Anyone searching for a business “near me” first sees the listings with a map on Google. These listings come from the Google Business Profile. It is free and, for many local businesses, one of the most important ways to be found.
Setting it up in five steps
- Sign in with a Google account on the Google Business Profile page and search for your business. If a listing already exists, claim it instead of creating a new one.
- Enter your name, category and address. If you only visit customers on site, you can specify a service area instead of an address.
- Add your phone number, website and opening hours.
- Verify your business. Depending on the case, Google offers different methods, for example by video, phone or post.
- Add a description, services and good photos.
What matters afterwards
- The same details everywhere: name, address and phone number should be exactly the same on your website, your profile and in directories.
- Reviews: ask satisfied customers for a review and reply politely, including to criticism.
- Staying current: opening hours on public holidays, new photos and the occasional post show that your profile is looked after.
- Think of website and profile together: a page for your region on your website helps Google connect the two correctly.
Choosing the right category
The primary category is one of the most important details in your profile. Choose the category that describes your core business most precisely, not the most general one. You can add further categories if you genuinely offer several services.
Good photos
- A clear logo and a cover photo that suits your business.
- Real photos of your premises, your team and your work instead of stock images.
- For shops and practices: the entrance from outside so customers recognise you on site.
- New photos from time to time, for example after a project or a change.
Reviews: what is allowed and what isn’t
- Allowed and useful: ask happy customers directly, ideally with a short link to your profile.
- Not allowed: buying reviews, writing them yourself or rewarding customers for a review. Google removes such reviews and can restrict the profile.
- Reply to reviews calmly and kindly, including negative ones. Other customers read along.
Using services and posts
You can publish short posts in the profile, for example about new services, offers or events. They show that the profile is looked after and give interested people one more reason to get in touch. Your services should also be listed in full, ideally with a short description. What is in the profile should match the website.
No shop front: the service area
Many tradespeople, service providers and freelancers don't receive customers on site. They can hide their address and enter a service area instead, such as towns or districts. Google still needs the address for verification. If you work from home and don't receive customers there, you should not show it publicly in the profile.
What you can measure
The profile shows how often it was viewed, which searches people used to find you and how many calls, direction requests or clicks to the website there were. These numbers help you judge whether the upkeep pays off and which services are in demand. If you add a tag to the website link (a UTM parameter), your visitor statistics will also show how many visitors come via the profile.
When results show
According to Google, whether and where a profile appears in the map results depends on three things: how well it matches the search, how far away the searcher is and how well known the business is, for example through reviews and mentions online. You cannot change the distance. Complete information, good reviews and regular upkeep are the part you can influence directly.
Common mistakes
- Search terms or places in the business name that are not part of the real name. This breaks Google’s guidelines.
- Duplicate listings for the same business.
- Different phone numbers or spellings on the website and in the profile.
- Outdated opening hours, especially on public holidays.
Connecting profile and website
Link the matching page of your website in the profile, and show the same details on your website as in the profile. If people can read on your website what you offer and where, and find the same in your profile, Google is more likely to match them correctly. This also helps AI assistants that rely on these details.
Other directories
Besides Google there are other listings that customers and search engines use, for example Bing Places, Apple Business Connect for Apple Maps and business directories. The same applies here: identical details everywhere, and a few well-kept listings rather than many that go out of date. AI assistants also draw on such sources, as I describe in the post How AI assistants find businesses.
If you'd rather not set up or maintain the profile yourself, I take care of it as part of local SEO.
Does the Google Business Profile cost anything?
No, the profile itself is free. Be careful with calls or emails that claim to sell paid listings on Google's behalf.
What should I do about an unfair review?
Reply calmly and factually, without mentioning the customer's personal details. If a review breaks Google's policies, for example because it is offensive or clearly not from a customer, you can report it.
Can someone else manage my profile?
Yes, you can add other people, such as staff or a service provider. But you should remain the owner yourself so you never lose access.
How often should I update the profile?
Opening hours as soon as they change, especially before public holidays. New photos and posts from time to time. Reply to reviews as they come in.
Google’s interface changes regularly. The steps above describe the usual way; individual labels may differ.
