Key Takeaways
- A monthly GBP routine keeps your profile accurate, active, and useful—posts, Q&A, reviews, insights, and core info.
- Spread tasks across four weeks: Week 1 (posts, offers, photos), Week 2 (Q&A, reviews), Week 3 (insights, competitors), Week 4 (categories, hours, accuracy).
- Must-dos: correct hours, phone, address, website; at least one post per month; reply to new reviews. Nice-to-haves: more posts, fresh photos, proactive Q&A.
- If you routinely skip multiple weeks or have multiple locations, consider handing off to a team member or a local SEO/GBP service.
- Google’s own guidance emphasizes complete, accurate information and genuine engagement—not gaming. Follow Google Business Profile policies.
Why a Monthly GBP Routine Matters
A Google Business Profile (GBP) is your free listing on Google Search and Maps. When someone searches for services near them—e.g., “HVAC repair Katy” or “plumber near me”—your GBP can show your name, hours, photos, reviews, and a way to call or visit your site. Keeping it accurate, active, and helpful supports both discoverability and trust.
Google does not publish a required posting frequency. What it does emphasize is complete, accurate, and compliant information, and genuine engagement with customers. A monthly playbook gives you a repeatable way to do that without having to decide from scratch each week.
Citable: Core idea
A monthly GBP routine = posts and visuals (Week 1) + Q&A and reviews (Week 2) + insights and competitors (Week 3) + categories, hours, and accuracy (Week 4). Must-dos: correct NAP and website, at least one post per month, and replies to new reviews. Everything else is a nice-to-have that scales with your bandwidth.
Monthly 4-Week Quick-Reference Table
Use this table to assign tasks and track completion. “Must” = do every month; “Nice” = do when you have time.
| Week | Tasks | Must / Nice | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Publish at least one post (update, offer, or event). Add or refresh 1–2 photos (job, team, or vehicle). | Post: Must. Photos: Nice. | □ |
| 2 | Check Q&A; answer any new questions. Thank customers for new reviews; reply to any that need a response. | Reviews: Must. Q&A: Nice (Must if you get questions). | □ |
| 3 | Review GBP Insights (searches, actions, views). Glance at a few competitor profiles in your area. | Nice | □ |
| 4 | Confirm primary (and if used, secondary) category. Verify hours, phone, address, website. Fix any errors. | Must | □ |
First-Week: Posts, Offers, and Photos
Posts (updates, offers, events) keep your profile active. Google does not specify how often to post; a practical baseline for many contractors is at least one post per month. If you can do one per week, that’s often better, but consistency matters more than a specific number.
Photos help searchers recognize your work and team. Add or refresh photos of recent jobs, your team, or vehicles when you have them. Avoid stock images or misleading visuals; follow Google’s photo guidelines.
Checklist: Week 1
- Publish one post (update, offer, or event).
- Add or refresh 1–2 photos (optional but recommended).
Second-Week: Q&A and Reviews
Q&A can be asked by anyone. Unanswered or wrong answers can mislead searchers. Check for new questions and reply with a short, accurate, helpful answer. If something is incorrect, correct it in your reply.
Reviews matter for trust and local visibility. Thank customers for new reviews and reply to any that need a response—especially concerns or negative feedback. Keep replies professional and on-topic; see Google’s prohibited content so you avoid policy violations.
Checklist: Week 2
- Check Q&A; answer new questions.
- Thank customers for new reviews; reply where appropriate.
Third-Week: Insights and Competitors
GBP Insights show how people find and interact with your profile (searches, map views, website clicks, calls). There’s no “target” number from Google; use it to spot trends and see which actions (e.g., calls, direction requests) matter most.
Competitors: Occasionally search for your main services in your area and see which other businesses show up. Note their categories, photos, and types of posts—not to copy, but to ensure your own profile is complete and distinct.
Checklist: Week 3
- Review Insights (searches, actions, views).
- Glance at 2–3 competitor profiles (nice-to-have).
Fourth-Week: Categories, Hours, and Accuracy
Categories: Your primary category should match what you do. If you use a secondary category, make sure it’s accurate. Wrong categories can mislead both users and Google. Choose from Google’s list; don’t invent your own.
Hours, phone, address, website: Incorrect info can send customers to the wrong place or to a competitor. Verify everything at least monthly—and after holidays, schedule changes, or site/phone updates.
Checklist: Week 4
- Confirm primary (and secondary) category.
- Verify hours, phone, address, website. Fix any errors.
Must-Dos vs. Nice-to-Haves
If you’re short on time, prioritize the following. Everything else can wait or be done less often.
