1. Objective

This SOP governs the ongoing content management of a home inspector's Google Business Profile — specifically Google Posts, photos, and the Q&A section. These three features signal to Google that the profile is actively maintained, which contributes to freshness and ranking signals. More practically, they are the first things potential clients see after finding the inspector in search — and they build trust before a single call is made. Most inspectors ignore all three. That neglect is an opportunity.

Where this SOP starts: After GBP profile optimization (SOP-HI-MKT-05) is complete.
Where this SOP ends: This SOP has no end — it governs ongoing, indefinite management of GBP content.

Success looks like: The inspector's GBP has at least one new post per week, 20+ photos including recent job site images, and a seeded Q&A section with answers to the 6 most common client questions. The profile looks alive and well-maintained compared to any competitor in the market.

2. Your Role & Boundaries

2a. What you handle independently

• Writing and publishing Google Posts on the weekly cadence
• Uploading approved photos to the GBP on a monthly basis
• Seeding the Q&A section with common questions and answers
• Monitoring and responding to externally submitted Q&A questions within 48 hours
• Flagging inaccurate Q&A answers from third parties

2b. What requires client approval before acting

• Publishing any post that mentions a specific price, promotion, or discount
• Uploading photos of the inspector, their team, or identifiable clients — confirm consent
• Posting anything related to a recent inspection without confirming the property is not identifiable
• Any promotional offer (limited-time discount, seasonal deal) before it is published as a GBP offer post

2c. What you never do

• You never upload stock photos to the GBP — Google can detect them and they undermine authenticity
• You never publish Q&A answers that contain pricing or commitments without client approval
• You never ignore an externally submitted Q&A question for more than 48 hours

3. Google Posts — Weekly Cadence

Standard Google Posts expire after 7 days, which means regular publishing is required to maintain a current, active-looking profile. The goal is one post per week minimum.

Batch approach (recommended): At the start of each month, draft four posts for the month in a single sitting. Schedule or queue them for one per week. This takes 30–45 minutes once a month and eliminates the need for daily attention.

Post types and when to use them:

Writing standards for posts:
- Keep to 150–300 words — short and scannable
- Include a call to action on every post (a link to book, a link to read more, a phone number)
- Include the city name naturally where it fits
- Do not keyword-stuff — write for a human first

4. Photos — Monthly Upload Schedule

Profiles with recent, genuine photos receive significantly more clicks and interactions than those without. The goal is 20+ photos minimum, with 2–3 new photos added monthly.

Required photo types:

Photo standards:
- Minimum resolution: 720 x 720 pixels
- Format: JPG or PNG
- File size: 10KB–5MB
- No stock photos — real job site images only
- File name before uploading: rename descriptively (e.g., kansas-city-home-inspector-electrical-panel.jpg instead of IMG_4521.jpg)

Monthly upload task: At the start of each month, ask the inspector (or their scheduling system) for 2–3 recent job site photos. Upload them to GBP with descriptive file names. This signals ongoing activity to Google.

5. Q&A Section — Setup and Ongoing Management

The Q&A section on GBP allows anyone to post questions and answers publicly. Most inspectors ignore it. Seeding it proactively turns Q&A into a controlled FAQ.

Seed these questions at setup (log into the inspector's Google account or your Manager account to post questions, then answer them):

Ongoing Q&A management:
- Check the GBP dashboard weekly for new externally submitted questions
- Respond within 48 hours
- If an answer appears from a third party that is inaccurate, flag it for removal via the GBP Help Center, and post a correct answer that takes precedence

6. Monthly Content Calendar Template

Use this template to batch-plan four posts per month:

Fill this in at the start of each month. Adjust based on upcoming seasons, new blog content, or the inspector's recent news.

7. Escalation Protocol

Escalate when:
- A photo is removed by Google (usually for policy violation — identify which one and why before re-uploading)
- An externally submitted Q&A answer makes a false or harmful claim about the inspector
- A Q&A question appears that touches on pricing, liability, or legal matters — do not answer independently

GBP Content Issue — [Inspector Name]:

[What happened — e.g., "A Q&A answer was posted by an unknown user that states our reports are not compliant with state standards"]

Current status: [e.g., "The answer is currently visible on the profile"]

Recommended action: [e.g., "Flag the answer for removal and post a correct response — please confirm the correct response language before I post it"]

Let me know how to proceed.

8. Tools & Access

9. Changelog