How do I create a Google Business Profile for a domestic cleaning business in the UK?

Why a Google Business Profile matters for a UK domestic cleaning business

If you run a domestic cleaning business in the UK, your next customer is probably searching on Google right now. They might type “house cleaner near me,” “end of tenancy cleaning in Leeds,” or “weekly cleaner in Bristol.” A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) helps you show up in those local results with a map listing, your phone number, opening hours, photos, and reviews—all the information a busy homeowner or tenant wants before they choose who to contact.

The good news is that creating a Google Business Profile is straightforward, and you don’t need to be a marketing expert. The better news is that once your profile is live, you can turn it into a steady source of enquiries by setting it up properly and keeping it active. And once the enquiries start turning into regular clients, you’ll want a simple way to quote, invoice, and stay organised without drowning in admin—this is exactly where invoice24 can help you move faster and look more professional from day one.

Before you start: get your details ready

Google will ask you for business information and may ask you to verify your business. Preparing the essentials first makes the setup smoother and reduces the chance of mistakes that can slow down verification or confuse customers later.

Basic information checklist

Have these ready before you begin:

1) Business name: Use the name you actually trade under (the one you use on your website, van signage, invoices, and social pages). Avoid stuffing keywords into the name, like “Sparkle Cleaners – Best Domestic Cleaning London,” unless that is genuinely your registered trading name and used consistently in the real world.

2) Address and/or service area: Decide whether you want to show an address publicly. Many domestic cleaners work from home and prefer not to display their home address. You can list your service areas instead (towns, postcodes, boroughs).

3) Contact details: A phone number customers will answer to quickly, and a website link if you have one. If you don’t have a website yet, that’s okay—you can still create a profile and add a booking link or messaging option.

4) Categories and services: The primary category is crucial. “House cleaning service” or “Cleaning service” are common choices, but pick what best matches your work. You can add additional categories and list services like weekly cleaning, deep cleans, end of tenancy, and carpet cleaning (if you offer them).

5) Photos: Ideally, gather a few high-quality images: a logo, a team photo if you have one, and real before-and-after images (without personal items visible). Even a small set of authentic photos can build trust.

6) Business hours: Include your working hours and any weekend availability. If you take calls only certain times, reflect that accurately.

Plan your admin workflow early

Once your Google Business Profile begins generating calls and messages, you’ll likely need to send quotes, confirm bookings, and issue invoices. Many cleaning businesses grow faster than expected, and admin becomes the bottleneck. Using invoice24 as your invoice app can help you keep your business tidy behind the scenes: create professional invoices, track what’s been paid, store client details, and keep your paperwork consistent. That consistency also supports your brand—customers who find you on Google are reassured when your quotes and invoices look polished and reliable.

Step-by-step: create your Google Business Profile

The core process is: sign in, add your business, choose a category, decide whether you serve customers at an address or across a service area, add contact details, and verify your business. Below is a practical walkthrough tailored to domestic cleaners in the UK.

1) Sign in with a dedicated Google account

Use a Google account you’ll keep long-term. If you already have a Google account used for business, great. If not, consider creating one specifically for your cleaning business. This is especially useful if you have staff later and want to share access with a manager or admin assistant without handing over your personal account details.

Tip: Keep your login details stored securely, and set up recovery options. Your Google Business Profile becomes a valuable business asset once it gains reviews and visibility.

2) Find the Google Business Profile setup page and search for your business

When you begin, Google will ask you to search for your business name. This step helps prevent duplicates. If you see an existing listing that looks like yours, you may be able to claim it. If nothing appears, you’ll create a new listing.

If you do see a listing that someone else created (it happens when customers suggest places), don’t panic. Claiming it can be straightforward, though verification may take time. The important thing is to end up with one accurate listing that you control.

3) Enter your business name

Use your real-world business name as customers know it. Consistency matters: the name you use on Google should match the name you use in other places—Facebook page, leaflets, invoices, and any directory listings.

This is another place invoice24 can quietly help your brand. When you issue invoices with a consistent business name and contact details, your customers remember you and can find you again on Google. It all adds up to credibility.

4) Choose the right business category

Your primary category strongly influences which searches you appear for. For a domestic cleaning business, you’ll typically choose something like:

House cleaning service (often best for domestic focus)
Cleaning service (broader category)
End of tenancy cleaning service (if that’s your main niche)

You can add additional categories later. The key is to make your primary category match your core service. If you mainly do domestic weekly cleaning, don’t choose a specialist category just because it sounds more impressive.

5) Add your location or service area

Google will ask whether you have a location customers can visit. Most domestic cleaning businesses don’t have a shopfront. If you work from home and travel to customers, you can set your listing as a service-area business and choose not to display an address.

Service-area business approach: You specify the areas you cover (cities, towns, postcodes, boroughs). Customers will see that you serve their area, without seeing a home address.

