When someone searches for an accountant or tax preparer, Google often shows a map with local firms before any website. Your Google Business Profile can appear there. If it is unclaimed, incomplete, or out of date, potential clients may choose a firm whose details look more current and trustworthy.
This checklist walks you through each step of Google Business Profile optimization, from claiming your listing to running a final audit. It works for a solo practice or a multi-partner firm, and most items take only a few minutes.
1. Claim and Verify Your Profile
Start by finding out whether your firm already has a profile. Google can create listings automatically from public information, so you may have one even if no one at your firm set it up.
- Search your firm’s name and city on Google and Google Maps
- If a listing exists, select the option to claim or manage it
- If none exists, create a new profile through Google Business Profile
- Complete Google’s verification process (options vary and may include a phone call, text, email, or video)
- Confirm that the profile is owned by a partner or firm owner, not only by a former employee or outside vendor
Ownership matters more than most firms realize. If a former team member or marketing contractor controls the profile, you could lose access when they leave. Add at least two trusted people as owners or managers, and use a firm email address where possible.
The same process applies to CPA and tax firms of all sizes. If someone else has already claimed your listing, you can request ownership through Google’s process.
2. Check Your Core Business Information
Your core details are the first thing a prospective client sees, so they must be accurate.
- Business name: Use your real, public-facing firm name, exactly as it appears on your signage and website. Do not add keywords or locations to the name.
- Address or service area: Show your office address if clients visit you. If you meet clients remotely or at their location, you can hide your address and list the areas you serve instead.
- Phone number: Use a number that is answered or routed to voicemail reliably.
- Website: Link to your homepage or a relevant landing page, and confirm the link works.
- Business hours: List your regular hours, and update them for tax season, holidays, and any seasonal changes.
Consistency matters. Your name, address, and phone number should match what appears on your website, social profiles, and business directories. Keeping these details consistent across your website and other listings helps avoid confusion and supports your local SEO efforts.
3. Choose the Right Category and Add Your Services
Your categories tell Google what your firm does, which affects the searches your profile can appear in.
- Choose the primary category that best describes your main business (for example, Accountant, Tax Preparation Service, or Certified Public Accountant)
- Add additional categories only if they reflect services you actually provide
- Add your services, such as tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, business advisory, IRS representation, or audit support
- Write a short, plain-language description for each service where Google allows
- Remove services you no longer offer
Available category names can change over time, so check the options Google currently offers rather than assuming. Avoid listing every possible service. A focused, accurate list is more useful to a prospective client than a long one that does not reflect how you work.
For a broader look at improving your firm's organic visibility, see this guide to SEO for accounting firms.
4. Complete Your Profile
A complete profile gives potential clients the information they need to contact you with confidence.
- Business description: Write a clear summary of who you serve, what you offer, and where you are located. Keep it factual and avoid promotional exaggeration. Google limits the length, so lead with the most important details.
- Logo: Upload a clean, current version of your firm logo.
- Photos: Add professional images of your office exterior, reception area, and team. Real photos build more trust than stock images.
- Additional details: Fill in any relevant attributes Google offers, such as accessibility features or appointment options.
- Appointment link: If you accept bookings online, add the scheduling link.
Then review every section for gaps. Look for old photos, outdated staff, or missing fields. A profile last updated years ago can suggest the firm is no longer active.
5. Build Trust With Reviews and Updates
Reviews help prospective clients decide whether to reach out, and active profiles look more credible.
Ask genuine clients for reviews
- Send satisfied clients a direct link to your review page
- Ask after a successful engagement, such as a completed return or resolved tax issue
- Never offer incentives or pay for reviews, as this violates Google’s policies
- Never post reviews yourself or ask others to post fake ones
Respond professionally
- Thank clients who leave positive reviews
- Reply calmly and briefly to negative reviews, and offer to continue the conversation offline
- Do not share any confidential client information in a public reply, including whether the person is a client
Post updates
- Use posts to share deadlines, new services, seasonal reminders, or office hour changes
- Keep posts short and useful
Check the Q&A section
Where this feature is available, review any questions and answer them accurately. Google has changed how this feature works over time, so confirm what your profile currently shows.
If your firm is struggling to appear in local search results, see these common reasons accounting firms may not rank in the Google Map Pack.
6. Final Google Business Profile Audit
Use this quick checklist to confirm your profile is ready. Review it at least once or twice a year, and again before tax season.
- Profile claimed
- Profile verified
- Business information accurate (name, address or service area, phone)
- Correct primary category and relevant additional categories
- Services added and up to date
- Description complete
- Hours correct, including seasonal changes
- Website link working
- Photos and logo updated
- Reviews monitored and answered
- All profile information current
If you cannot check every box, start with the items that affect client contact first: your phone number, hours, and website link. If your firm still isn't appearing in Google search after reviewing your profile, see this guide on why an accounting firm may not show up on Google.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for a Google Business Profile?
Businesses that interact with customers in person, or that travel to customers within a defined area, are generally eligible. This includes accounting, CPA, and tax firms. Google requires that the business be real and follow its guidelines, and it does not allow profiles for purely online businesses with no in-person interaction. Check Google’s current eligibility rules if your firm operates fully remotely.
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Creating and managing a Google Business Profile does not cost anything. Google Ads and third-party services are separate and optional.
How do I find my company’s Google Business Profile?
Search for your firm’s name and city on Google or Google Maps. If your profile appears, look for the option to manage or claim it. You can also sign in to your Google account and go to Google Business Profile to see the listings you already manage.
Not sure what's keeping your accounting firm from showing up in local search? A Google Business Profile and local SEO audit can help identify gaps in your profile and show you what to fix first.