Guide
How to set up a Google Business Profile
Create a Google Business Profile at business.google.com, enter your exact business name, category, address or service area, phone and website, then verify it using the method Google offers. A complete, accurate profile helps you appear in Google Maps and local results. Keep your details identical to your website, add photos and reply to reviews.
What it is
What a Google Business Profile is
A Google Business Profile is the free listing that appears when someone searches for your business by name, or searches for a service near them. It shows your name, address or service area, opening hours, phone number, website link, photos and reviews, often in a panel beside the results or in Google Maps. For a local business it is frequently seen before your website is.
It is free, and it is separate from your website. The two work together. The profile gets you noticed in local searches and maps, and the website supplies the detail once the customer clicks. A business with both, matching each other, looks established and is easier to trust.
This guide covers eligibility, setup, verification, what to fill in, and how to keep the profile healthy. Rules and screens change from time to time, so follow the on-screen prompts and Google's own help pages where they differ from what we describe.
Eligibility
Which kind of business qualifies
Usually eligible
- Shops, offices and studios customers visit
- Tradespeople who travel to customers (service area businesses)
- Restaurants, salons and clinics
- Businesses with a real, staffed location or in-person service
Usually not eligible
- A purely online business with no in-person contact
- A virtual office or mailbox as the address
- A rented space no one works at
- A made-up business name stuffed with keywords
Setup
Creating your profile
Sign in with a Google account
Use an account the business controls rather than a personal one a member of the team may take with them.
Enter your business name
Use the real name customers see on your shop front, invoices and website. Do not add keywords.
Choose a primary category
Pick the category that best describes the main thing you do, such as Plumber or Accountant.
Add a location or service area
If customers visit, enter your address. If you travel to them, hide the address and list the areas you cover.
Add contact details
Enter a phone number and your website address, exactly as they appear on the site.
Verify
Choose from the verification options shown, which may include a postcard, phone, email or video.
A website to match your profile
Hosting for small UK businesses, with email on your own domain.
Verification
Verification and why it takes a little patience
Google needs to confirm that your business is real and that you are entitled to manage it. The options offered depend on your business and location. Some businesses can verify by phone or email, others by a short video showing the premises, signage and tools, and some still receive a postcard with a code at the address. A postcard can take a few days to arrive in the UK, so do not request a second one too soon. Enter the code in the profile when it comes.
Until you verify, the profile may not show to the public, and you cannot make most changes. If verification fails, check that your name and address match what is visible on your website and elsewhere online, then try again with better evidence. Do not keep creating new profiles for the same business, because duplicates cause problems.
Fill it in
What to complete in your profile
| Field | What to enter | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Business name | Your real trading name | Adding keywords or locations to the name |
| Primary category | The best single description of your main service | Choosing a broad or unrelated category |
| Additional categories | Real secondary services | Adding many unrelated ones |
| Address or service area | Where you operate | Showing a home address you want kept private |
| Opening hours | Accurate regular and special hours | Forgetting bank holiday changes |
| Phone and website | The same as your site | A different number from the website |
| Description | A factual summary of what you offer | Promotional claims or links |
| Photos | Real images of premises, team and work | Stock photos or none at all |
Consistency
Keeping your details consistent
Search engines compare your name, address and phone number across your profile, your website and other directories. When they match exactly, the business looks reliable. When they differ, for instance two phone numbers or an old address on a directory, confidence drops and customers may call the wrong number. This matching of name, address and phone is often called NAP consistency.
Put the same details in the footer or contact page of your website, written the same way. If you operate as a limited company, our guide on what to put on a UK business website lists the details the law expects to see there as well. Update the profile the day anything changes, and search for your business name now and then to catch old listings.
Reviews and photos
The parts customers notice most
Reviews
Ask satisfied customers to leave a review, and never pay for or write fake ones. Google can remove them and penalise the profile.
Replies
Answer reviews politely, good and bad. A calm reply to criticism shows future customers how you work.
Photos
Add a clear exterior, interior and examples of work. Fresh photos suggest an active business.
Hours
Keep opening hours right, including holidays. Wrong hours lose customers quickly.
Website link
Link to a page that loads quickly on a phone and clearly shows how to contact you.
Posts and updates
Share offers or news if it suits you, but accuracy matters more than volume.
Website
Connecting the profile to your website
Your website is where the profile sends people, so it needs to be quick and clear on a phone. Most local searches happen on mobile devices, often by someone in a hurry. Put your address, phone number, opening hours and a map on the contact page, and make the telephone number tappable.
Set up Google Search Console as well, so you can see how your website itself performs in search. The profile and the website are measured separately, so together they give you the full picture of local visibility. If your site is slow or often down, fixing that is covered in does web hosting affect SEO.
Do and avoid
Rules that keep your profile safe
- Use your real business name only
- Keep address and phone identical everywhere
- Verify once and keep access with a business email
- Add at least one other owner or manager
- Respond to reviews within a few days
- Never buy or fake reviews
- Do not create duplicate profiles
- Update hours before holidays
Get a professional email address too
Unlimited email accounts on your own domain, on every plan.
Problems
If something goes wrong
If your profile is suspended, the usual cause is a mismatch with guidelines: a name with extra keywords, an address that is not a real location, or a business type that does not qualify. Read the message, correct the issue and submit a reinstatement request through Google's help system. Keep evidence such as a business registration or photos of signage ready.
If someone else has claimed your listing, or a duplicate exists, use the request-access or report options on the profile. And if you ever lose access to the Google account that owns the profile, having a second owner added will save a lot of trouble. Record who has access and review it twice a year.
FAQ
Common questions
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes, creating and managing a profile costs nothing.
Do I need a website to have a profile?
Not strictly, but a website adds credibility and gives customers more detail. Most businesses benefit from having both.
How long does verification take?
Some methods are quick. A postcard can take several days to arrive, so allow a week or so.
Can I hide my home address?
Yes. If you serve customers at their location, choose a service area and hide the address.
Can I get reviews removed?
Only if they break Google's policies, for example fake or abusive content. You can report them for review.
Keep reading
Related pages
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