Google Business Profile—formerly called Google My Business—is one of the most important parts of a local business's online presence.
When someone searches for your company or for a service you provide, your profile may appear before your website. Customers can see your reviews, photos, services, hours, location, phone number and directions without ever leaving Google.
The most important thing to understand: Your Google Business Profile is not simply a directory listing. It is often the customer's first impression of your business.
Google needs to clearly understand your business.
A complete and accurate profile helps Google understand what your business does, which services you provide, where you are located, which areas you serve, when customers can reach you and whether your business is relevant to a particular search.
If this information is incomplete, outdated or inconsistent, Google may have difficulty connecting your business with the right customers.
Three factors shape local visibility.
Google explains local results through three primary ideas:
Relevance
How closely your profile and business information match what the customer is searching for.
Distance
How close the business is to the person searching. This is the factor a business cannot control.
Prominence
How established and trustworthy the business appears through reviews, links, mentions and its wider online presence.
You cannot control where a customer is searching from. You can improve how clearly Google understands the business and how established and trustworthy it appears.
Your profile needs regular attention.
Google can receive business information from customers, websites and other sources. Owners should routinely check the profile for accuracy and keep its content current.
- Correct business name, address and phone number
- The most accurate primary and additional categories
- Current regular and holiday hours
- Complete service and product information
- An accurate website and appointment link
- Authentic photos of the business, team and work
- A steady flow of genuine customer reviews
- Helpful, professional responses to reviews
- Regular checks for suggested or automatic Google edits
Do not try to outsmart the profile.
Do not add extra keywords to the business name unless they are part of the company's real-world name. Do not use a false address, virtual office or misleading service area to try to appear in more searches.
The strongest profile accurately represents the real business while giving Google and prospective customers complete, useful and trustworthy information.
Your profile should answer four questions immediately.
- Is this the type of business I am looking for?
- Does it provide the service I need?
- Does it appear trustworthy?
- How do I contact or visit the business?
If those answers are not immediately clear, the customer may choose another company.
This article is based on current guidance from Google Business Profile Help. Google's features and policies can change, so profiles should be reviewed regularly.
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