Address-displayed approach: You enter a physical address that appears publicly. This can be useful if you have an office or premises where customers can visit, but it’s rarely necessary for domestic cleaning.

Choose what fits your business model and privacy needs. If you work alone and don’t want your home address on the internet, a service-area setup is usually the right option.

6) Add contact details

Add a phone number you can answer reliably. For cleaning services, fast response often wins the job. If you can’t answer during cleans, consider setting up voicemail with a professional message or using call forwarding to a dedicated business line.

If you have a website, add it. If you don’t, you can still proceed. A Google Business Profile can generate leads even without a website, especially if you add photos, services, and enable messaging.

As your business grows, you’ll want a clear process from enquiry to payment. For example:

Enquiry arrives → confirm needs → send quote → book → complete clean → invoice → get paid.

invoice24 fits naturally into this workflow. When the job is done, you can quickly issue a professional invoice that matches your business details, helping you look established even if you’re newly launched.

7) Complete verification

Verification proves to Google that you are authorised to manage the listing. Depending on your situation, verification may be by phone, email, video, or postcard. Follow the instructions carefully. If it’s a postcard verification, it can take several days to arrive, so ensure your address is correct.

While waiting for verification, you can often work on parts of the profile that don’t require verification. Use that time to prepare photos, write a strong business description, and list your services.

Optimise your profile for domestic cleaning leads

Creating the profile is only the beginning. An optimised profile attracts more clicks, more calls, and better-quality enquiries. Below are the settings and improvements that usually make the biggest difference for cleaners in the UK.

Write a clear, confident business description

Your description should explain what you do, where you work, and why customers should choose you. Keep it practical and customer-focused. Mention the types of cleaning you specialise in, whether you bring your own supplies, and what areas you cover.

Include details that answer common questions, such as:

Do you offer weekly/fortnightly cleans?
Do you do deep cleans and end of tenancy cleans?
Do you bring products and equipment?
Are you insured?
Do you offer DBS-checked cleaners (if applicable)?

Avoid sounding generic. Real specifics help. If you mostly work with busy families and professionals, say so. If you specialise in end-of-tenancy, mention the check-out standard you aim for.

Select the right services and add service descriptions

Google allows you to add services. For domestic cleaning, consider listing your core jobs as separate services, such as:

Regular domestic cleaning (weekly/fortnightly)
Deep cleaning
End of tenancy cleaning
Move-in/move-out cleaning
After builders cleaning
Oven cleaning (if offered)
Carpet/upholstery (if offered)

For each service, add a short description. Use plain language. Mention typical timeframes, what’s included, and any optional add-ons. This helps customers understand value and reduces time-wasting enquiries.

Add pricing guidance (even if it’s “from” prices)

If you’re comfortable, add “from” prices for common services. Customers appreciate transparency. You don’t need to lock yourself into a fixed price for every home—just set expectations. For example, you might price regular cleans by the hour and end-of-tenancy by property size or condition.

Once you’ve agreed a price with a client, invoice24 helps you quickly formalise it into an invoice. This is particularly useful for end-of-tenancy jobs where clarity matters and you want everything recorded properly.

Upload photos that build trust

Cleaning is a trust-based service. Photos help reassure potential customers that you are real, professional, and careful. You don’t need a fancy camera—just clear, well-lit images that represent your work.

Good photo ideas:

Before-and-after shots of kitchens, bathrooms, ovens (avoid personal items).
Equipment and supplies laid out neatly (shows professionalism).
Team photo if you have staff (trust signal).
Branding such as a logo on a uniform, vehicle, or invoice header.

Don’t over-edit images. Customers want authenticity.

Set opening hours and special hours

Accurate hours reduce missed calls and unhappy customers. If you work evenings or Saturdays, set it. If you don’t answer the phone during cleans, consider setting “call hours” realistically and using messaging for enquiries. You can also update special hours for bank holidays or planned breaks.

Enable messaging (if you can respond quickly)

Messaging can be an excellent lead channel for cleaners because customers can send quick details like property type, postcode, and the cleaning needed. Only enable it if you can reply promptly—slow replies can hurt conversions.

Get reviews the right way (and use them to win more bookings)

Reviews are one of the most powerful drivers of cleaning enquiries. People are letting you into their home, so social proof matters. Your goal is a steady flow of honest reviews that mention the services you provide and the areas you cover.

How to ask for reviews without being awkward

Keep it simple and routine. After a successful clean, send a short message thanking them and asking if they’d leave a review. If you do regular cleans, ask after the first few visits once you’ve proven reliability.

Make it easy. Customers are more likely to leave a review if it takes them a few taps. If you keep a link to your review form handy, you can send it quickly after each job.

