What is a Google Business Profile?
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the free listing that appears on the right side of Google Maps and in the Google Search results when someone searches for your type of business in your area. It shows your address, phone number, hours, website, reviews, and photos.
If you haven't claimed it yet, Google generates a basic listing from public data — and you probably don't control what it says.
Why it matters for your business
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76% of people who search for a local business on their phone visit it within 24 hours. Most of those searches start on Google Maps. If you're not in the top 3 results, you're invisible to the majority of potential customers.
The top 3 results in Google Maps are called the Local 3-Pack. Showing up there means:
- Your business shows up before the #1 organic search result
- People see your rating, hours, and phone number without even clicking
- Mobile users can call you with one tap
- You're more trustworthy than businesses that don't have a verified listing
Step 1: Claim your listing
If Google has already created a listing for your business (most do), you'll need to claim it as yours. If no listing exists yet, you'll create one from scratch.
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Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. Use a Google account you own — not a generic info@yourbusiness.com if that email is shared.
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Search for your business name. If a match comes up, select it. If nothing shows, click "Add your business to Google."
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Choose your business category. Be specific — "Italian Restaurant" beats "Restaurant." Google uses this to match you with searches.
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Fill in your address. Use your real, physical address. Home-based businesses: you can hide the address from public view while still showing your city/neighborhood.
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Add your phone number and website. Keep these consistent with what's on your website — Google penalizes mismatches.
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Submit. You'll be placed in a review queue while Google checks that you're a real business.
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Already listed but can't claim it? If the listing is owned by someone else (a former employee, previous agency, etc.), use the "Request ownership" flow from the GBP dashboard. You may need to verify with documentation.
Step 2: Verify your business
Verification proves to Google that you actually control this business. Without it, your listing won't show up in search results — it just sits there, unranked.
Most businesses get verified by postcard. Google mails a postcard to your business address with a 5-digit code. It usually arrives in 5–7 business days.
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Check your mail in about a week. Don't delay — the postcard has an expiry. Once you get it, go back to business.google.com and enter the code.
After verification, your listing goes live. This is when the real work starts.
Step 3: Optimize your listing
A verified listing with empty fields won't rank. Here's the checklist:
Business name
Use your real, official name — no keywords stuffed in. Google flags keyword spam in business names.
Primary category
Pick the single most accurate category. "Family Law Attorney" not "Lawyer + Legal Services + Attorney." You can add secondary categories, but your primary drives your ranking signal.
Business description
750 characters max. Lead with what you do and who you serve. Save keywords for naturally in the first two sentences — Google weights the opening lines.
Phone number
Use a local number, not an 800 number. Trackable if you can, but consistency matters more.
Website URL
Must match your actual website URL exactly — no redirects, no tracking parameters.
Hours
Set accurate hours for every day. Mark special hours for holidays — it's a signal of active management.
Service areas
List every neighborhood or ZIP code you serve. Don't just list your city — be specific. If you're in South Philly and serve Fishtown too, list both.
Attributes
Check the attributes section — "Wheelchair accessible," "Black-owned," "Women-led," etc. These show up in search filters and influence click-through rates.
Add photos consistently
Businesses with 10+ photos get twice as many direction requests as those with zero. GBP rewards profiles that look active.
- Exterior shot — shows customers what to look for from the street
- Interior shot — proves you have a real, operating business
- Team / staff photo — humanizes your listing, builds trust
- Product or service shots — especially relevant for restaurants, salons, and contractors
- Customer action shots — barbers cutting hair, mechanics under a hood, chef in the kitchen
Upload at least once a week if you can. Google favors freshness.
Use GBP Posts
GBP Posts are short updates that appear directly in your business listing — visible before a potential customer even clicks through to your website.
Think of them like micro-blogs inside your Google listing. They expire after 7 days, so consistency matters more than perfection.
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What to post: weekly specials, new service announcements, events, staff highlights, before/after project reveals. A photo + 100-150 words of copy works well.
Posting consistently signals to Google that your listing is actively managed — one of the ranking factors for local profiles.
Earn and respond to reviews
Your average rating is one of the most visible signals in the local 3-pack. A 4.8 with 40 reviews beats a 5.0 with 3 reviews — Google treats recency and volume as credibility signals.
How to get reviews without being weird about it:
- Ask in person after a job well done — "If you had a good experience, we'd love a review on Google"
- Email past satisfied customers with a direct link:
g.page/r/[your-place-id]
- Add a "Leave a Review" button on your website footer
- Create a QR code that goes straight to your review page and put it on your receipt or business card
Always respond to every review — positive and negative. A professional, warm response to a 3-star review shows future customers how you handle problems. Negative reviews that go unresponded signal indifference.
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Can't delete negative reviews unless they violate Google's policies (hate speech, spam, off-topic). But you can flag them, and a thoughtful public response often matters more than the review itself.
The most common mistakes
Keyword stuffing your business name
Google explicitly prohibits this and can suppress or suspend listings that do it. Write your real business name.
Wrong category
Choosing "Restaurant" when you're a "Bakery" hurts you when someone searches "best bakery near me." Pick the narrowest accurate option.
Inconsistent NAP
NAP = Name, Address, Phone. If these differ between your GBP, your website, and other listings (Yelp, Apple Maps, etc.), Google loses confidence in your data. Keep them identical everywhere.
No photos for months
Stale profiles rank lower. You don't need a photographer — a weekly smartphone photo posted to your GBP keeps it active.
Ignoring GBP Posts
A dormant listing signals neglect to Google's ranking algorithm. Posts take 5 minutes and keep your listing feeling alive.
Review suppression
Asking only happy customers to review, or only responding to positive ones, signals manipulation to Google. A mix of authentic reviews — including the occasional 4-star — looks more credible.
FAQ
How long does GBP verification take?
Postcard verification usually takes 5–7 business days. If you need it faster, some businesses can request phone verification in the GBP dashboard — it depends on category and account history.
Do I need a physical address to be in Google Maps?
For service-area businesses (contractors, cleaners, mobile mechanics), you can hide your address and just show the area you serve. Customers won't see your home address — only your listed service zone.
Can I use a Google Voice number?
You can, but a local phone number is better for local trust signals. Google Voice works in a pinch, but it's another layer of abstraction that doesn't add credibility.
Is a GBP enough to rank #1?
For some low-competition keywords, yes. For anything competitive (e.g., "best divorce attorney Philadelphia"), you need your GBP optimized + your website SEO + local citations + reviews + backlinks. GBP is the foundation, not the whole strategy.
Can I have multiple locations on one GBP?
Each location needs its own GBP. If you have multiple branches, create a separate listing for each one with its own address, phone, and hours.
How often should I update my listing?
Check it monthly for accuracy. Post photos weekly if possible. Post GBP Updates at least every 2 weeks. Respond to every new review within a day or two. Holidays need special hours updated in advance.
Want help with your GBP?
We manage Google Business Profiles as part of our Local Business Core and Premium plans. We do the claiming, verification, optimization, posting, and review management — you just answer the phone when it rings.