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.
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- Outdated opening hours, especially on public holidays.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.
Google’s interface changes regularly. The steps above describe the usual way; individual labels may differ.
