GBP Management

SOP-02: Google Business Profile (GBP) Management

Last Updated: 2026-07-07 Owner: GBP Specialist Status: Active

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Overview

This SOP covers all Google Business Profile operations: setup, verification, optimization, and ongoing management. GBP optimization drives local search visibility, establishes business credibility, and influences rankings for map pack results.

Key Inputs:

• Client Cosmo Sheet (NAP, landing page, services, service areas, hours, attributes, asset links)
• Live Google Business Profile under info@tektongrowth.com
• Client website/landing page
• Approved client photos, logo, and service assets
• Task Tracker for communication, task assignments, approvals, and proof logging

Escalation Path: GBP Specialist → CSM → Ops Lead → Nick (ask Claude for help as first step for technical issues)

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SECTION 1: GBP SETUP & VERIFICATION

Trigger

• New client signed onboarding agreement
• New location added to existing client account
• Existing profile requires re-verification

Owner

GBP Specialist

Decision Matrix: Location-Based vs. Service Area Business

Factor	Service Area Business (SAB)	Location-Based
Customer Location	Travels to customer; serves multiple cities	Fixed physical location; customers visit
Industries	Plumbing, landscaping, cleaning, HVAC	Retail, restaurants, salons, clinics
Address Display	Hidden or shown only after booking	Always visible in maps
Address Requirement	Mailing address or office base	Full physical address
Verification Method	Phone or video call	Postcard, phone, email, or video

Determination: Made during onboarding based on client’s business model. Template exists in Task Tracker for documenting this decision.

Steps

1. Determine Profile Type

   • Review onboarding form: service coverage area, customer visit patterns, physical location
   • Document as SAB or Location-Based in client record

2. Create/Claim GBP

   • Log into Google Business Profile (create account if first GBP, claim if existing)
   • Enter business name, address, phone, website
   • Add business category (primary + up to 9 secondary)
   • Verify ownership via postcard, phone, email, or video (per profile type)

3. Complete Initial Profile

   • Business name (must match across all directories for citation consistency)
   • Full address (for location-based) or service area coverage (for SAB)
   • Phone number (direct line, verified)
   • Website URL
   • Business hours (if applicable)
   • About section (2-3 sentences on business focus, years in business, service area)

QC Checklist

• Profile type (SAB vs. Location-Based) documented in Task Tracker
• Business name, address, phone verified against onboarding form
• Ownership verified successfully
• Business category set (primary + secondaries appropriate)
• About section completed and saved

KPIs

• Setup completed within 7 days of client signing
• 100% ownership verification success rate
• Zero NAP (Name, Address, Phone) inconsistencies with onboarding data

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SECTION 2: GBP OPTIMIZATION PROCESS

For the full new-client optimization checklist, approval gates, implementation rules, and proof-log templates, use SOP: GBP Optimization. This management page is the overview. The dedicated SOP is the execution checklist for client work.

Trigger

• P0/P2 phase: immediately after GBP access is connected in onboarding
• Existing client needs a GBP refresh, cleanup, or 3-month posting batch

Owner

GBP Specialist

Source of Truth

Before editing anything, collect the source facts and the live GBP state.

1. Client Cosmo Sheet

   • Business name / DBA
   • Address or service-area setup
   • Phone number
   • Website / preferred landing page
   • Primary services
   • Service areas / target cities
   • Hours and special hours notes
   • Attributes, amenities, parking, appointment notes, or other profile details
   • GBP URL, if listed
   • Approved photo/logo assets, if listed

2. Live GBP under info@tektongrowth.com

   • Sign into Google using info@tektongrowth.com.
   • Open https://business.google.com/locations.
   • Select the correct client profile.
   • Confirm the business name, city, phone, and website match Cosmo before editing.
   • If the profile is not visible under info@, stop and flag access as incomplete.

3. Client website / landing page

   • Use the website to confirm services, page URLs, service-area claims, photos, and proof points.
   • If Cosmo, GBP, and the website conflict, flag the conflict instead of guessing.

