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Home Inspector — Marketing & SEO
SOP-HI-MKT-04: Google Business Profile Setup & Verification
Applies To: Virtual Assistants — Home Inspector Client Placements
Updated: April 2026

1. Objective

This SOP governs the setup, verification, and access configuration of a Google Business Profile (GBP) for a home inspector. A claimed, verified, and correctly configured GBP is the minimum requirement for appearing in the Local 3-Pack. Without it, no amount of website optimization will put your inspector in the map results. This SOP ensures setup is done correctly the first time — avoiding the errors that delay verification, create duplicate listings, or undermine rankings from day one.

Where this SOP starts: When a new home inspector engagement begins, or when an existing inspector's GBP needs to be audited and corrected.
Where this SOP ends: When the GBP is verified, your VA account has Manager access, and the foundational information (name, category, address, service area, phone, website) is confirmed accurate.

Success looks like: The inspector's GBP is live, verified, and accessible to you as a Manager. All foundational fields are accurate and consistent with the business's information everywhere else online. The inspector has Owner access and you have Manager access — no passwords were shared.

2. Your Role & Boundaries

2a. What you handle independently

  • Checking whether a GBP already exists before creating a new one
  • Configuring the GBP service area, hours, phone, and website fields
  • Adding yourself as Manager once the inspector grants access
  • Monitoring the profile for unauthorized changes after setup

2b. What requires client approval before acting

  • Creating a new GBP (the client must own it — they must be logged into their Google account)
  • Changing the business name, primary category, or business address on an existing GBP
  • Verifying a GBP (verification codes and steps require the client's participation)
  • Any action that requires the client's Google account credentials

2c. What you never do

  • You never create a GBP under your own Google account — the inspector must be the Owner
  • You never add keyword stuffing to the business name (e.g., "Smith Inspections — #1 Home Inspector Kansas City") — this violates Google's guidelines and can cause suspension
  • You never create a duplicate GBP for the same business location
  • You never share the client's Google account password — use the Manager access method instead

3. Step 1 — Check for an Existing GBP

Before creating anything, search for the inspector's business:

  1. Open Google Maps and search for the inspector's exact business name
  2. Also search "[Business Name] [City]" in regular Google
  3. Look for any listing that shows "Claim this business" — this means an unclaimed listing exists

If an unclaimed listing exists: Do not create a new one. Have the inspector claim the existing listing through the "Claim this business" link. Claiming an existing listing preserves any reviews or signals already associated with it.

If no listing exists: Proceed to Step 2.

If an active listing exists that the inspector doesn't control: Contact Google Business Profile support through the Help Center to report the issue and begin an ownership claim process. Do not create a duplicate.

4. Step 2 — Create or Claim the GBP

The inspector must complete this step while logged into their own Google account (the one they want to own the GBP permanently):

  1. Go to business.google.com and sign in with the inspector's Google account
  2. Click "Add your business to Google" or follow the claim flow
  3. Walk through the setup wizard:

Business name: Enter the exact business name as it appears on the inspector's website and any existing directories. No keywords added to the name. Examples of correct vs. incorrect:
- ✓ "Smith Home Inspections"
- ✗ "Smith Home Inspections — Best Inspector Kansas City"

Business category: Select "Home Inspector" as the primary category. This is the single most important field in the profile for local relevance.

Physical location: Most home inspectors do not have a storefront customers visit. Select "No, I deliver goods and services to my customers" — this sets up a service-area business without displaying a home address publicly.

Service area: Enter the specific cities and areas the inspector serves (see Step 4 below).

Phone number: Enter the inspector's primary business phone number — the one that appears on their website and will be used consistently on all directories.

Website: Enter the inspector's website URL. Link to the homepage unless a city-specific landing page exists for the primary city.

5. Step 3 — Verify the Listing

Google requires verification before the listing is active in search results. Available verification methods depend on the account — Google determines what's offered:

Postcard by mail (most common): Google sends a postcard with a 5-digit verification code to the business address. Timeline: 5–14 business days. The inspector must enter this code in GBP before the listing goes live.

Watch Out: Do not change the business name, address, or category while waiting for a postcard. Changes restart the verification process or send the postcard to the wrong address.

Video verification: Google may request a video recording showing the inspector's equipment, vehicle, or proof of operating as a home inspector. Follow Google's prompts — the video is reviewed by Google, not made public.

Phone or email verification: Sometimes available for certain account types. Follow Google's prompts.

Instant verification: Available if the domain is already verified in Google Search Console. Confirm with the inspector whether Search Console is set up (see SOP-HI-MKT-10).

6. Step 4 — Configure Service Area

After verification, set the service area accurately:

Option 1 — Specific cities (recommended): List every city, town, and county the inspector actively serves and wants to appear for. Be specific — include the 10–20 areas where the inspector actually wants business. Do not list areas they technically could serve but rarely do.

Option 2 — Radius: Set a mileage radius around the business address. Less precise than specific cities for ranking purposes.

Specific cities is generally preferred because it allows Google to confidently associate the profile with named places that people actually search.

7. Step 5 — Add Your VA as Manager

Once the GBP is verified and the inspector has Owner access:

  1. In the GBP dashboard, go to Users (or "Managers" in the menu)
  2. Click Add users
  3. Enter your (the VA's) Google account email address
  4. Set role to Manager
  5. Save

Manager access gives you: Full ability to edit the profile, respond to reviews, add photos, create posts, update information, and view Insights. Manager access does not allow deleting the listing or transferring ownership — those require Owner access.

Key Point: The inspector retains Owner access. You work as Manager. Never ask for Owner access — it isn't needed for any of the tasks in this SOP series.

8. Confirming Setup Is Complete

Before closing out this SOP, verify each item:

  • ☐ GBP is claimed and verified (status shows "Published" in the dashboard)
  • ☐ Business name is accurate — no keyword stuffing
  • ☐ Primary category is set to "Home Inspector"
  • ☐ Service area lists the correct cities and areas
  • ☐ Phone number matches the website and will be used consistently on all directories
  • ☐ Website URL is linked and resolves correctly
  • ☐ VA has Manager access confirmed (log in as VA to verify)
  • ☐ Inspector retains Owner access

9. Escalation Protocol

Escalate immediately when:
- GBP is suspended after setup — do not attempt fixes without the client's involvement
- Google requests additional verification that the inspector is unsure how to complete
- A duplicate listing appears after you've created the correct one

GBP Setup Issue — [Inspector Name]:

[What happened and when]

Current status: [e.g., "Listing shows as suspended" or "Verification postcard not received after 14 days"]

What I need from you: [specific ask — e.g., "Log in to business.google.com and confirm the status message reads..." or "Let me know your business address so I can confirm the postcard destination"]

I'll follow up if I don't hear from you by [time].

10. Tools & Access

Tool Purpose
business.google.com GBP dashboard — Inspector's Owner account + VA's Manager account
Google Maps Checking for existing / duplicate listings
GBP access setup worksheet (SOP-HI-MKT-04-CLIENT) Client-completed access and business info record

11. Changelog

Date Notes
April 2026 Initial release
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SOP-HI-MKT-04