Google Business Profile setup is one of the highest-return things you can do for a local business, and it costs nothing but an hour of your time. Your profile is the box that shows up on the right side of Google when someone searches your business name, and it is what puts you on Google Maps. Get it right and you show up when nearby customers are looking for exactly what you offer.
This guide walks you through the whole thing, step by step: creating the profile, verifying that you own the business, and filling out every field that helps you get found. No jargon, no guesswork. Let's get you on the map.
What is a Google Business Profile?
A Google Business Profile (once called Google My Business) is a free listing that controls how your business appears across Google Search and Google Maps. When someone searches for your name, or for a service like "plumber near me," Google pulls from these profiles to decide who to show.
The profile holds your name, address, phone number, hours, photos, services, and reviews. It is also what makes you eligible for the local 3-pack, the three map results Google features at the top of local searches. If you want to understand how all of this fits into the bigger picture, our local SEO guide is a good companion read.
Tip: A Google Business Profile is not the same as a website. It helps people find you, but it does not replace having your own site. The two work together, and the businesses that win locally usually have both. See why a website still matters even when you have social media and a profile.
Before you start: what to have ready
Setup goes faster if you gather a few things first. You will need:
- Your exact business name, spelled the way you use it everywhere else
- Your physical address (or your service area if you go to customers)
- A phone number and website URL
- Your real business hours, including holiday quirks
- The primary category that best describes what you do
- A handful of good photos of your storefront, team, or work
One thing to nail down early is consistency. Your name, address, and phone number should match exactly what appears on your website and other listings. This is called NAP consistency, and it matters more than most owners realize. Our guide to local citations and NAP consistency explains why.
Step 1: Create or claim your profile
Go to google.com/business and sign in with the Google account you want tied to the business. Use a business account rather than a personal one if you can, so ownership stays clean if your team changes.
Type in your business name. One of two things happens:
- Google already has a listing. Businesses often get auto-generated profiles from public data. If yours appears, select it and choose the option to claim or manage it.
- No listing exists. Google prompts you to create one. Follow the flow to add your details.
If someone else has already claimed your business, Google will let you request access. That happens more than you would think, especially if a past employee or agency set it up. Request ownership and Google will contact the current manager.
Step 2: Choose the right category
Your primary category tells Google what searches you should appear for, so this is one of the most important fields on the profile. Pick the single category that best describes your core business. A bakery should choose "Bakery," not "Restaurant."
You can add secondary categories for other things you offer, and you should, but keep them accurate. Padding the list with loosely related categories can hurt more than help. If you want to go deeper on choosing and refining categories after setup, see our guide to Google Business Profile optimization.
Step 3: Add your address or service area
How you handle location depends on your business type.
| Business type | What to do |
|---|---|
| Storefront customers visit (shop, salon, clinic) | Enter your full street address so you appear on Maps at that spot |
| Service business that travels to customers (plumber, cleaner) | Hide your address and set a service area by city, ZIP, or region |
| Hybrid (office plus travel) | List your address and add a service area on top of it |
If you work from home and do not want your address public, choose the service-area option. Getting this right helps you show up for "near me" searches in the places you actually serve.
Step 4: Verify your business
Verification is Google's way of confirming you really own the business. Until you verify, your profile stays hidden or limited, so do not skip this.
Google offers different methods depending on your business, and you do not always get to choose which one:
- Postcard by mail: Google mails a code to your address, usually within a week or two. Enter the code to confirm.
- Phone or text: You receive a code instantly on your business number.
- Email: A code arrives at your business email.
- Video verification: You record a short video showing your location, equipment, or signage to prove the business is real.
If you get a postcard, keep your profile details unchanged while you wait, since edits can reset the process. Once you enter the code, you are live.
Step 5: Fill out every field
A complete profile ranks better and earns more clicks than a bare one. Now that you are verified, work through each section:
Hours and contact details
Add accurate hours and mark special hours for holidays. Nothing frustrates a customer more than driving to a "closed" shop that Google said was open. Double-check your phone number and website link.
Business description
Write a short, plain description of what you do and who you serve. Work in the words customers actually search, naturally. If you have not done keyword research yet, a quick pass will show you the phrases worth including.
Services and products
List your services with short descriptions. This gives Google more to match against and helps you appear for specific searches beyond your main category.
Photos
Add real photos: your exterior so people recognize it, your interior, your team, and examples of your work. Profiles with photos get noticeably more calls and direction requests. Keep adding new ones over time to signal that you are active.
Tip: Fill out the profile as completely as you can in the first sitting, then revisit it monthly. Google rewards profiles that stay fresh, and a few minutes of upkeep beats a one-time blast of effort.
Step 6: Connect it to your website and reviews
Your profile works best when it points to a strong website. Make sure the link goes to a page that loads fast and clearly says what you do. If you are still building that page, our guides to building a small business website and writing service page copy will help.
Reviews are the other half of the equation. They influence both your ranking and whether people choose you over the shop next door. Start asking happy customers to leave one, and reply to the reviews you get. Our guides on getting more Google reviews and responding to reviews cover the how without being pushy.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Google Business Profile verification take?
It depends on the method. Phone, text, and email verification are often instant. Postcard verification usually takes five to fourteen days to arrive by mail, then a minute to enter the code. Video verification can take a few days for Google to review. If your postcard never shows up, you can request a new one from your dashboard.
Is a Google Business Profile really free?
Yes, completely. Creating, verifying, and managing your profile costs nothing, and there is no paid tier that ranks you higher. Google does offer ads that can appear alongside local results, but you never have to pay to have or maintain the profile itself. If you want more free ways to get found, see how to get on Google without paying for ads.
What if my business does not have a physical address?
You can still have a profile. Service-area businesses hide their address and instead list the cities or regions they serve. This is common for trades, mobile services, and home-based businesses. You will need to verify ownership the same way, and you can update your service area anytime as you grow.
You're on the map
That is the whole setup: create the profile, verify it, and fill out every field so Google and your customers know exactly who you are. From here, the work shifts to keeping it fresh, gathering reviews, and improving where you rank. When you are ready for that next stage, our guide to showing up on Google Maps picks up right where this leaves off.