People look for businesses in two places. They search Google, and they scroll social media. Getting found means showing up clearly in both, with the same name, the same details and recent proof that you do good work.
This guide covers the steps in order. You will choose your platforms, set up your profiles, claim your Google Business Profile, earn reviews and build a posting rhythm you can keep for a year.
Know who you serve and where they look
Write down who you serve, where they live and the words they type when they need you. A bakery customer searches 'birthday cake near me.' A bookkeeper's client searches 'bookkeeper for small business.' Those phrases shape your bio, your posts and your Google profile.
Then pick two social platforms your customers already use. Two platforms you keep up with are easier to manage than five you abandon. A salon might pick Instagram and TikTok. A contractor might pick Facebook and Nextdoor.
Set up your social media profiles
Use the same business name, profile photo and handle everywhere. Consistency helps people and search engines recognize you as one business.
Write a bio that says what you do, for whom and where. Add the button people use to book, buy or message you, and test it from a phone.
- The same name and handle on every platform
- A clear logo or face photo
- A bio with what you do, for whom and where
- A working link or button to book, buy or message
Claim your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the box that appears in Google Search and Google Maps when someone looks for your business or your kind of business nearby. It is often the first thing a new customer sees.
Claim or create the profile and complete Google's verification. Google may ask for a short video or another check to confirm the business is real. Then fill in every field you can.
Keep your name, address and phone number the same on Google, your social profiles and your website. Mismatched details confuse people and search engines.
Add the questions people ask you most to your profile, and answer them in your own words. Update your hours the moment they change. A person who drives over and finds you closed may not come back.
- Your business category and services
- Hours, including holiday hours
- Your service area or address
- Real photos of your work, your team and your space
Get the checklist for this line
The first stage of your line's roadmap, by email. Work through it this week.
Earn real reviews and reply to every one
Reviews help a stranger decide to trust you. Ask your recent happy customers for a Google review and send them the direct link from your profile, so leaving one takes a minute.
Ask every customer the same way. Google's rules forbid paying for reviews or only asking customers you expect to be happy, and the FTC's rule on fake reviews applies to businesses too. Never write reviews for yourself or buy them.
Reply to every review, the good ones and the hard ones. A calm, specific reply to a complaint shows the next reader how you treat people. Answer messages and comments the same day when you can.
Your first nine posts
An empty profile makes people wonder if you are still open. Before you promote anything, post nine pieces that show who you are.
- Three posts that show the work, such as before and after, behind the scenes or the finished job
- Three posts that answer the questions customers ask you most
- Three posts that feature real customers, with their permission
A posting rhythm you can keep
Pick posting days you can keep for a year and put them on your calendar. A steady rhythm beats a burst of posts followed by silence.
Film a week of short videos in one session. Add Google Business Profile posts and fresh photos too, since an active profile shows people you are open and working.
Each week, look at which post brought a message, a call or a booking, and make another one like it. Over time your posts follow what your customers respond to.
Keep a simple list of post ideas on your phone. Every question a customer asks, every job you finish and every small win in your week can become a post. When posting day comes, you pick from the list instead of staring at a blank screen.
Set it up live
The Intensive is a live session on Discord, every other Saturday from 7 AM to 2 PM Eastern. You set up your profiles, your Google Business Profile and your first posts step by step, with every move on screen.
It is designed to help you leave with a business people can find, a clear rhythm and a plan for reviews. Results vary with your market and the work you put in.