When someone searches "plumber near me" or "electrician in [your town]," the first thing they see is a map with three business listings underneath it. That box — called the Local Pack — is where a huge proportion of new trades enquiries come from.
Getting into those three spots, and staying there, is one of the most valuable things a trades business can do online. This guide explains exactly how it works.
Why Google Maps Matters More Than You Think
A significant share of people searching for a local tradesperson don't scroll past the map. They see three businesses, pick one that looks credible, and call. If you're not in those three listings, you don't exist for them.
The map also shows your rating, which influences who actually gets called. Being in the top three with 40 reviews at 4.9 stars is worth more than any advertisement you could run.
Here's what actually affects where you appear.
Step 1: Claim and Verify Your Google Business Profile
If you haven't done this yet, it's the single most important step. Go to business.google.com, search for your business, and claim it. Google will send a verification postcard to your address, or sometimes let you verify by phone or video. Once verified, you control your listing.
If your business already appears on Maps but you haven't claimed it, Google created it automatically from other data sources — but you can't manage it until you claim it.
Step 2: Fill Out Your Profile Completely
A half-finished profile is a disadvantage. Google favours businesses that give it complete, accurate information. Go through every section:
Business name: Use your real trading name — exactly as it appears on your signage, invoices, and website. Don't stuff keywords in here ("Dave's Plumbing Best Bristol Plumber") — Google penalises this, and it looks unprofessional.
Categories: Your primary category matters a lot. Be specific — "Electrician" is better than the vague "Contractor." Add secondary categories for work you do regularly (e.g., "Lighting Contractor," "Electrical Engineer").
Service area: Add every postcode district or town you cover. Don't just list your base town if you work across a wider area.
Hours: Keep these accurate, including whether you offer emergency callouts. Customers get frustrated finding your hours wrong.
Services: Add individual services with descriptions. This tells Google exactly what searches you're relevant for.
Photos: Upload real photos of your work, your van, and your team. Profiles with photos get significantly more clicks. Aim for at least 10 to start, and add more over time.
Step 3: Get Reviews — and Know How to Ask
Reviews are a major ranking factor, and they directly influence whether someone chooses you over a competitor. Volume matters, recency matters, and your rating matters.
The most effective way to get reviews is simply to ask — at the right moment. The best time is right after you finish a job and the customer is happy. A simple message works well:
"Really glad you're happy with the work. If you get a moment, a Google review would mean a lot to the business — [your review link]."
Generate your direct review link from your Google Business Profile dashboard. Send it via text or WhatsApp so the customer can tap it directly — the fewer steps, the more likely they'll actually leave the review.
Don't ask once and forget about it. Make requesting reviews part of how you close every job.
Step 4: Nail Your NAP Consistency
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number. Google cross-references your business details across the web — your website, Yell, Checkatrade, Trustpilot, trade directories, and anywhere else you appear.
If your phone number is different on your website versus your Google profile, or your business name is slightly different across platforms, it creates doubt. Google is less confident your listing is accurate, and your ranking suffers.
Do a quick audit: search your business name and check the main places you appear. Make sure your name, address, and phone number are identical everywhere. Even small differences — "Ltd" versus "Limited," or different formatting of your phone number — can cause problems.
Step 5: Understand Proximity and Relevance
Google uses two factors you have less direct control over, but it's worth understanding them.
Proximity is how close the searcher is to your listed business address. If someone is in the next town over, you may rank lower than a competitor based there. This is why having location pages on your website matters — it signals to Google that you're genuinely active in those areas, not just hoping to appear there.
Relevance is how well your listing matches what the person searched for. The more complete and specific your profile — categories, services, descriptions — the better Google can match you to relevant searches.
One More Thing: Your Website Still Matters
Google Maps doesn't operate in isolation. Having a well-structured website with proper local SEO signals — service pages, location pages, schema markup — reinforces your Google Business Profile and helps you rank in both the map and the regular results. They work together.
Businesses that do well locally usually have both sorted.
If your Google Maps presence isn't working as hard as it should, DCS can help. I handle everything from setting up and optimising your Google Business Profile to building the website structure that supports your local rankings. Talk to me to find out what's holding you back.