApp path without ongoing SEO. Assistance means help setting up or correcting the profile inside Google's rules. It does not mean Elevate can force approval or rankings.