Google Business Profile, still widely known by its former name Google My Business, is one of the most accessible and high-impact tools available to any local business. It is free, it is maintained by Google, and when used well it can place your business in front of people who are actively searching for what you offer, at the exact moment they are ready to make contact.
Many businesses have a listing but leave it incomplete or inactive. That is a significant missed opportunity. This article covers how to set up and manage your profile to attract more local customers.
What Google Business Profile actually does
When someone searches for a local business type, for example "accountant Chermside" or "dentist near me," Google often shows a local pack before the regular search results. This is the map with three business listings below it. Appearing in that local pack is enormously valuable because these results appear above most organic search results and include your phone number, hours, reviews, and a direct link to your website.
Your Google Business Profile is the primary input Google uses to determine whether you appear in those results and where you rank within them. A complete, active profile substantially improves your chances of inclusion.
Setting up your profile
If you have not yet set up a Google Business Profile, visit business.google.com and create a listing for your business. You will need to verify your business, typically by receiving a postcard with a verification code at your business address.
When entering your details, prioritise accuracy and completeness:
- Business name: use your actual trading name, not a keyword-stuffed variation
- Category: choose the most specific primary category that matches your business, then add secondary categories where relevant
- Address: the exact address where customers can visit or your service area if you operate without a fixed location customers visit
- Phone number: your direct business number
- Website URL: your main website
- Hours: accurate hours including public holidays and any seasonal variations
Inaccurate information, particularly wrong phone numbers or hours, leads to poor customer experiences and negative reviews. Check these details every few months and update them whenever anything changes.
Writing an effective business description
The business description field allows you to explain what your business does, who you serve, and what distinguishes your services. Use it fully. Include naturally relevant search terms, your location, and the services you provide. Keep it factual and specific rather than promotional.
Google limits descriptions to 750 characters, so prioritise the most important information first.
Adding photos and keeping the profile active
Profiles with photos receive significantly more engagement than those without. Upload:
- A clear, recent photo of your business premises or shopfront
- Photos of your team
- Images of your products, work in progress, or completed projects
- Your logo
Continue adding photos over time, as recently uploaded images tend to display more prominently. Update your profile regularly with posts about news, promotions, seasonal offers, or new services. These posts appear in your profile and signal to Google that your listing is active.
Managing customer reviews
Reviews are one of the strongest trust signals for both potential customers and Google's local ranking algorithm. A business with many positive reviews, particularly recent ones, performs better in local search than a business with few or no reviews.
Develop a consistent process for asking customers to review you after a positive interaction. This might be a direct request at the end of a service call, an email follow-up with a link to your review page, or a brief request at checkout.
Respond to all reviews. For positive reviews, a genuine, brief acknowledgement. For negative reviews, a professional, composed response that acknowledges the concern and invites the customer to get in touch directly to resolve it. Never respond defensively or argue publicly. Your response is read by every potential customer who subsequently views the review.
Using insights to understand your audience
Google Business Profile provides performance data in its Insights section. You can see:
- How many people found your listing through a direct search versus a discovery search (finding you while searching for a category)
- What actions they took: visiting your website, requesting directions, or calling your number
- When during the week your listing receives the most views
This data helps you understand how customers are finding you and where your profile is performing well or poorly. If most of your contacts come from calls, ensuring your phone number is prominent and your hours are accurate is particularly important. If website visits are low relative to views, your website may need attention.
The connection to broader local SEO
Your Google Business Profile does not operate in isolation. It works alongside your website's local SEO, your online citations, and your review presence across other platforms. A well-optimised profile supported by a website that contains accurate, location-relevant content and consistent business details across the web performs better than a profile that exists without that broader foundation.
If you are managing a Google Business Profile without also addressing your website's local SEO signals, you are likely leaving potential rankings and customers on the table.