Google Business Profile: A Practical Guide

Who can have a profile

Google's guidelines for representing your business open with the rule: you can create a Business Profile if your business has a physical location that customers can visit, or travels to customers where they are. Each business should have only one profile. Duplicates cause problems with how your information shows on Maps and Search.

There are two kinds of local business in the guidelines:

• Storefront businesses show an address where customers visit, such as a shop, clinic or office.
• Service-area businesses go to their customers, such as plumbers or cleaners. They should have one profile for their central office or location, with a service area set. A "virtual" office can only be listed if it is staffed during business hours. Hybrid businesses that serve customers at an address and travel to them can show the address and set a service area.

The address has to be real. Google says P.O. boxes and mailboxes at remote locations are not acceptable.

Add or claim your business

According to Google's add or claim help page, you can add or claim a profile at no charge. You need a Google Account, which can use a Gmail address or your own business email.

• No profile exists yet: go to business.google.com/add, choose to add your business, enter the details and choose a verification option.
• An unverified profile already exists: find the business on Google Maps, select "Claim this business", then "Manage now", and verify.
• Someone else has already verified it: if you are authorised to manage the business, you can request ownership from the current owner, for example a former employee or agency.

Sign up with an account the business controls, not a personal account of whoever happens to do the setup. You can add other people as managers later.

Verify it

Verification proves you are allowed to manage the business, and you need it before you can edit your details and reply to customers. Google's verification help page says the methods are chosen automatically and depend on your business type, public information, region and hours, and some businesses need more than one method. Options include:

• Phone or text: a code sent to your business number. Automated phone menus (IVR) will not receive the code.
• Email: a link sent to an address shown on the verification screen.
• Video recording: Google recommends it where it is offered.
• Live video call: only during your business hours and not available to every business.
• Postcard: a 5-digit code mailed to your business address, not offered to every business. Google says most codes arrive within 14 days, and you should not edit your business name, address or category while you wait, or the code will not work.

For a live video call, be ready to show outside signs or a street sign, branded equipment or products, and something only staff can access, such as a till, storeroom or keys to the premises.

After you complete the steps, Google reviews the information. It says verification reviews take up to 5 business days, and occasionally longer.

Name, address, categories and hours

Google says profiles that break these guidelines can have their information changed or be suspended. The main rules:

• Name: use your real-world name, as it appears on your signage, website and stationery. Adding keywords, locations or taglines to the name is not allowed and can get the profile suspended.
• Address or service area: accurate and precise. Put a suite or unit number on the second address line.
• Categories: use as few as possible to describe your core business, as specific as possible. Google's test is that a category should complete the sentence "This business IS a", not "this business HAS a". Categories are not keywords.
• Phone and website: a number under the business's direct control that reaches that location, and a website that represents it. Avoid redirects and call-centre numbers where you can.
• Hours: your regular hours, plus special hours for holidays and closures.
• Description: what you offer, your history and what makes you different. No links, and no sales or price promotions in the description.

Reviews

Reviews appear next to your profile on Maps and Search. Google's tips for getting reviews are simple: ask customers, using a review link or QR code you can create from your profile, and reply to reviews.

One rule matters more than any tip. Offering an incentive, such as a discount or free item, to post, change or remove a review is treated as fake and misleading content and is strictly prohibited. Reviews must reflect a genuine experience.

When you reply, keep it short, polite and specific rather than a copied thank-you. On negative reviews, never share the reviewer's private details, acknowledge real mistakes, and offer to continue by phone or email. If a review breaks Google's content policies, you can report it rather than argue in public.

Posts and photos

Posts are short updates shown on your profile. Google's posts help page lists three types:

• Updates: news about your business, with an optional photo, video and action button linking to your website.
• Offers: a promotion with a title and dates, which adds a "View Offer" button.
• Events: an event with start and end dates and times.

Posts older than six months are archived unless they have a date range. Posts can be scheduled and repeated. A phone number in a post can get it rejected if Google cannot confirm the number belongs to the business. Add photos and videos of your premises, team and work too. They show customers what to expect.

How local ranking works

Google's local ranking help page says local results are mainly based on three factors:

• Relevance: how well your profile matches the search. Complete, detailed information helps.
• Distance: how far you are from the person searching.
• Prominence: how well known you are, including links to your website from other sites and your reviews and ratings.

Google also says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. What you control is a verified profile, complete and accurate details, photos and replies to reviews. Be wary of anyone who promises guaranteed positions on Maps.

Your profile and your website

The profile and your website support each other. Keep your name, address, phone and hours the same on both, link the profile to the most relevant page of your site, and make sure that page loads fast and works on a phone. Our guide SEO basics for small business websites covers the website side, and the website launch checklist includes updating your profile when a new site goes live.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Google Business Profile free?

Yes. Google says you can add or claim your Business Profile at no charge. You need a Google Account, which can use a Gmail address or your own business email.

Can I have a profile if I work from home?

Yes, if you travel to customers or customers visit you. A business that travels to customers can set a service area instead of showing its address. The address must be a real location, not a P.O. box or a remote mailbox.

How long does verification take?

Google says verification reviews take up to 5 business days after you complete the steps, occasionally longer. If you verify by postcard, most codes arrive within 14 days.

Can I pay Google for a better position on Maps?

No. Google says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence.

Can I offer customers a discount for a review?

No. Google treats incentives for posting, changing or removing reviews as fake and misleading content, and it is strictly prohibited. You can ask every customer for an honest review using your review link or QR code.

Want your website and Business Profile to tell the same story? See how we approach website development, or email info@creahive.com with your business name and town.