A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) helps your company appear in Google Search and Google Maps. It’s free, takes under an hour to set up, and can make a real difference to local enquiries and search engine optimisation.
This is a practical, step-by-step guide you can follow yourself, whether you’re setting one up for the first time or tidying up an existing profile.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
- A Google account (ideally a work account you control)
- Business details including name, address, phone number and website URL
- A logo file (square, high-resolution) and relevant photos (exterior, interior, team, products or recent work)
- A short business description explaining what you do, who you help and where you work
- Your main business category (for example, “Plumber” or “Accountant”)
- Optional extras such as services list, booking link, menu or price list, accessibility details and holiday hours
Are You Eligible for a Google Business Profile?
You’re eligible if customers visit you (such as a shop, clinic or office) or if you visit customers at their location (for example builders, electricians or gardeners).
If you work from home and don’t want your address shown publicly, you can hide it and set a service area instead. This is usually the best option for trades and mobile services.
How to Set Up Your Google Business Profile
- Create or claim your profile – go to business.google.com/add, sign in and enter your business name. If Google finds an existing listing, claim it. If not, create a new one.
- Choose your business category – select the most accurate primary category. Be specific where possible (for example “Roofing contractor” is better than “Builder”). You can add secondary categories later.
- Decide on address or service area – if you have a public-facing shop or office, enter your address. If you’re a service-area business, hide your address and choose the areas you cover. Avoid adding your home address unless customers genuinely visit you there.
- Add contact details and opening hours – include your phone number, website URL and business hours. Set special hours for bank holidays so customers aren’t misled.
- Verify your business – Google will ask you to verify via phone, email, video or postcard. You can continue editing your profile while you wait, but most features unlock after verification.
Complete and Optimise Your Profile
Business Description (Keep It Simple)
Write two to four short paragraphs explaining what you do, where you operate and why customers choose you. Use plain English and avoid buzzwords or keyword stuffing. The character limit is 750, so keep it clear and focused.
Example:
Athena Media is a reliable, affordable web design and SEO service based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
I work closely with local businesses to create websites and search engine optimisation campaigns that help them get found by the right people at the right time.
I do what I do because I genuinely enjoy it, and I’ve built a proven track record of delivering high-quality digital services for my clients.
Photos and Logo
- Add your logo, a cover image and 3–7 quality photos of your premises, work or team
- Think about what customers want to see (for example entrances, menus or recent projects)
- Add new photos regularly – fresh content improves visibility and trust
Services
List your main services with short descriptions. This helps Google match your profile to relevant searches. Don’t overcomplicate things by splitting services into near-identical variations.
Products (Optional but Useful)
You can add product-style listings even for services. Include images, prices (or “from” prices) and short descriptions. This helps answer early-stage questions before someone contacts you.
Booking or Appointments Link (Optional)
If you take bookings online, add your appointment link. If not, link to your website’s contact page so people can act quickly.
Messaging (Optional)
Enable messaging only if you can respond quickly during business hours. If you can’t monitor it regularly, it’s better to leave it switched off.
Attributes and Amenities
Add relevant attributes such as wheelchair access, parking, women-led or LGBTQ+ friendly. These can appear in filters and help customers decide faster.
Opening Hours and Special Hours
Keep your hours accurate and schedule special hours for bank holidays, seasonal changes or one-off closures.
Questions and Answers
Customers can ask questions directly on your profile.
- Reply clearly and promptly
- You can also add common questions yourself, such as parking, access or payment methods
Posts (Updates, Offers and Events)
Use Posts to share offers, new services, events or seasonal updates. Posting once or twice a month is enough to keep your profile fresh.
Reviews – Getting Them and Replying Well
- Send happy customers a direct link to your review page
- Ask soon after a successful job or delivery
- Include the link in email footers and invoices
Simple request template:
“Thanks again for choosing us. If you’ve got 30 seconds, a quick Google review really helps other local people find us: [your review link]. Thank you!”
- Positive reviews: “Thanks, [name]! Glad you’re happy with the work. If you need anything else, just shout.”
- Neutral or negative reviews: “Sorry to hear this, [name]. We’ve messaged you directly so we can sort it. Thanks for the feedback.”
Responding to reviews shows you’re active and helpful, and it can improve visibility.
Keep It Up to Date
- Add new photos of recent work regularly
- Update hours for holidays
- Post an update or offer each month
- Review categories and services every few months
- Check performance for calls, messages, website clicks and direction requests
Advanced Tips
- Keep details consistent (NAP) – your business name, address and phone number should match your website and other listings exactly
- Avoid keyword stuffing – use real business names and services only, or you risk suspension
- Add managers, not owners – give staff or agencies manager access, but keep ownership yourself
- Avoid duplicate listings – only one profile per location; merge or remove old ones if needed
Common Pitfalls (and Quick Fixes)
- Wrong category: choose a more precise primary category
- Home address showing: hide it and use service areas if customers don’t visit you
- Empty profile: add photos, services and posts
- Inconsistent details: make your website and profile match exactly
- Slow responses: turn off messaging if you can’t reply quickly