Streamlined Workflow

1. Access + NAP preflight

Confirm the profile is the correct profile and the core facts match.

• Business name
• Address or service-area setup
• Phone number
• Website / GBP landing page
• Primary location or service area
• Profile type: location-based or service-area business

Do not change these without approval: business name, address, address display, service area, phone, website URL, primary category, or business status.

2. Category + service audit

This is the most important optimization pass.

• Check the current primary category.
• Check all secondary categories.
• Use GMB Everywhere Category Finder, direct competitor research, or Google category lookup to find relevant category options.
• Keep only categories that match the real business.
• Review every current service.
• Remove duplicates, keyword-spam variants, and services the client does not actually sell.
• Add missing real services supported by Cosmo and the website.
• Organize services semantically under the best matching category.
• Compile category/service changes for approval when anything high-risk or unclear is involved.

3. Profile completeness pass

Fill or flag the fields Google exposes for that profile type.

• Business description
• Opening date, if known
• Contact information
• Website and appointment/contact links
• Social profiles, if available
• Service areas
• More from the business
• Amenities
• Parking information
• Attributes and service options
• Regular hours
• Special hours

Do not invent missing details. If a field is blank in Cosmo and not confirmed on the website, flag it.

4. Services + descriptions

Clean up the service menu, then write descriptions.

• Each service should be a real offering, not a keyword variation.
• Each service should have a short, clear description.
• Descriptions should explain the service, who it is for, and what the client actually does.
• Avoid city stuffing, fake guarantees, unsupported claims, and repeated boilerplate.
• Keep service descriptions separate from the main business description.

5. Main business description

Write one profile-level description after the services are cleaned up.

• Ground it in the client’s core services, market, and confirmed proof points.
• Confirm years in business, certifications, emergency service, financing, or specialty claims before using them.
• Avoid fake rankings, unsupported awards, exaggerated guarantees, and keyword stuffing.

6. Products, photos, and posts

Use these to support the cleaned-up service structure.

Products, conditional

• Add products only for real packages, programs, core services, financing offers, or promoted offers.
• Do not duplicate every service as a product just to fill the section.

Photos

• Add or refresh logo and cover photo if missing or weak.
• Add real job, team, equipment, truck, office, or project photos from approved client assets.
• Avoid generic stock-looking images.

Posts

• Check whether posts are missing or outdated.
• Build a 3-month post batch around real services, seasonal needs, FAQs, project proof, offers, and service-area relevance.
• Use relevant service/landing page CTA links instead of defaulting every post to the homepage.
• Attach a real or approved branded image to each post.
• Schedule posts only after the required internal/client approval.

7. Reviews

Review responses should be human and specific, not copy-paste.

• Check total review count and average rating.
• Pull unreplied reviews.
• Reply to positive reviews with short, varied responses.
• Reference the service naturally when the reviewer mentioned it.
• For negative reviews, check the removal/flagging angle before posting a public reply.
• Do not disclose private job/customer details.

8. Special hours reminder

Special hours are commonly missed and need recurring maintenance.

• Check upcoming holidays and known closures.
• Add only confirmed special hours.
• Remove stale special hours when appropriate.
• Set a reminder to revisit special hours every few months, since Google only exposes upcoming holidays in batches.

9. Final QA + proof log

Before closing the task, verify the profile matches source truth.

• GBP matches Cosmo, website, and approved service truth.
• Categories and services are accurate and not stuffed.
• Every real service has a description.
• Main business description is policy-safe.
• Products were added only when useful.
• Photos are real or approved branded assets.
• Posts are scheduled or queued for approval.
• Reviews were replied to or queued/escalated.
• Hours, special hours, and attributes were checked.
• No high-risk fields were changed without approval.
• Final proof is logged in Task Tracker or the client work record.

