LOCAL SEO / PRACTICAL GUIDE
How to audit a Google Business Profile
Check eligibility and identity before optimizing a local profile. Then follow the customer route from the public listing to an accurate landing page.
Establish what the profile represents
List the actual business, location or service area represented by the profile. Ask who is authorized to manage it. A profile audit should not begin by changing a category while the team is unsure whether the location details are correct.
The business name should describe the real business. Keep evidence for the public address or service area and check it against the operating model. A website serving several countries does not establish eligibility for a local office in each country.
Work through a correction checklist
| Check | Evidence to use | Completion check |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Actual business name and authorized management | Public details match the business |
| Hours | Current operating schedule | Normal and special hours reviewed |
| Destination | Real location or service-area page | Page loads and provides accurate information |
| Customer route | Permitted contact or booking channel | Visitor can complete the intended next step |
Inspect the destination as a customer
Open the website link from the public profile. The page should identify the relevant business and give useful information about the location or service area. A generic homepage can create friction when the visitor expects a specific branch.
Check the page on a phone. Read the hours and service details, follow the permitted contact route and note any disagreement with the profile. A working link is only the beginning of this check.
Separate relevance from distance
Google describes relevance, distance and prominence as local ranking considerations. You can correct misleading business information and improve a useful landing page, but you cannot make a location physically closer to every searcher.
Evaluate visibility under recorded locations and dates. A single search from an office computer is not a market-wide measurement. Keep the observation context with the result rather than reporting it as one universal local position.
Record a correction, then verify it publicly
Use the checklist to record the original detail, supporting evidence and intended correction. Do not mark a task complete solely because someone clicked Save. Review the public detail after the update and note a pending or rejected change separately.
Customer reviews should reflect genuine experiences. A correction register helps a team maintain accurate information; it does not justify fabricated reviews or locations.
Use the blank worksheet
The CSV contains field headings for your own planning. The examples in this article are illustrative and do not represent TopClick client results.
Download CSV worksheet ↓Primary sources
Sources checked October 8, 2026. The worksheets and illustrative examples are TopClick planning materials.