In short
A Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows your business on Google Search and Google Maps. It holds your name, contact details, opening hours, photos and reviews. You claim it, prove it is yours, and then you control what people see. It used to be called Google My Business.
Search for a local business on your phone and you will often see a box with a map, a phone number and star ratings before you see any website. That box is a Google Business Profile.
Your business may already be listed on Google, even if you never set anything up. Either way, it pays to check what it says. This guide is for UK small businesses that want to understand it and get it right.
- What a Google Business Profile is and where it shows up
- Who can have one, including trades with no shop
- How to claim and verify yours
- Which details matter most
- What you can safely ignore
What a Google Business Profile Shows
Your profile appears on Google Search and Google Maps when someone looks for you by name, or for the kind of thing you do nearby.
It can show:
- Your business name, category and website
- Your phone number and opening hours
- Your address, or the area you cover
- Photos, services and products
- Customer reviews, and your replies to them
It is not a separate website. Think of it as your shop window on Google. It is free, and you do not need a website to have one. Your website still does the detailed explaining, and our guide to getting started with SEO covers that side.
Who Can Have One
Most local businesses can, but not all. Google says a profile is for businesses that meet customers face to face. That includes shops, cafes and offices people visit. It also includes trades and services that go to the customer.
An online-only business with no premises and no in-person visits is not eligible.
If you travel to customers, you are a service-area business: one that visits or delivers to customers instead of serving them at its own address. Plumbers and cleaners are typical examples. You list the areas you cover instead of an address.
If you work from home, you can hide your home address. Google says to do this if you do not serve customers there. You can list up to 20 areas.
How to Set One Up
- Sign in with a Google account you will keep, and one you control.
- Search for your business name on Google. If it is already listed, claim it rather than making a second one.
- Add your name, category, address or service area, and contact details.
- Verify the profile, which means proving to Google that the business is yours.
Google decides which verification options you get. It might be a phone call, a text, an email, a video or a postcard. Google says most postcard codes arrive within 14 days, and a review after verification can take up to 5 business days. Google's own Business Profile help walks through each step.
Fix: if you ask for a postcard, do not change your name, address or category while you wait. Google says the code will stop working.
Getting the Details Right
A profile does its job when it is accurate and matches the rest of your business.
Name
Use your real business name, as it appears on your signage, website and invoices. Do not add taglines, services or locations that are not part of that name. Google says unnecessary information in the name could get a profile suspended.
For example:
A listing called "Smith Plumbing | Emergency Plumber Newcastle", when the van says "Smith Plumbing".
Fix: change the listing to "Smith Plumbing".
Phone, website and hours
Check each one you choose to show. Does the number connect? Does the website link work? Are the hours right for bank holidays? Wrong hours send customers to a locked door.
Category
Pick the category that best describes your main business. Google advises using as few as it takes to describe what you do.
Reviews
Reply to them. A short, polite answer to a good review and a calm one to a bad review shows people you are paying attention.
What You Can Ignore
You do not need to do everything on day one:
- Weekly posts. Get the basics right first.
- Hundreds of photos. A handful of real ones is plenty.
- Advanced local SEO. SEO means improving your website so it appears in unpaid search results. For now, an accurate profile is enough.
- Every setting in the dashboard. Name, contact details, hours and category come first.
Try this today
Give yourself 10 minutes.
- Open a private browser window and search for your business name.
- Look for the box that usually appears, on the right on a computer or near the top on a phone.
- Check your name, phone number, website and hours.
- Tap the phone number and the website link.
- Write down anything wrong, then fix it in your profile.
If you cannot find a profile, or it says "Claim this business", that is your next job.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes, a Google Business Profile is free. Google says creating a profile and listing your business costs nothing, and you manage it from Search and Maps. You do not need to pay anyone to claim or verify yours, so be careful with anyone who says you do.
Is a Google Business Profile the same as Google My Business?
Yes, a Google Business Profile is the new name for Google My Business. Google says it replaced Google My Business, Google Places for Business and Google+ Business Pages. If someone mentions Google My Business, they mean this same free listing.
Do I need a Google Business Profile if I have a website?
Yes, it is worth having both. Google says a profile complements your website by adding visibility on Search and Maps. Your website explains what you do in detail. Your profile helps nearby customers find and contact you quickly.
Can I have a Google Business Profile without a shop?
Yes, if you visit customers in person. Google allows service-area businesses, such as plumbers and cleaners, to list the areas they cover and hide their address. An online-only business with no face-to-face contact with customers is not eligible.
Summary
A Google Business Profile is the free listing that puts your business on Google Search and Maps. It only helps if the details are right: name, contact details, hours and category.
Your next step is small. Search for your own business and look at what people see. Fix anything wrong, or claim the profile if you cannot find one.
Not sure what your Google listing says about you?
If you are not confident your business shows up properly on Google, a free audit can show what people see and what to fix first. It is free and independent.