Fast Checklist

• Correct GBP found under info@tektongrowth.com
• Cosmo Sheet checked for NAP, landing page, services, service areas, hours, attributes, and assets
• Live GBP reviewed before edits
• NAP and landing page confirmed
• Categories audited, with primary category treated as high-risk
• Services cleaned up and organized under the right categories
• Service descriptions written for all real services
• Profile completeness fields filled or flagged
• Main business description reviewed and policy-safe
• Products created only if useful/applicable
• Photos added from approved real client assets
• 3 months of posts drafted/scheduled or queued for approval
• Reviews checked and replies handled or escalated
• Special hours checked and reminder set
• Final proof logged

KPIs

• Profile completeness: 100% of applicable fields filled or flagged
• NAP consistency: zero mismatches between Cosmo, website, and GBP
• Service coverage: all real core services represented with descriptions
• Posting coverage: 3 months scheduled or queued for approval
• Review response coverage: 100% of eligible reviews replied to or escalated
• Hours accuracy: regular hours verified and special hours maintained quarterly

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SECTION 3: OPTIONAL AI ASSISTED QA

Trigger

• GBP Specialist needs a second-pass audit before implementation
• A profile has conflicting source information, missing service support, or unclear service-area claims

Owner

GBP Specialist

Strategy

Use AI as a QA assistant, not as the source of truth. The client Cosmo Sheet, live GBP, website, and approved client assets control the facts.

Inputs to provide:

• Client Cosmo Sheet facts: NAP, landing page, services, service areas, hours, attributes
• Live GBP state under info@tektongrowth.com
• Client website/landing page
• Known do-not-claim items or unsupported services/cities

What AI can help with:

• Spotting missing fields or contradictions
• Cleaning service-description drafts
• Checking whether products/posts align to real services
• Flagging risky edits such as NAP, primary category, address display, service area, or website URL changes

Implementation:

1. Run the AI review after the live GBP audit, not before.
2. Treat recommendations as draft notes until verified against Cosmo, website, and live GBP.
3. Do not make live GBP changes from AI output alone.
4. Document final approved changes and proof in Task Tracker.
5. Include unresolved gaps in the client work record or website handoff.

QC Checklist

• AI review used only after live GBP and Cosmo facts were gathered
• Recommendations verified against source facts before implementation
• Risky fields were flagged for approval instead of edited directly
• Final changes documented in Task Tracker

KPIs

• Source conflicts identified before edits
• Zero live GBP edits made from unverified AI output
• Profile completeness improves to 95%+ after approved optimization

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SECTION 4: PHOTOS & VIDEOS

Trigger

• P0/P2 phase: concurrent with profile optimization
• Ongoing: monthly new content during posting schedule

Owner

GBP Specialist

Collection Process

Photos and videos are captured via the Task Tracker onboarding form. During initial onboarding, clients provide:

• Logo (1-2 versions)
• Team photos (4-6 images)
• Before/after photos (service-specific, 10-15 images)
• Service photos (work samples, 10-15 images)
• Location/office photos (if applicable)
• Video intro (optional, 30-60 seconds)

Implementation:

1. Request photos/videos via Task Tracker onboarding form
2. Follow up if missing (photo requirement is critical)
3. Organize assets in client folder: /client-files/[CLIENT]/GBP-Assets/
4. Upload 2-3 photos to GBP immediately upon receipt
5. Add 5-10 best photos during P2 posting schedule
6. Post video intro on GBP homepage if available

Photo Best Practices

• Include diverse photos: logo, team, work samples, location
• Update seasonally (landscape business: show spring/summer work in those seasons)
• Include customer interaction photos (when appropriate)
• No stock photos or generic images
• All photos should reflect actual business operations

QC Checklist

• Photos/videos requested via Task Tracker during onboarding
• At least 2-3 initial photos uploaded to GBP
• Photos organized in client folder
• Diverse photo types represented (logo, team, work, location)
• Video intro posted if available
• Photos rotated seasonally during posting schedule

KPIs

• Photos collected during onboarding: 100% of clients
• Minimum 2-3 photos on GBP within P0: 100%
• 10+ photos on GBP by end of P2: target 90%
• Video intro posted: if available, 100%

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SECTION 5: GBP POSTING STRATEGY (Month-by-Month)

Trigger

• P2 phase begins (Month 2 post-onboarding)
• Monthly: ongoing posting schedule

Owner

GBP Specialist

Posting Schedule Overview

Current system: Month-by-month posting through Search Atlas.

