Citations and Google Business Profile

Four panels sit in the left rail: Listings (directory citations), Profile (the connected Business Profile and its details), Posts (updates published to the profile) and Reviews (the review feed and replies).

Citations

Citations tracks the client's presence across directories: which listings exist, the business name and details on each, the live URL and the current status. Inconsistent names, addresses and phone numbers are the most common cause of weak local visibility, so this list is the first thing to clean up.

Cleaning up a citation set

1. 1

   Establish the source of truth

   Decide the exact NAP (name, address, phone) format to use everywhere, including suite number formatting and whether to use a local or toll-free number.

2. 2

   Scan existing listings

   Review the citation list for mismatches: old addresses, closed locations still listed, or duplicate profiles on the same directory.

3. 3

   Fix or claim each listing

   Update details on directories that allow self-service edits; claim ownership first where a listing is unclaimed.

4. 4

   Re-check on a cadence

   Directories occasionally revert or auto-populate from stale data sources, so treat this as a maintenance list, not a one-time project.

Connecting a Business Profile

Business Profile access is authorized per business through a secure authorization link. Send the link to the business owner, they approve access, and the profile, locations and reviews sync into the workspace. You never handle their Google password.

Posts

• Compose updates, offers and events, with AI drafting from a topic or an existing blog article.
• Generate a matching image when the client has no photo for the post.
• Schedule posts; a recurring job publishes them and a daily job can keep a posting cadence going.
• Published posts sync back with their status so reporting reflects reality.

A workable cadence is 1-2 posts per week: one tied to a current offer or seasonal service, one repurposed from a recent blog article. Posts older than about a week lose most of their visibility in the profile, so a steady cadence matters more than occasional bursts.

Reviews

• All reviews in one feed with author, rating, text and source.
• AI-drafted replies you edit and approve before they post.
• Review requests you can send to customers.
• Rating trend over time for reporting.

Profile hygiene checklist

1. Primary category correct, with only genuinely relevant secondary categories.
2. Services and products listed with descriptions.
3. Hours current, including holiday hours.
4. Photos recent and geotagged where possible.
5. Every review answered, especially the negative ones.
6. Name, address and phone identical everywhere they appear.

Common problems