Think about the last time you searched for a bakery, a physiotherapist or a garage “near me”. Chances are Google showed you a map with a handful of businesses, their opening hours and their ratings, and you picked one without even opening a website. That listing is called a Google Business Profile (in Spanish, Perfil de Empresa de Google). In this article we explain what it is and how to look after it, with no jargon.
What it is and what it is for
A Google Business Profile is your business’s listing on Google Maps and in search: name, address or service area, opening hours, phone number, photos, customer reviews and a link to your website.
Think of it as your shop window on the high street of the internet. Your website tells people who you are, calmly and in detail; the listing answers in two seconds what people want to know right now: where are you, are you open, and what do other customers say?
The two work together. If you are curious about the website side, we have another article on why your website should be mobile-first, because whoever finds you on the map will probably want to take a look at your website from their phone.
How Google decides who to show first
Google explains in its official help pages that local results are mainly based on three factors:
- Relevance: how well your listing matches what the person is searching for. A complete, detailed listing helps Google understand what you do.
- Distance: how far your business is from the person searching.
- Prominence: how well known your business is. It depends, among other things, on how many websites link to you and how many reviews you have.
One point worth being clear about: according to Google, there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. If someone tries to sell you one, be wary.
Step by step: create and verify your listing
1. Check that you are eligible. According to Google’s guidelines, businesses with a physical location that customers can visit can have a listing, and so can businesses that travel to the customer (in that case you set a service area). P.O. boxes and virtual offices, where you only rent an address without working there, do not qualify.
2. Create it or claim it. Before creating a new one, check that your business does not already have a listing on Google, so you do not duplicate it.
3. Verify it. Verification is how you tell Google that you really are the person managing that business. Depending on the case, Google offers verification by phone or text message, by email, by video call or by postcard, and Google decides which options apply to you. If it offers a video call, it recommends that one. The review usually takes up to 5 business days, and the postcard code expires after 30 days, so use it as soon as it arrives.
What a well-kept listing includes
Google stresses that businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to appear in local searches. In practice:
- Your name, as it is in real life. The one on your sign and your branding. Google does not allow slogans, phone numbers, opening hours or other unnecessary details in the name, and adding them can lead to the listing being suspended.
- Few categories, well chosen. The main category should describe what your business is, not what it has. Google recommends using as few as possible.
- Real opening hours. Your regular customer-facing hours, plus special hours (public holidays, time off). If you work by appointment only or have very varied schedules, Google’s guidelines say that in some cases it is better not to list hours.
- Real photos. A logo, a cover photo and pictures of your premises or your work. Google accepts JPG or PNG files between 10 KB and 5 MB, and recommends 720 pixels tall and wide (the minimum is 250). Your own photos are better than generic images: people want to see the place they are about to visit.
- One listing per location. That is what Google’s guidelines ask for.
Reviews: ask, reply, and do not stress
Reviews feed into that “prominence” we mentioned. Google lets you share a link or a QR code with your customers so they can leave their opinion, and it suggests replying to reviews: your reply is published publicly under the review and the person is notified.
A piece of common sense rather than a rule from a manual: always reply calmly and by name, even when the review is a bad one. Hardly anyone expects a perfect business; what people value is how a problem is handled.
Also read Google’s content policies before actively asking for reviews, so you do not do anything that might break them.
How it fits with your website
Your listing has a field for your website link, and it should point to a page that loads quickly and looks good on a mobile screen, because many people will open it straight after seeing your listing. Keep your details (name, address and phone number) the same on the listing and on your website: if they say different things, people lose trust.
None of this requires technical knowledge: it takes a little time at the start and a quick check now and then.
If you would like us to look together at how your business appears when someone searches for it, tell us about your project and we will take a look.
Sources
- Tips to improve your local ranking on Google — Google Business Profile Help
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google — Google Business Profile Help
- Verify your business on Google — Google Business Profile Help
- Manage your Business Profile photos & videos — Google Business Profile Help
- Customer reviews — Google Business Profile Help