• One comprehensive post per month (or 2-3 shorter posts if preferred)
• Uses GBP assets (photos, videos) collected during onboarding
• Scheduled 2 weeks in advance in Search Atlas
• Posts include: photo, description, call-to-action link

Future capability (P2): Connection between Search Atlas and GBP is being set up. Once live, GBP posting will be fully managed through Search Atlas interface.

Posting Strategy

Theme-based monthly posts:

• Month 1: Service introduction post (show team, highlight primary service)
• Month 2-3: Seasonal service highlight
• Month 4: Before/after showcase
• Month 5: Customer testimonial or case study
• Month 6: Promotion or special offer (if applicable)
• Month 7-12: Rotate themes based on seasonality and business needs

Post format:

• Headline: 5-10 words, benefit-focused
• Description: 1-3 sentences (100-200 characters)
• Photo: high-quality, action-oriented (not generic)
• CTA: “Book now,” “Learn more,” “Call today”
• Link: service page or booking URL

Examples:

• “Spring Landscape Makeover Ready? See our latest designs. Book a consultation today.”
• “Meet Our Team: 15+ years of plumbing expertise. Available 24/7 emergency service.”
• “Before & After: Kitchen Remodel Transformation. See what’s possible.”

Posting Workflow

1. Monthly plan (by 1st of month):

   • Identify posting theme
   • Select photo/video from client assets
   • Write post copy
   • Create post in Search Atlas draft

2. Scheduling (by 7th of month):

   • Review draft with client (if required)
   • Schedule in Search Atlas for mid-month (15th) or end-of-month (25th)
   • Confirm posting date documented in Task Tracker

3. Post-publication (day of post):

   • Verify post appeared on GBP
   • Monitor for customer responses
   • Respond to comments/questions within 24 hours

4. Monthly reporting:

   • Track post engagement (views, actions, calls, bookings)
   • Include summary in client monthly report
   • Plan next month’s theme based on performance

QC Checklist

• Monthly posting theme identified by 1st of month
• Post copy written and reviewed
• Photo/video selected from approved assets
• Post scheduled in Search Atlas by 7th of month
• Post verification completed (appeared on GBP)
• Customer responses monitored and answered within 24 hours
• Post engagement tracked in Task Tracker

KPIs

• Monthly posting: 100% on schedule (12 posts/year)
• Post quality: client approval before scheduling
• Response time to comments: <24 hours
• Engagement rate: average 5+ views per post, 2+ interactions
• Posting consistency: zero missed months

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SECTION 6: REVIEWS MANAGEMENT

Trigger

• Ongoing: monthly monitoring after setup
• Client receives inquiries: send Review Generation Guide

Owner

GBP Specialist

Review Strategy

Key point: Reviews are client-driven. We provide tools and templates, but the client’s team generates review requests to customers.

Our role:

1. Provide Review Generation Guide template (in Task Tracker)
2. Monitor incoming reviews weekly
3. Respond professionally to all reviews (positive and negative)
4. Track review trends for monthly reporting

Remove: Reactivation campaigns. That model has been replaced with client-driven review generation.

Implementation Steps

1. Provide Review Generation Guide

   • During P0, share Review Generation Guide template from 13-ai-prompt-library.md
   • Guide includes: how to request reviews, when to ask (post-service), what to ask for
   • Store guide in Task Tracker for client reference
   • Client is responsible for executing review requests to their customers

2. Weekly Review Monitoring

   • Log into GBP every Monday morning
   • Review new reviews posted since last week
   • Flag notable reviews (very positive, negative, or comment-worthy)
   • Document in Task Tracker: date, review rating, reviewer, key points

