Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Before you worry about Google Ads, get this right.

When someone searches for a business like yours locally, Google needs reliable information about your business.

A properly set up Business Profile can help potential customers:

• find your business
• understand what you do
• see where you operate
• call or contact you
• see your photos
• read your reviews
• get directions where relevant

This is one of the basic digital assets of a local business.

Have these things ready

• A Google account you control
• Your legal/business name
• Your phone number
• Your website, if you have one
• Your service area
• Your main services
• Your normal business hours
• A few good photos of your work
• Basic business information

If you don't have a website yet, that's okay. You can still set up your Google Business Profile.

Check whether you already have one

The first thing to do is search Google and Google Maps for your business name.

Don't create a duplicate profile if one already exists.

If an existing profile appears:

• Check whether it is actually your business.
• Check whether you can claim or manage it.
• If someone else controls it, work through Google's ownership/access process rather than creating another listing.

Create or claim your profile

Once you know whether a profile already exists, the next step is to make sure the business controls it.

1. Sign into the Google account the business will control.
2. Find Google's Business Profile setup or claim process.
3. Enter the business information accurately.
4. Follow Google's verification process.

Google may ask you to verify that the business exists and is eligible. The verification method offered can vary, so look for the option Google presents and follow it carefully.

Get the business information right

Tell Google exactly what you do. The more accurate your profile, the easier it is for the right customers to find you.

Business name

Use the real-world business name. Don't stuff extra keywords into the name.

Primary category

Choose the category that most accurately describes the main business.

Additional categories

Only use relevant categories. Extra categories that don't match your work can confuse customers.

Phone

Use a number customers can actually reach. A missed or disconnected number is worse than no number at all.

Website

Add the business website if available. If you don't have one yet, you can add it later.

Address / service area

Be clear about whether customers visit you at a physical location or whether you travel to them. These are set up differently in Google Business Profile.

Hours

Use accurate normal business hours and keep them updated over time.

Write the profile properly

Don't make customers work out what you do. Use the description to explain your business in plain English.

Keep it factual, natural and customer-focused. Don't turn it into a list of keywords.

Add photos

Show the work. Real photos are generally more useful than generic stock photography because they help customers understand what to expect.

Suggested starting set:

• business or team photo
• vehicle or signage
• completed work
• before and after, where appropriate
• equipment or workshop
• people doing the work
• premises if customers visit you

Add your services

Add the actual services customers are likely to search for or ask about.

For each service:

• use a clear name
• provide a short plain-English description
• don't keyword stuff

Complete the profile

Before you move on, run through this final checklist.

• Business information is correct
• Primary category selected
• Relevant services added
• Hours checked
• Phone number checked
• Website added if available
• Service area or address correct
• Photos uploaded
• Business description completed
• Verification completed
• Profile checked from a customer's perspective

The 15-minute customer test

Now search for yourself like a customer would.

Try searching Google for:

• "[business name]"
• "[main service] [town/suburb]"

Ask yourself:

• Can I immediately understand what this business does?
• Can I see where they operate?
• Can I find a phone number?
• Can I visit their website?
• Do the photos look real and current?
• Does the profile look trustworthy?
• Is there an obvious next step?

You've built the foundation. Now build the reputation.

A Google Business Profile is only the first step. Once it is set up, the next useful guides are:

• Build your website
• Get your first 5 Google reviews
• Build a simple system for asking for reviews
• Capture your customers
• Bring previous customers back

You don't need to do everything at once. Get the foundations right first. Then improve them over time.