July 2026 · 5 min read
Step one: write down the source of truth
Before checking anything, put your correct business name, address, phone number, hours, service areas and primary services in one document. Every later comparison is against this.
Businesses with multiple locations should do this per location. Most inconsistencies start because nobody agreed on the canonical version.
Step two: check the profiles that matter most
Work through the places customers and search engines actually look.
- Your Google Business Profile: primary category, secondary categories, services, hours and holiday hours.
- Apple Maps and Bing Places, which feed a surprising number of in-car and assistant results.
- The top three or four directories in your industry.
- Your own website footer and contact page—often the last thing anyone updates.
Step three: look at what the profile says, not just whether it exists
A claimed profile with a generic category is still a missed opportunity. Choose the most specific primary category available, list every service you actually offer, and add photos that show the real place and real work.
Then read your recent reviews. Patterns in the language customers use are free keyword research, and unanswered reviews are a visible trust gap.
Step four: fix and re-check in 30 days
Corrections propagate at different speeds. Note what you changed, set a reminder, and confirm the updates held—directories frequently revert to older data pulled from third-party aggregators.