3. Response Protocol

   • Respond to 100% of reviews (positive and negative)
   • Positive reviews (4-5 stars):
     • Thank reviewer by name
     • Highlight specific service mentioned (if applicable)
     • Invite future business: “We look forward to serving you again”
     • 2-3 sentences maximum
   • Negative/low reviews (1-3 stars):
     • Acknowledge concern professionally
     • Offer to resolve offline (provide phone/email)
     • Do NOT be defensive or blame customer
     • Keep response brief (1-2 sentences)
   • Response time: Within 24-48 hours of review posting

4. Response Templates

   • Reference 13-ai-prompt-library.md for review response templates
   • Personalize each response with reviewer name and specific service details
   • Never use identical generic responses

5. Escalation for Negative Reviews

   • Review is false/defamatory: escalate to CSM immediately
   • Review indicates service failure: escalate to client (CSM) within 24 hours
   • Multiple negative reviews in short time: flag to CSM for strategy discussion
   • For one-star and two-star review reporting, client context, and approved public response handling, follow One & Two Star Review Handling

6. Monthly Review Summary

   • Count: new reviews this month, total 5-star %, average rating
   • Trend: improving, stable, or declining?
   • Notable reviews: 1-2 highlights (if positive) or concerns (if negative)
   • Include in monthly client report

QC Checklist

• Review Generation Guide provided to client in P0
• Weekly review monitoring completed every Monday (zero missed weeks)
• All reviews responded to within 48 hours
• Responses personalized (not generic templates)
• Negative reviews escalated appropriately
• Monthly review summary created and filed in Task Tracker
• Response tone professional and on-brand

KPIs

• Review monitoring: 100% of weeks
• Response rate: 100% of reviews within 48 hours
• Average rating trend: stable or improving month-over-month
• Review quantity: encouraging ongoing generation (client-driven)
• Response quality: personalized, professional, on-brand

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SECTION 7: MULTI-LOCATION MANAGEMENT

Trigger

• Client operates multiple locations (franchises, office + satellite, multiple service areas)
• Each new location added to account

Owner

GBP Specialist

Multi-Location Strategy

For clients with multiple locations:

• Create separate GBP profile for each location
• Each profile has unique address, phone, hours
• Each profile is verified independently
• Posting strategy can be location-specific or coordinated brand messaging
• Reviews aggregated for brand-level reporting, tracked individually by location

Implementation:

1. Set up separate GBP profiles per location (see Section 1)
2. Verify each profile independently
3. Optimize each profile for local keywords (service area + location name)
4. Coordinate posting schedule across locations (brand consistency, but with location-specific CTA)
5. Track reviews separately by location; report on both location-level and brand-level metrics
6. In Task Tracker: create folder structure /client-files/[CLIENT]/Locations/[LOCATION-NAME]/

QC Checklist

• Each location has separate verified GBP profile
• Location-specific verification completed
• Business hours, address, phone accurate per location
• Optimized for location-specific keywords
• Posting schedule coordinated across locations
• Review monitoring tracked per location

KPIs

• Setup time per location: 7 days
• Verification success: 100% per location
• Posting consistency: monthly across all locations
• Review response: 100% within 48 hours per location

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GBP Access Management

Overview

This section covers the process for managing user access to Google Business Profiles, including how to sign in, navigate Business Profile Manager, add team members (such as Tekton Growth), and manage roles and permissions.

Initial Sign-In

1. Sign In to Google Account

   • Sign in to the Google Account used to manage the GBP
   • Ensure you are on “Google Business Profile Manager” (not personal Google Account)
   • Navigate to the business profile dashboard

2. Access Profile Settings

   • Click on verified business name
   • Click 3 dots menu
   • Select “Business Profile Settings”
   • Click “Managers” tab

Adding Tekton Growth as Manager

When adding Tekton to manage the client’s GBP:

1. Click “Add” Button

   • In the Managers panel, click “Add”

2. Enter Email Address(es)

   • Enter: info@tektongrowth.com
   • If LSA applicable: also add tektonlsa@gmail.com

3. Select Manager Role

   • Select “Manager” role (required)
   • Do NOT select “Owner”

