A Google Business Profile helps eligible businesses manage how their details appear on Google Search and Maps. It can help customers check whether a business serves their area, see its opening hours and contact the business. It does not guarantee rankings, calls or sales. Treat the profile as a public business record that needs accurate, current information.
Key takeaways
- Claim and verify a profile only for a business that meets Google’s eligibility rules.
- Use the real-world business name, the most accurate categories and complete, up-to-date details.
- Ask for honest reviews without incentives or pressure, and respond professionally.
- Connect the profile to a useful page on your website and track enquiries where practical.
- Review Google’s current policies before changing profile content or using a feature.
Check eligibility and ownership
Google Business Profiles are for businesses that make in-person contact with customers during their stated hours. Online-only businesses and lead-generation companies are not eligible. A service-area business can hide its address when customers are served at their locations. Follow Google’s guidance for businesses with a shopfront, service area or multiple branches.
Use an account controlled by the business, add the people who need access, and keep at least one responsible owner. Confirm that the profile is verified. Do not create extra profiles for the same location or use a virtual office as a customer-facing address when it does not meet Google’s rules.
Keep the business information accurate
Use the name customers see on the premises and in the real world. Do not add extra search terms, locations or sales messages to the name field. Choose the primary category that best describes the main business, then add only relevant secondary categories. Categories describe the business; they are not a list of keywords.
Complete the fields that apply: address or service area, phone number, website, opening hours, holiday hours and services. Keep them consistent with the website and other official business information. Review the profile when a branch moves, a service changes or hours are updated. Google can also receive information from other sources, so check for edits and correct inaccurate details.
Write a short description for customers. State what the business does, where it operates and what a visitor needs to know. Avoid keyword lists, unverifiable superlatives and claims that the business cannot substantiate.
Add useful photos and updates
Use genuine, current images of the premises, team, products or work. Photos should represent the business accurately and meet Google’s current content rules. Do not use stock images as if they show the actual location or work. A photo can help a customer recognise a place, but adding photos does not guarantee better local rankings.
Use profile posts when you have timely information to share, such as an event or service update. Keep details current and follow Google’s post policies. Posting on a fixed schedule is not a documented ranking requirement. Remove or correct content when the offer or information is no longer valid.
Earn and manage reviews properly
Invite customers to share an honest review after a genuine interaction. Do not pay for reviews, offer discounts in exchange, ask only satisfied customers, or script the wording. Those practices can breach Google’s policies and undermine trust.
Reply in a calm, specific way. Thank the reviewer where appropriate, address the issue without exposing private information, and offer a suitable route to resolve it. A profile owner cannot remove a review simply because it is negative; use Google’s reporting process when a review appears to violate policy.
Connect the profile to your website
Link to the most relevant page, not automatically to the homepage. A branch page should show its actual address, contact details, services, opening hours and useful directions. A service-area business should explain which areas it serves without implying a staffed public office where none exists.
Google’s LocalBusiness structured data documentation sets requirements for using the type. It can describe facts already visible on the site, but it is supplementary information and does not guarantee a special search display or a higher position.
Measure what matters
Google Business Profile Performance reports interactions available for the profile, such as calls, website clicks or direction requests, depending on the business and current reporting. These actions are not the same as qualified leads or revenue. Use tagged website links and your analytics setup where appropriate, then compare profile activity with actual enquiries.
Record a baseline before making a major change. A change in calls may also reflect seasonality, promotions, opening hours or local demand. Avoid claiming that one edit caused a ranking or revenue change without evidence.
A practical review routine
Check the profile at least when business details change and on a regular operational schedule. Confirm ownership, verification, hours, contact information, categories, services, photos, reviews and the destination page. Review alerts about suggested edits and check Google’s policies before adopting advice from old tutorials or third-party tools.
For a wider local-search plan, see our guide to ranking in Google Maps. If the profile or website needs technical work, define the required access and scope before appointing a provider.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I update a Google Business Profile?
Update it whenever business information changes. Review it periodically for inaccurate details, new reviews, questions and suggested edits. There is no need to publish posts on an arbitrary schedule.
Do reviews improve local rankings?
Google’s guidance on local ranking says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence. Reviews help prospective customers assess a business, but Google does not promise a specific ranking effect from any one review or response. Never buy or incentivise reviews.
Should each branch have a separate profile?
A genuine, eligible location can generally have its own profile when it has distinct customer contact and meets Google’s guidelines. Follow the rules for departments, service-area businesses and shared premises, and do not create duplicate listings.
Sources and review notes
Reviewed on 20 October 2026. This article uses current Google guidance on local ranking, profile eligibility and policies, editing profile information, reviews and prohibited content, and LocalBusiness structured data. Google may change its features and policies. Check the linked documentation before implementation.