How to Use Google Business Profile to Get More Driving Lesson Bookings

When a student in your area types "driving instructor near me" into Google, two things happen: they see a map with local results, and below that, a list of websites. The map results — called the Local Pack — are driven by Google Business Profile. If you're not in that pack, you're largely invisible to anyone searching on Google Maps.

Setting up and maintaining a Google Business Profile is one of the highest-return marketing activities available to a driving instructor, and it's free.

What Google Business Profile Is

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free listing that appears in Google Maps and in local search results. It shows:

Your business name
Location and service area
Phone number and website
Opening hours
Reviews and star rating
Photos

When a student searches for a driving instructor in your suburb, a complete and well-reviewed profile puts you directly in front of them — at the moment of intent.

Setting Up Your Profile

Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. Create a new profile or claim an existing one if Google has auto-generated a partial listing for you.

Key fields to complete accurately:

Business name: Use your real business name — the name you trade under. Don't stuff keywords into the name field ("Perth Driving Instructor John Smith Expert Lessons"). This violates Google's guidelines and can get your listing suspended.

Category: Choose "Driving School" as your primary category. You can add secondary categories if relevant (e.g., "Driving Instructor").

Service area: Because you travel to students, you're a service-area business rather than a fixed-location business. List the suburbs or postcodes you serve rather than a physical address if you work from home.

Phone number: Use a number you answer. This is often the first thing a prospective student uses.

Website: Link to your DriveBook booking page. This is where students should be able to book — send them directly there.

Hours: Set your actual teaching hours. Keep these current — outdated hours are a source of frustration for students and hurt your profile's trust signals.

Verification

Google requires verification before your profile appears publicly. For service-area businesses, this is typically done by phone call or video call. Follow the prompts when you set up — the process takes a few minutes.

Unverified profiles don't appear in search results.

Photos Matter More Than You Think

Profiles with photos receive significantly more clicks than those without. Add:

A professional headshot or clear photo of yourself
Your teaching vehicle (clean, in good condition, L plates visible)
Photos from your teaching area if you have any from students (with permission)

You don't need professional photography. A clear, well-lit photo taken on a modern phone is fine. Avoid blurry or dark images.

Reviews: The Most Important Signal

Your star rating and review volume are the strongest signals Google uses to rank local business results. An instructor with 30 reviews and 4.8 stars will almost always rank above an instructor with 3 reviews and 4.5 stars.

The strategy for building reviews:

Ask every student after a positive lesson: "Would you mind leaving me a Google review? It really helps."
Send a follow-up message after they pass their PDA with a link to your review page
Make it easy — send a direct link, not instructions to find your profile

Don't offer incentives for reviews (gifts, discounts). This violates Google's guidelines and can result in reviews being removed.

Responding to Reviews

Respond to every review — positive and negative.

For positive reviews: a brief, genuine thank-you. Don't template it.

For negative reviews: acknowledge the feedback, stay calm, and offer to resolve the issue. Never argue. Other readers are watching how you handle criticism.

Keeping Your Profile Current

Google deprioritises stale profiles. Post updates periodically — a short post about your availability, a tip for learner drivers, a note about a student passing their PDA (with permission). Monthly is enough to signal that the business is active.

Update your hours if they change, particularly around public holidays.

Connecting DriveBook to Your Google Profile

Your DriveBook subdomain or custom domain is the ideal link to include in your Google Business Profile. Students clicking from Google land on a professional booking page where they can see your availability and book immediately.

The fewer steps between "found on Google" and "booking confirmed," the higher your conversion rate.

Your DriveBook profile and booking page are designed to be the destination that converts Google traffic into confirmed lessons.

Set up your DriveBook profile →