Must-Do (Every Month)
- Correct hours, phone, address, website
- At least one post (update, offer, or event)
- Reply to new reviews (especially negative or questions)
Nice-to-Have
- More than one post per month
- Fresh photos each month
- Proactively answering or seeding Q&A
- Regular review of Insights and competitors
Common Mistakes and Failure Modes
- Wrong or outdated hours, phone, or address. Customers get frustrated and may leave negative reviews or call a competitor. Fix in Week 4 every month.
- Ignoring new reviews or Q&A. Unanswered negative reviews can look like you don’t care. Wrong Q&A can send people in the wrong direction. Check in Week 2.
- No posts for months. The profile can look abandoned. At least one post per month is a reasonable baseline.
- Incorrect or misleading categories. Picking a category to “rank” for something you don’t offer can violate Google’s policies and confuse users.
- Stock or irrelevant photos. Use real photos of your work, team, or vehicles. Follow Google’s photo and prohibited content rules.
When You Do NOT Need This Playbook
You may not need a formal monthly routine if:
- Someone already runs GBP for you (e.g., marketing lead or agency) and does the equivalent of this checklist.
- You don’t rely on local search for leads and have chosen to invest elsewhere.
- Your business is not eligible for a GBP (e.g., certain virtual-only or prohibited business types per Google’s guidelines).
If you’re a local contractor who gets leads from Google or Maps, a lightweight monthly routine is usually worth the time. If you can’t sustain it, hand it off rather than let the profile go stale.
When to Hand Off to an Agency or Team Member
Use this decision rule: If you routinely miss two or more weeks of the playbook, or if you have multiple locations, consider delegating. Same if you want more than basics—e.g., richer content, review request automation, or local SEO that ties GBP to your site and tracking.
Citable: In-house vs. agency
In-house: Works when one person has 30–60 minutes per month and can own posts, Q&A, reviews, and accuracy. Agency or specialist: Makes sense when you have no bandwidth, multiple locations, or need integrated local SEO (reputation, content, tracking). Our SEO/GEO services include GBP optimization as part of the Local Lead Engine and AI Growth Suite.
Local Notes for West Houston (Katy, Cypress, Sugar Land, and Nearby)
Contractors in Katy, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Cypress, Richmond, Rosenberg, Missouri City, Stafford, Cinco Ranch, Brookshire, and Sealy often compete in the same local pack. A complete, accurate GBP with recent posts and thoughtful review replies can help you stand out. If your service area spans several cities, make sure your profile clearly reflects where you serve—and keep hours accurate for each location if you have more than one. For deeper local SEO (service-area pages, citations, and GBP + Speed-to-Lead), see our SEO and GEO optimization and Katy AI automation pages.
FAQs About the Google Business Profile Monthly Playbook
How often should I post on my Google Business Profile?
Google does not publish a required frequency. A practical baseline for many local contractors is at least one post per month; if you can do one per week, that's often better. Consistency often matters more than volume.
What if I don’t have time for a monthly GBP routine?
If you routinely miss multiple weeks, consider handing off posting, Q&A, and basic maintenance to a team member or a local SEO/GBP service. Prioritize at least: accurate hours, phone, and address, and replying to new reviews.
Should I respond to every Q&A on my GBP?
Yes, when possible. Unanswered or incorrect Q&A can mislead searchers. Reply with a short, accurate, helpful answer. If something is wrong, correct it in your reply and, when the product allows, flag or suggest an edit.
When should I hand off GBP to an agency?
Consider an agency or specialist when: you consistently miss the routine, you have multiple locations, you need more advanced local SEO (e.g., reputation, content, or tracking), or your team lacks the bandwidth to keep hours, photos, and Q&A up to date.
Need Help With GBP or Local SEO?
We can run a GBP audit or build a Local Lead Engine that ties your profile to your site and Speed-to-Lead. See our SEO and GEO services.
Sources
The following were used for policies, product behavior, and best practices. Google does not endorse this guide.
- Google Business Profile: Guidelines for representing your business on Google — Policies on accuracy, eligibility, and prohibited content.
- Add and edit your business information on Google — How to update hours, address, phone, website, and other info.
- Add and edit business categories — Choosing primary and secondary categories from Google’s list.
- Manage your Business Profile on Google — Overview of the GBP interface and features.
- Google Business Profile: Photo guidelines — What’s allowed and prohibited in photos.
- Google Search Central: Local Business structured data — Technical context for local business representation (supplements GBP, not a replacement).