When someone searches for a business like yours, Google often shows a box with a map, reviews and a phone number before anything else. That box is your Google Business Profile. It is free, and for local businesses and real estate agents, it is one of the most valuable things you can set up.

First, the rules

Google has rules about who can have a profile. Read them before you start, because breaking them can get a profile suspended.

  • You need to meet customers in person, either at your location or by visiting them. Purely online businesses are not eligible.
  • Use your real business name, as it appears on your sign, website and paperwork. Adding keywords to the name is against the rules.
  • A home-based business that visits customers can hide its home address and show a service area instead.
  • Do not create more than one profile for the same business, and do not use a P.O. box as your address.

Google can change these rules. Check its current guidelines before you start.

The checklist

1. Create the profile

Go to business.google.com and follow the steps. Choose the business type that matches how you serve customers: a location people visit, or a service area you travel to.

2. Pick the right main category

Your main category matters more than any other setting. Choose the one that best describes what you are, not everything you do. Then add a few secondary categories for other services.

3. Verify it

Google needs to confirm that your business is real. It may use a postcard with a code, a phone call, an email or a short video. Do not edit your profile while it is being reviewed, because that can restart the process.

4. Fill in every field

Complete profiles perform better. Add:

  • Phone number and website. Use the exact address of your site.
  • Opening hours, and update them for holidays.
  • Service areas, if you travel to customers: the cities and areas you cover.
  • Description: what you do, who you help and where, in plain words. Do not stuff it with keywords.

5. List your services

Add each service you offer, with a short description and, if you can, a price or price range. This helps Google match you to what people search for.

6. Add real photos

Profiles with photos get more clicks. Add:

  • Your logo and a cover photo
  • Photos of you and your team
  • Photos of your work, with permission from clients

Use real images. If you work from home, avoid photos that show your address or street. Photos taken on a phone can carry location data, so check before uploading.

Point people to the quickest way to reach you, such as your booking page. Make it a single click.

8. Ask for reviews

Reviews are among the strongest signals for local results.

  • Ask every happy customer, right after a good result.
  • Send them the direct review link from your profile.
  • Do not offer rewards for reviews, and do not write your own.

9. Reply to every review

Thank people for good reviews. For a bad one, reply calmly, say what you will do, and take the conversation offline. Future customers read your replies.

10. Post updates

Share a new project, an offer or a tip every so often. Posts keep the profile looking active.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Keywords in the business name. It can lead to suspension.
  • Different details in different places. Your name, phone and website should match everywhere online.
  • A wrong category. It sends the wrong searchers to you.
  • Ignoring reviews. Unanswered reviews look like nobody is home.
  • Showing your home address by mistake. Check the privacy settings.

How long until it works?

A profile starts to appear in searches soon after it is verified. Climbing higher takes time, and depends on your reviews, how complete your profile is, how close you are to the searcher, and the strength of your website. Keep at it each week.

Connect it to your website

Your profile and your website support each other. Your website should show the same name, services and contact details, and explain what you do in more depth. Our Google Business Profile setup service handles the profile for you, or you can add it with our Signature System. Prefer to talk it through? Book a free launch call.