Google Business Profile: what to fill in for a local business
What a Google Business Profile is, which details to fill in and how verification works. A free step you can do yourself, with no promise of ranking.
When someone searches for a business near them, Google often shows a box with a map, a phone number and opening hours. That information comes from a Google Business Profile, which used to be called Google My Business. It is free and you manage it yourself. It does not replace your website. The two work side by side.
What to fill in
- Name. The real name of your business as customers know it. Do not add extra keywords to it.
- Address or service area. If customers visit you, enter the address. If you travel to customers, you can set the area you serve instead. The rules on hiding an address change, so follow what the profile offers.
- Opening hours. And update them for holidays and any changes.
- Categories. Choose the main category that describes you best. Add others only if they are true.
- Phone and website. Exactly as they appear on your site.
- Photos. Real photos of the premises, your work and the team, not stock images.
- Short description. Plainly, what you do and for whom.
Verification of ownership
Google wants to confirm that you are entitled to manage the business. The available methods depend on the business and can change. A postcard, a phone call, an email or a video check are examples of what Google has offered. Set the profile up with an account that belongs to the business, not the private account of an employee who may leave.
Keep it consistent
- Use the same name, address and phone number as on your website and in your documents.
- Update the profile when something changes.
- Answer reviews politely, including the critical ones.
- Ask real customers for reviews. Do not buy them or write them yourself, because that goes against the rules.
What to expect
A profile helps people find you and contact you quickly. It does not guarantee a position. Google says local results depend on factors such as relevance, distance and how well known a business is, and I cannot change those for you.
Make sure the details on your site match the profile. For the basics of the site itself, see SEO basics for a small website. If you need a new site, read about website development in Bratislava or write to me.