4. Send Invitation

   • Click “Invite”
   • Invitation status shows in Managers panel

5. Track Invitation Status

   • Monitor invitation acceptance
   • Document in Task Tracker when accepted

Managing Existing Managers

To Edit a Manager’s Role:

1. Click on manager name
2. Click pencil icon
3. Select new role
4. Click “Save”

To Remove a Manager:

• Owner can use “Remove manager” button
• Note: A manager role cannot remove or add another manager (only Owner can)

Important Access Rules

• Always add as Manager, never Owner — Tekton should never own client GBP profiles
• Only the Owner can remove managers or change roles from Owner to another level
• Managers can edit profile, respond to reviews, and post content, but cannot transfer ownership

QC Checklist

• Correct Google Account signed in (Business Profile Manager, not personal)
• Business Profile Settings accessible
• Managers panel visible and accessible
• Tekton email(s) entered correctly (info@tektongrowth.com and/or tektonlsa@gmail.com)
• Role set to “Manager” (not Owner)
• Invitation sent successfully
• Invitation status tracked in Task Tracker
• No owner-level access granted to Tekton

KPIs

• Manager access setup completed: within 1 day of client request
• Invitation acceptance: tracked and documented
• Role verification: 100% of additions verified as Manager (not Owner)
• Documentation: all access changes logged in Task Tracker

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SECTION 8: COMMUNICATION & ESCALATION

All Communication Location

Task Tracker (not Slack). All GBP tasks, updates, client feedback, and escalations are documented in Task Tracker for accountability and continuity.

Escalation Path

Scenario	Action	Timeline	Escalation
GBP profile questions (client asks for changes)	GBP Specialist responds via Task Tracker	Same day	CSM if clarification needed
Negative review posted	Document in Task Tracker, respond to review professionally	Within 24 hours	CSM if review indicates service issue
GBP account access issues (ownership lapsed, verification failed)	GBP Specialist troubleshoots, documents steps in Task Tracker	Within 48 hours	CSM → Ops Lead if unresolved
Technical GBP issue (can’t access, error, data not updating)	Ask Claude for help first; if unresolved, escalate to GBP Specialist	Same day	CSM → Ops Lead if vendor issue
Client requests changes to GBP (hours, address, services)	GBP Specialist makes change, documents in Task Tracker, notifies client	Within 24 hours	CSM for major changes
Review volume increasing rapidly (positive trend)	Celebrate in monthly report, continue encouraging client-driven generation	Monthly review	No escalation needed

Cadence for Recurring Tasks

• Weekly (Monday): Review monitoring, respond to new reviews, document in Task Tracker
• Monthly (by 7th): Create and schedule GBP post for that month, plan next month theme
• Monthly (by 15th): Review summary created for monthly report
• Quarterly: GBP profile audit (completeness, photo freshness, information accuracy)
• Annually: Strategy review with client and CSM; assess if GBP approach needs adjustment

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Related Documentation

• 00-client-lifecycle-playbook.md — Project phases and timelines
• 01-role-gbp-specialist.md — Full GBP Specialist responsibilities
• 04-sop-offsite-seo.md — Citation management and link building (citation consistency with GBP NAP)
• 06-sop-rank-tracking.md — Local ranking tracking influenced by GBP optimization
• 13-ai-prompt-library.md — Review response templates, posting copy templates

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Summary Table: GBP Timeline

Phase	Task	Owner	Frequency	Deadline
P0 (Onboarding)	GBP setup & verification	GBP Specialist	Once	Day 7
P0/P2	Profile optimization, asset collection	GBP Specialist	Once	Day 14
P2+	Monthly posting schedule	GBP Specialist	Monthly	1st-7th of month
P2+	Weekly review monitoring & response	GBP Specialist	Weekly	Every Monday
P2+	Monthly review summary	GBP Specialist	Monthly	By 15th
P2+	Quarterly profile audit	GBP Specialist	Quarterly	Monthly 3, 6, 9, 12

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Document Version: 2.0 (Rewritten per Nick’s Review) Last Updated: 2026-03-26 Owner: GBP Specialist Next Review: 2026-06-26