How to add keywords to your Google Business Profile (safely)

By · 2 min read · Updated

The short answer

There's no keywords field in Google Business Profile. To add keywords safely, put them where they belong: choose categories that match your work, list each service by the name customers use, mention your main services and area in the description, and use them naturally in posts and review replies. Never add keywords to your business name; that gets profiles suspended.

Where keywords go

  • Categories: the strongest signal. Primary first, then a few true secondaries.
  • Services: "water heater replacement", not "plumbing solutions".
  • Description: what you do and where, in two or three sentences.
  • Posts: job photos with a line naming the service and town.
  • Review replies: "Glad the gutter guards are working" reads naturally.

What doesn't work

Keyword lists in the description, fake service names, and city names in the business name. Competitors report stuffed names, and Google suspends them. The most useful keywords come from customers: reviews that mention the job and the town.

Questions

Can I change my business name to include keywords?

Only if your legal or signage name includes them.

Do keywords in reviews help?

They seem to. Ask customers to mention what you did, but don't script them.

How long is the description?

Up to 750 characters. The first 250 show most often.

About the author

, Founder

Jason has spent two decades building sites, search programs, and digital products for businesses. At Lehvel, he leads product and strategy.

Jason Murphy on LinkedIn

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