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How to get your trade business on Google Maps
By Charlie, electrician and founder of Signwrite · November 2026
When someone searches "electrician near me" or "plumber Navan", the first thing they usually see is a map with three businesses on it. Getting into that map is free, and for most tradespeople it brings in more calls than anything else online.
1. Create the profile
- Go to google.com/business and sign in with the Google account you want to own the profile. Use your own account, not one a web designer set up for you.
- Type your business name exactly as it appears on your van and invoices. Don't add towns or keywords to the name, as Google can suspend profiles for that.
- Pick the main category that fits best, for example Electrician, Plumber or Roofing contractor. You can add more categories later.
2. Set it up as a service-area business
If customers don't come to your premises, choose the option to hide your address and list the towns or counties you cover instead. That's the right setup for nearly every trade working from a van.
3. Verify it
Google will ask you to prove the business is real. These days it's often a short video showing your van, tools or signage, and sometimes a phone call or a postcard. Your profile won't show on Maps until this is done, so do it straight away.
4. Fill in everything
- Phone number and website
- Opening hours
- Every service you offer, as separate items
- A short description of what you do and where
- At least 10 photos of real jobs, your van and yourself
Complete profiles tend to show up more than half-finished ones, so it's worth the extra 20 minutes.
5. Get reviews and keep it active
Reviews are the biggest factor most tradespeople can control. Ask every happy customer, and reply to every review, good or bad. Posting a photo of a recent job every week or two also shows Google the business is active. See how to get more Google reviews.
Want it done for you?
Signwrite sets up your Google Business Profile properly for €129: categories, services, areas, photos and a review link, all on your own Google account so you always own it.
€400 to set up, then €30 a month or €300 a year.
Signwrite builds websites for tradespeople across Ireland. See what yours would look like before you spend anything.