How to respond to reviews professionally

Responding to reviews shows you are engaged and reliable. Thank customers for positive reviews and keep it warm but concise. For negative reviews, stay calm and professional. Offer to resolve the issue offline. Potential customers read your responses and decide whether you feel trustworthy.

Connect reviews to a smoother payment process

Reviews often increase enquiries. More enquiries can quickly create more invoices. Using invoice24 keeps you prepared: when a customer says “Yes, book me in,” you can invoice promptly and keep records tidy. A smooth payment experience also makes customers more likely to leave a positive review, because the overall service feels organised.

Use posts and updates to stay visible

Google Business Profile allows you to publish updates (often called posts). For domestic cleaning, these can help you stand out and stay active in Google’s eyes.

What to post as a domestic cleaner

Ideas that work well:

Seasonal reminders: spring deep cleans, pre-Christmas tidy-ups.
Availability updates: “1 slot available this Friday in Manchester.”
Service highlights: end-of-tenancy checklist, “what’s included in a deep clean.”
Before-and-after examples: a short story about a transformation (no personal data).
Trust signals: insured status, consistent team, eco-friendly products (if true).

These posts don’t need to be long. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Avoid common mistakes that stop cleaners ranking locally

Many business profiles fail to generate leads because of small but important mistakes. Here are the most common ones for domestic cleaning businesses in the UK.

Using an inaccurate business name

Adding extra keywords to your name can cause issues and confusion, especially if customers can’t match your Google name to your Facebook page or invoices. Use the real trading name you use everywhere.

Choosing the wrong primary category

If your primary category doesn’t match your service, Google may show you for the wrong searches, and customers may skip you because the listing feels unclear. Start with a category that aligns with your main offering and refine later.

Listing an address you don’t want public

If you work from home and don’t want your address visible, set up as a service-area business. This is a very common choice for sole traders and small teams.

Ignoring photos and reviews

A profile with no photos and few reviews can look unfinished, even if you’re excellent at what you do. Add photos early and start a simple review routine.

Not answering quickly

For cleaning enquiries, speed matters. If you can’t answer calls during the day, use messaging or return calls promptly. Consider setting expectations in your description, like “Messages answered within 1–2 hours.”

Make your profile work harder with a simple quoting and invoicing system

Google Business Profile is designed to generate leads. The next step is turning those leads into paying customers without creating extra admin. This is where many cleaning businesses struggle: enquiries come in, but follow-ups are slow, quotes are inconsistent, and invoices are created manually in a rush.

invoice24 is a practical solution because it supports the day-to-day realities of a domestic cleaning business:

Professional invoices: Present a clean, clear invoice layout that reassures customers you’re organised.
Faster admin: Create invoices quickly after jobs, which helps you get paid sooner.
Consistency: Keep your business name and contact details consistent across Google, messages, and invoices.
Client records: Maintain customer details so repeat invoicing is easier for weekly or monthly clients.
Better cashflow habits: When invoicing becomes simple, you’re more likely to do it promptly and follow up on unpaid invoices.

Even if you’re a one-person operation, having a reliable invoice app helps you look established. Customers often judge professionalism not only by the clean itself, but by how you communicate, confirm bookings, and handle payment.

Practical setup tips specifically for UK cleaning businesses

Domestic cleaning in the UK has its own patterns: end-of-tenancy demand, landlord and letting agent expectations, and the way customers search by postcode and town. Here are some practical tips you can apply immediately.

Use service areas that match real customer searches

Customers frequently search by town and postcode area. Instead of listing huge regions, add the specific towns, boroughs, or postcode areas you actually cover. This helps you appear for relevant searches and prevents enquiries that are too far away.

Be clear about what you bring

A common question is whether you bring your own products and equipment. If you do, state it. If you prefer customers to provide products, state that too. Clarity reduces back-and-forth and helps you attract clients who fit your way of working.

Explain your end-of-tenancy approach

End-of-tenancy cleaning is popular across the UK. If you offer it, explain what’s included and your process for kitchens, bathrooms, and appliances. Many customers want to know whether you can meet check-out standards. Be honest about what you do and don’t cover, and consider offering add-ons like oven cleaning if that’s a frequent request.

Don’t overpromise on availability

If you’re fully booked midweek, make that clear. It’s better to get fewer enquiries that are a good match than dozens you can’t service. As you grow and add cleaners, you can expand hours and areas.

After verification: a quick “first 7 days” action plan

Once your Google Business Profile is verified, use the first week to build momentum. Many businesses create a profile and then leave it half-finished. The first week is when you can set up strong foundations.

Day 1: Complete every core field

Ensure your business name, category, service areas, phone number, and hours are accurate. Add your business description and at least a few services.

Day 2: Add photos

Upload a logo and several real photos. The goal is to look real and trustworthy. If you can, add one or two strong before-and-after examples.