You've got a Google Business Profile. Maybe you set it up a year ago, added your phone number and called it done. But the calls aren't coming - and every time you search "cleaners Caloundra" or "house cleaning Maroochydore," the same handful of businesses keeps showing up ahead of you.
Those businesses aren't necessarily better than you. They've just got a profile Google actually trusts. Here's what's likely going wrong - and what to change first. For a full breakdown of what drives ranking in local search, read our guide on how to get into the Google Maps top 3.
Your Primary Category Is Probably Wrong
The most overlooked setting in any Google Business Profile is the primary category. For cleaning businesses, it matters more than most people realise.
If you've selected something generic like "Cleaning Service" when your main work is residential house cleaning, you're costing yourself rankings. Google uses your primary category as one of its strongest signals to decide when and where to show your business. The wrong choice - even by one degree of specificity - can push you out of the local pack entirely.
Common mistakes Sunshine Coast cleaners make: choosing "Cleaning Service" instead of "House Cleaning Service" or "Commercial Cleaning Service"; adding the right category as a secondary rather than primary; not adding secondary categories at all - you can add up to nine. Log into your profile right now and check. If the primary category doesn't match your main service exactly, change it - this single fix can move your ranking within weeks.
Google Doesn't Know Where You Actually Work
Most cleaning businesses on the Sunshine Coast are mobile - you go to the customer. That means your service area settings are critical. If Google doesn't know which suburbs you work in, it won't show you to customers searching from those areas.
A lot of cleaners set their service area once during setup and forget about it. If your profile just says "Sunshine Coast" but you regularly work in Sippy Downs, Aura, Little Mountain, and Buderim, you're invisible to customers in those suburbs. Go into your profile settings and list service areas by suburb, not just region. Google uses these to match your business with location-specific searches like "end of lease cleaning Aura" or "regular cleaner Sippy Downs."
Your Photos Aren't Doing Any Work
Profile photos directly influence whether someone clicks your listing. A cleaning business with no photos - or a few blurry shots in bad lighting - signals to both Google and potential customers that the business isn't active or trustworthy.
What actually works: before and after shots of real cleans; photos of your team in uniform on the job; clean, well-lit interiors showing finished results. Aim for at least 10–15 photos, and add new ones regularly. You don't need a professional photographer. Consistent, decent photos on a modern smartphone will outperform most local competitors who have nothing at all.
Your Business Description Is Generic
Most Sunshine Coast cleaning businesses have a description that reads: "We provide high-quality cleaning services to residential and commercial clients." That tells Google almost nothing useful.
Your description is one of the few places on your profile where you can include keywords naturally. Mention specific services, the suburbs you work in, and a trust signal. Something like: "Regular house cleaning, end of lease cleans, and commercial cleaning across Caloundra, Maroochydore, and Buderim. Fully insured, locally owned." That version tells Google what you do, where you do it, and gives a potential customer a reason to call.
Your Profile Looks Inactive
Google favours profiles that show signs of life. If you set yours up and never touched it again, that's working against you. Signs of an inactive profile: no photos added in months, outdated hours, customer questions left unanswered, no posts or updates.
You don't need to post daily. A quick update once or twice a month - a photo from a recent job, a note about availability - signals to Google that you're a legitimate, active business. That activity compounds over time and improves where you show up.
Quick Win: Fix your primary category today. Log into your Google Business Profile, go to Edit Profile → Business category, and confirm your primary category matches your main service exactly. If you're a residential cleaner, it should read "House Cleaning Service" - not "Cleaning Service." This one change is free, takes two minutes, and can improve your local ranking within weeks.
Getting calls from Google comes down to how well your profile is set up - not how long you've been in business or how competitive your prices are. The issues above are fixable, and most take less than an hour to sort out. Haylo's Google marketing service for cleaning businesses handles all of this for you. And don't forget that review generation is one of the fastest ways to improve your ranking once the profile basics are in order.
Not sure where your profile stands? Get a free Google Business Profile audit from Haylo - we'll review your current setup and tell you exactly what's holding you back.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get my cleaning business to rank on Google Maps?
Start by claiming and fully completing your Google Business Profile with the correct primary category - "House Cleaning Service" or "Commercial Cleaning Service" depending on your focus. Upload real photos of your team, your equipment, and ideally before-and-after cleaning shots. The most important growth lever is reviews: ask every happy customer to leave a Google review and make it easy by sending them a direct link. Consistent posting, accurate business information, and a steady stream of reviews will compound over time to push your listing up the Maps rankings.
Is the cleaning industry competitive on Google Maps on the Sunshine Coast?
The cleaning industry is competitive in most markets, including the Sunshine Coast, but it's far from impenetrable for a business willing to put in consistent effort. The businesses that dominate local Maps results typically have 20 or more reviews, post regularly, and have a fully completed profile. Many cleaning businesses have weak profiles with few photos and reviews, which means a business that actively manages its Google presence can overtake established competitors relatively quickly. It's also worth knowing that cleaners and tradies face different challenges on Google - the search intent and category structure are quite distinct, and understanding those differences helps you build a stronger profile. Specialising in a niche - such as end-of-lease cleaning, commercial cleaning, or Airbnb turnovers - can also help you rank for more specific searches with less competition.
What photos should a cleaning business put on Google Business Profile?
Before-and-after photos are the most powerful type of image for a cleaning business because they immediately demonstrate the quality of your work. Add photos of your team in uniform, your cleaning equipment and products, and any vehicles or branded materials you use. Authentic, high-quality real photos consistently outperform stock images for building trust. Aim for at least 10 images to start, and add new photos regularly - ideally from recent jobs - to show that your business is actively working and producing great results.
How do cleaning businesses get more Google reviews without being pushy?
The most natural approach is to ask at the end of a clean when the customer has just seen the results and is pleased. A simple, genuine request - "We'd really appreciate it if you left us a Google review" - combined with a follow-up text containing a direct link works extremely well. For regular cleaning clients, ask after the first few sessions once trust is established rather than at the very first visit. Some cleaning businesses automate the follow-up process with a post-job text or email, which removes the awkwardness of asking in person while maintaining a high response rate.
