Many Gulf owners ask the same thing before hiring a team in Kerala: “What will you actually do for me each month?” This guide gives a plain answer you can use as a checklist, whoever you hire. It follows on from our guide to Arabic keywords and near-me searches.
1. Who owns what
Before any work starts, settle ownership. Your Google Business Profile should be created or verified in a Google account that belongs to your company, with the agency added as a manager. Google says only profile owners control who has access and can change permissions at any time. Do the same for Search Console and your website hosting. If a team insists on being the only owner, that is a red flag.
2. What a remote team can do every month
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Check profile details: name, address, phone, hours, categories | Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up |
| Update holiday hours before Eid and National Day | Customers see the correct opening times |
| Upload new photos and videos you send | Google encourages real photos that show your business |
| Draft replies to new reviews for your approval | Google says replies show customers their feedback matters |
| Check Business Profile performance numbers | Google suggests reviewing how customers find you every month |
| Check Search Console for pages with errors or that are not indexed | Pages Google cannot index cannot appear in results |
| Check that the Arabic and English pages still link to each other | hreflang links must point back both ways or Google may ignore them |
| Check the website on a phone and fix broken pages or links | Customers leave pages that do not work |
| Send you a short monthly summary in plain words | You see what was done and what is next |
3. What stays with you
- Verification of the business, which needs access to your location or phone.
- Approval of anything public, such as review replies, offers and new service pages.
- Facts only you know: real prices, opening times, new services and staff changes.
- Asking customers for reviews after a job. Offering gifts or discounts for reviews is not allowed. Google calls it fake engagement and strictly prohibits it.
- Payment of any advertising budget, directly to Google.
4. Content that helps people
New pages and blog posts should answer a real customer question. Google's guidance asks whether content leaves readers feeling they learned enough to achieve their goal. It lists warning signs, such as producing lots of content on many topics in hopes that some will do well, and changing page dates to look fresh when the content has not changed. A good team writes fewer, better pages and tells you who wrote them and why.
5. A simple monthly report
Ask for one short message, by email or WhatsApp, with these five points: what was done, what customers did on your profile and website, what needs your approval, what is planned next month, and anything that went wrong. No jargon, and no promise of a position on Google.
6. Questions to ask before you sign
- Which accounts will you ask me to create, and who will own them?
- What exactly is included each month, and what costs extra?
- How will you tell me when something is changed on my profile or website?
- How do I end the agreement and keep all my accounts and content?
- Are the prices written in the agreement?
Red flags
- A guaranteed top position on Google or Google Maps. Google says there is no way to pay for a better local ranking.
- A promise of a fixed number of reviews each month.
- No access for you to the profile or reports.
- Vague scope such as “full SEO” with no list of tasks.
How Futurum Works handles this
Futurum Works is a remote-first digital agency serving Kerala, Bangalore and the GCC. We build websites and custom software and run SEO and Google Ads for businesses in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Our marketing plan is the Complete Digital Growth Package at ₹2,999 a month, which includes Google Business Profile management with a clear monthly scope. Website and app builds are quoted separately. Message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what fits. Start here: Google Business Profile and Maps for a Gulf business.
Frequently asked questions
Who should own the Google Business Profile?
Your company. Create or verify it in a Google account you control and add the agency as a manager. Google says only profile owners control access.
Can a remote team guarantee a top spot on Google Maps?
No. Google says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Treat any guarantee as a red flag.
What should a monthly report include?
What was done, how customers interacted with your profile and website, what needs your approval, what is planned next month, and any problems, in plain words.
Can a team offer customers a discount for reviews?
No. Google says offering discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews is fake engagement and strictly prohibited.
Sources: Google Business Profile Help: Tips for working with third parties to manage your Business Profile; Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google; Google Business Profile Help: Tips to get more reviews; Google Search Central: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content; Google Search Central: Tell Google about localized versions of your page.
