Google Business Profile checklist 2026

The complete GBP optimization checklist for 2026: every field, attribute, and signal Google now uses. With benchmarks for restaurants, plumbers, dentists, and more.

Google updated its local algorithm three times in 2025 and once already in 2026. The fields that mattered in 2022 are still important — but a handful of new attributes, plus AI-overview integration, have changed which fields move the needle most.

Here's the complete 2026 checklist. Work top-to-bottom; the order matters.

Tier 1 — non-negotiable basics

• [ ] Verified profile — postcard, phone, email, or video. No verification = no rankings.
• [ ] Exact business name — match your storefront and legal docs. No keyword stuffing (Google will suspend).
• [ ] Primary category chosen carefully — pick the most specific match.
• [ ] Up to 9 secondary categories — fill them all in.
• [ ] Address consistent with every directory (Yelp, BBB, Facebook, Apple Maps, etc.).
• [ ] Phone — local area code preferred, no tracking number in primary field.
• [ ] Website — HTTPS, mobile-fast (LCP < 2.5s), with LocalBusiness schema.
• [ ] Hours including holiday hours. Stale hours hurt more than missing hours.
• [ ] County / service area set explicitly. Local search is county-aware, not just city-aware — set the county your business operates in (and service-area cities, if you travel to customers) so Google can match you to county-level queries from surrounding towns.

Tier 2 — high-leverage 2026 signals

• [ ] Services list — every distinct service as its own entry, with price ranges where possible.
• [ ] Products (for retail/restaurants) — at least 12 entries, with photos.
• [ ] Attributes — every applicable one. Wheelchair accessible, women-owned, veteran-owned, free wifi, outdoor seating, etc. Google now uses these in AI overviews.
• [ ] Booking link — direct OpenTable, Resy, MindBody, Vagaro, Calendly, etc.
• [ ] Menu link or services page — direct deep link.
• [ ] Photos — minimum 25, refreshed monthly. Cover, logo, interior, exterior, team, work samples.
• [ ] Videos — at least 1 short video (under 30s).

Tier 3 — review profile

• [ ] Total reviews — minimum 30 to compete in most categories. 100+ to dominate.
• [ ] Star average ≥ 4.4. Below 4.0 is a kill signal.
• [ ] Recency — at least 3 reviews in the last 30 days.
• [ ] Response rate — reply to 100% of last 90 days reviews. Use templates but personalize.
• [ ] Photo reviews — encourage with follow-up email after service.

Tier 4 — engagement signals

• [ ] Posts — minimum 1 per week, ideally 2-3.
• [ ] Q&A — seed 3-5 common questions yourself, then answer them.
• [ ] Messaging — turn it on and respond within 1 hour during business hours.
• [ ] Updates to hours, products, photos at least monthly. Stale = de-ranked.

Tier 5 — AI search readiness (new for 2026)

• [ ] FAQ schema on your main pages — Google AI Overviews pulls directly from these.
• [ ] Service schema for every distinct service.
• [ ] Long-form, expert content — 1,500+ word service pages with citations to authoritative sources.
• [ ] Author bios with E-E-A-T signals — credentials, certifications, years experience.

Industry benchmarks

| Industry | Min reviews | Photos/month | Posts/week | |---|---|---|---| | Restaurant | 100 | 8-10 | 2-3 | | Dentist | 60 | 4-5 | 1-2 | | Plumber | 50 | 4 | 1 | | Salon | 80 | 8 | 2 | | Auto repair | 60 | 5 | 1-2 | | Lawyer | 40 | 2 | 1 |

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Our free audit checks every Tier 1 + 2 + 3 item against your live profile and hands you a prioritized fix list — usually finding 8-12 missing optimizations on a typical local business profile.

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