If you want local customers to find you, you should set up a Google Business Profile. It’s the listing that appears when someone searches for your business on Google Search and Maps, showing your address, phone number, hours, photos and reviews. Setting it up is free, takes under an hour, and the only slow part is verification. Here are eight steps, in the order that avoids the most common problems.
Set Up a Google Business Profile: 8 Steps
1. Check that your business is eligible
A business with a location customers visit (a shop, studio or office) can have a profile. So can a business that travels to customers, called a service-area business. According to Google’s guidelines for representing your business, a business without a storefront that travels to customers is allowed one service-area profile, and the service area shouldn’t extend farther than about two hours’ driving time from where you’re based. Service-area businesses can’t list a “virtual” office unless it’s staffed during business hours.
2. Get your details ready
Collect your business name, address or service area, a phone number that reaches you, your website, opening hours and the category that describes you best. Your name should be the real-world name used on your signboard, website and stationery. Google says unnecessary information in the name isn’t permitted and can lead to suspension, so don’t add keywords, slogans or your city.
3. Sign in with the right Google account
Use an account you’ll keep long-term, ideally one you own, rather than a freelancer’s or an employee’s personal account. Search for your business first. If a profile already exists, claim it rather than creating a second one. If not, choose to add your business.
4. Enter your name, category and location
Pick the most specific main category you can, then add a few secondary ones that are genuinely true. If customers visit you, enter your address precisely. If you travel to them, list the areas you serve. If customers never visit your location, you can usually choose to hide your address.
5. Add your contact details
Add a phone number that connects directly to your business, your website and your opening hours. If you don’t have a website yet, our guide on how to build a small business website walks through it.
6. Verify your Google Business Profile
Verification proves the business is real and yours. Google decides which methods you see, and they can’t be changed. Depending on your business, the options can include:
- Video recording: you film your location, signage and proof that you operate or manage the business, and Google recommends it when you’re eligible
- Phone or SMS: a code sent to your business number
- Email: a code sent to your business email
- Live video call: a Google representative watches in real time, and you need to be on site during your posted business hours
- Postcard: a code mailed to your address, which typically takes 5 to 14 days
Verification is free. While waiting for a postcard, don’t change your business name, address or category. If your profile is still processing after about a week, use the help option in your profile to contact Google support.
7. Complete your Google Business Profile after verification
Write a clear description (our guide to a Google Business Profile description shows how), add real photos of your storefront, team and work, list your services or products, and add special opening hours for holidays. A complete profile gives customers a reason to choose you.
8. Keep it accurate
Update your hours when they change, reply to reviews, and add new photos regularly. Make sure your name, address and phone number are identical on your website and social profiles, since consistent details help both customers and AI search tools trust that your business is real.
Common Problems to Avoid
The usual troubles are a business name stuffed with keywords, an address that doesn’t match your signboard, a virtual office that isn’t staffed, and a postcard that never arrives. If your postcard doesn’t arrive, request another or contact support. And if something goes wrong, don’t delete the profile and start again. Fix the existing one, or ask Google support for help.
Quick Questions
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes, creating and verifying it is free.
Can I set one up without a shop?
Yes, if you serve customers at their locations, as a service-area business, within Google’s rules.
How long does it take to set up a Google Business Profile?
The details take under an hour. Verification depends on the method: phone and email are usually quick, and a postcard typically takes 5 to 14 days.
The Bottom Line
To set up a Google Business Profile properly, use your real business name, give accurate details, choose the right verification method and keep the profile up to date. It’s one of the highest-value local steps a small business can take. If you’d like help with your online presence, our website design services are a good place to start.
Next step: Profile verified? Next, get more Google reviews. For the full plan, see our local SEO checklist.
