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Getting Found Locally

How to Set Up Your Google Business Profile the Right Way

By Colin Pemberton. Updated . 3 minute read.

Claim your profile at Google, verify that you own the business, and then fill in every field: your category, hours, phone number, website, services, and service area. Keep those details exactly the same as they appear on your website and everywhere else. Then add real photos and ask happy customers for reviews. A complete, accurate profile makes it easy for nearby customers to see who you are and how to reach you.

Step 1: How do you claim and verify your profile?

  1. Start at Google. Go to Google Business Profile and sign in with the Google account you want to manage the business from. Use a business account you'll keep, not a personal one you might lose track of.
  2. Search for your business. If a listing already exists, claim it. If not, create a new one.
  3. Verify. Google will ask you to prove the business is yours. The methods it offers vary by business and change over time, so follow the prompts and check Google's Business Profile Help for the current steps.

Don't create a second listing if one already exists. Duplicates confuse customers and can cause problems with your profile.

Step 2: Which fields should you fill in?

Fill in all of them. The most important are:

  • Business name. Your real business name, exactly as customers see it on your sign, truck, and website. Don't add extra keywords or town names to it.
  • Primary category. Pick the most specific one that fits, like "Fishing charter" instead of a broad category. You can add a few secondary categories for other things you do.
  • Hours. Regular hours, plus special hours for holidays and seasonal changes.
  • Phone number. The number you actually answer, or one that texts back when you can't.
  • Website. Link to your homepage, or to the page that best matches the listing.
  • Services and description. Plain language about what you do and who you do it for.

Storefront or service area?

If customers come to you, show your address. If you go to them, like contractors, cleaners, and mobile services, set up as a service-area business. List the towns you serve and hide your street address. Around here, that might mean listing Surf City, Topsail Beach, North Topsail Beach, Sneads Ferry, and Hampstead.

Step 3: Why do your details need to match everywhere?

Customers check more than one place. If your hours on Google don't match your website, or your phone number is different on Facebook, people start to wonder which one is right. Some of them will just call someone else.

Pick one version of each detail and use it everywhere:

Detail Use the same version on
Business name Google, website, Facebook, other listings
Phone number Google, website, Facebook, business cards
Hours Google, website, Facebook
Service area Google, website

When anything changes, update all of them the same day. We explain why your website and social pages should agree in do I need a website if I already have a Facebook page?

Step 4: What about photos, posts, and reviews?

  • Photos. Add real photos of your work, your team, your vehicles, or your boat. Skip stock photos. Customers can tell.
  • Posts. Share updates, specials, and seasonal news. It shows the business is active.
  • Reviews. Ask customers you know were happy, right after the job, while it's fresh. Reply to reviews, good and bad, calmly and briefly.
  • Stay within the rules. Don't post fake reviews or offer rewards in exchange for reviews. Google's content policies don't allow it, and it can put your profile at risk.

Getting ready for a busy season? Our pre-season checklist for charter and rental businesses includes a profile tune-up.

Step 5: How do you connect your profile to your website?

Your profile gives customers the quick facts. Your website gives them the full story. Link the two, and make sure they agree:

  • Put your website address in the profile.
  • Show the same hours, phone, and service area on your site in plain text, not only inside images.
  • Make your phone number tap-to-call on the site, so a customer who finds you on Google can reach you in one tap.

Every site we build keeps your name, phone, hours, and service area in plain text on the page, matched to your profile. See the towns we work in, or how we build sites.

Questions

Is a Google Business Profile free?

Yes. Google doesn't charge to create or manage a Business Profile.

Do I have to show my home address?

No. If you travel to your customers and don't serve them at your address, you can set up as a service-area business, list the towns you cover, and hide the street address.

How long does verification take?

It depends on the verification method Google offers your business, and the options change. Some businesses verify the same day, and others wait longer. Google's Business Profile Help pages have the current steps.

Does my Google Business Profile replace my website?

No. The profile helps people find your basic details fast. Your website gives them the full picture, and linking the two with matching details helps customers trust both.

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