When someone’s boiler dies at 7am, they do not browse, they tap the first result in the map pack. Here is the exact setup that gets you there. Twenty minutes, in order.
Minutes 0 to 3: categories, plural
Primary category: Plumber. Not “Contractor”, not “Home services”. Then add secondary categories: Gas engineer, Heating contractor, Drainage service, each one you genuinely do. Categories are the single biggest ranking lever you control.
Categories are the single biggest ranking lever you control. Pick “Plumber”, not “Contractor”.
Minutes 3 to 8: services, written like searches
Add every service with its own line, phrased the way panicked people type:
- Emergency boiler repair
- Burst pipe repair
- Blocked drain clearance
- Boiler servicing
- Landlord gas safety certificate
Not “Plumbing solutions”. Google matches words; write the words they search.
Minutes 8 to 13: photos that prove you exist
Upload ten: your van (signage visible), you on a job, before/after shots, your tools, your face. Profiles with real photos get measurably more calls. Stock photos of wrenches do the opposite.
Minutes 13 to 16: opening hours + emergency line
Set standard hours, then use the description’s first line for the emergency offer: “24/7 emergency call-out across Camden, Kentish Town and Primrose Hill, fixed call-out fee, answered by a plumber.” Specifics again.
Minutes 16 to 20: seed your Q&A
Yes, you can ask and answer your own questions. Add three:
- “Do you charge a call-out fee?” → your honest answer with the number.
- “How fast can you get to [area]?” → your honest answer with the time.
- “Are you Gas Safe registered?” → yes + registration number.
This pre-answers the three questions every emergency caller has.
The whole twenty minutes in one table:
| Minutes | What you do | Why it wins call-outs |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | Set the primary category to Plumber, add the real secondary ones | Categories are the biggest ranking lever you control |
| 3 to 8 | List services phrased the way panicked people type | Google matches words, so write the words they search |
| 8 to 13 | Upload ten real photos: van, jobs, tools, your face | Profiles with real photos get measurably more calls |
| 13 to 16 | Set hours, lead the description with the emergency offer | Specifics beat generic “24/7 plumbing” |
| 16 to 20 | Seed three Q&A pairs with honest, numbered answers | Pre-answers the three questions every emergency caller has |
The part that is not 20 minutes: reviews
One review a week beats fifty in a month. After every job, same text: “Glad we got it sorted, a Google review genuinely helps us: [link].” The link from your GBP dashboard, saved in your phone.
Or we do it for you
GBP optimisation is £149 alongside any Starter build: categories, services, photos, Q&A and the review flow, done for you via manager access. Verification timing is Google’s, usually days, occasionally weeks, and we say that up front.