How long does it take to set up Google Business Profile?

Creating the profile takes around 20 to 30 minutes. Verification typically takes 5 to 14 days if done by postcard, or can be instant if you verify by phone or video. After verification, it may take a further few days for your listing to appear in Google Search and Maps results.

How do I get my Google Business Profile to rank higher?

The main factors are: having a complete and accurate profile, being in the right category, accumulating genuine reviews, updating your profile regularly with posts and photos, and having your website mention the same address and service area as your profile. Distance from the searcher is also a factor Google cannot fully control for, but the quality of your profile can offset being slightly further away than a competitor.

What happens if I do not have a Google Business Profile?

If you do not have a profile, your business will not appear in the Google Maps pack or local search results when people search for services in your area. Competitors who have optimised profiles will appear instead. You may still appear in regular search results if your website ranks, but you will miss the highly visible map listing at the top of local search pages.

What Is Google Business Profile and Why Does It Matter?

Q: What is Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free tool that lets businesses manage how they appear on Google Search and Google Maps. It shows your business name, address, phone number, opening hours, photos, and reviews when someone searches for your business or for businesses like yours in your local area. It is one of the most important free tools available to any local service business.

Q: Is Google Business Profile free?

Yes, Google Business Profile is completely free to create and manage. There are no hidden fees or paid tiers for the core listing features. Some Google products that integrate with it, such as Google Ads local campaigns, are paid, but the profile itself costs nothing.

If you run a local service business and you are not actively managing your Google Business Profile, you are almost certainly losing customers to competitors who are. It is free, it is one of the highest-impact things you can do for local visibility, and most businesses still do not have it properly set up.

This guide explains what it is, why it matters, how to set it up correctly, and how to make it work harder for your business.

The short version

Google Business Profile is the listing that appears when someone searches for your business by name or searches for a service in your area. It shows your phone number, address, opening hours, reviews, and photos directly in Google Search and on Maps. It is free and it is the single most powerful free tool available to any local business.

What is Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile (GBP) was previously called Google My Business. Google rebranded it in 2021 to reflect that most businesses now manage their listing directly in Google Search rather than through a separate app.

When someone searches for "electrician in Birmingham" or "best cafe near me", Google shows a map with three business listings at the top of the results — this is called the Local Pack or Map Pack. Those three listings come from Google Business Profiles. If your business does not have a profile, it will not appear there, regardless of how good your website is.

Your profile can show:

Your business name, address, and phone number
Opening hours (including special hours for bank holidays)
Your website link
Photos of your business, products, or work
Customer reviews and your responses to them
A description of your business
Services you offer
Posts and updates
A questions and answers section
Direct booking links (for supported business types)

Why does it matter for small businesses?

For any business that serves customers in a geographic area, Google Business Profile is often more important than the website itself when it comes to driving first contact. Here is why.

It appears before your website in local searches

When someone searches for a local service, Google shows the Local Pack above the organic search results. Most people click on one of those three map listings before they scroll down to the website results. If you are not in the pack, you are invisible to that searcher for all practical purposes.

It drives direct phone calls

A Google Business Profile includes a click-to-call button on mobile. For many local service businesses, the majority of inbound enquiries come from people who found the listing in Google Maps and tapped the phone number directly. They never visit the website at all.

Reviews appear here

Google reviews live on your Business Profile. A business with 45 reviews at 4.8 stars is far more likely to receive a call than one with no reviews. And reviews appear in search results without the searcher needing to visit any page — they are visible right there in the listing. Getting consistent Google reviews is one of the highest-return activities a local business can do.

It is free

Unlike advertising, Google Business Profile costs nothing. The visibility it provides — appearing in Maps and Search results — is organic, meaning you earn it through profile quality and relevance, not by paying for clicks. A well-optimised profile can drive meaningful local traffic indefinitely without any ongoing spend.

How to set up your Google Business Profile

Step 1: Claim your business

Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. Search for your business name. If a listing already exists (Google sometimes creates them automatically from public data), you will need to claim ownership of it. If no listing exists, you can create one from scratch.

Step 2: Enter your business information accurately

The information you enter needs to match exactly what appears on your website and in any other business directories. This consistency is a trust signal for Google. Fill in:

Business name (as it appears everywhere else — no keyword stuffing)
Address (or service area if you are a mobile business)
Phone number
Website URL
Business category (choose the most specific primary category that matches what you do)
Opening hours

Step 3: Verify the listing

Google requires you to verify that you actually run the business. The options are typically postcard (Google sends a PIN to your business address within 5 to 14 days), phone, video call, or instant verification if your business is already verified in Google Search Console.

The postcard method is the most common but the slowest. If you are eligible for instant verification or video verification, use those instead.

Step 4: Complete the full profile

Once verified, complete every section of the profile. Google explicitly favours profiles that are complete over those with missing information. Priority areas:

Business description: 750 characters to describe what you do, where you operate, and what makes you different. Include your main service keywords naturally.
Services: Add individual services with descriptions and prices where applicable.
Photos: Add at least 10 photos — exterior, interior, work examples, team photos. Profiles with photos receive significantly more clicks than those without.
Attributes: Select relevant attributes such as wheelchair accessible, women-owned, free WiFi, etc. These appear as badges on your listing.

How to optimise your profile to rank higher

Creating a profile gets you in the game. Optimising it helps you appear higher in the Local Pack for relevant searches.

Choose the right primary category

Your primary category is one of the most important ranking factors for local search. Be as specific as possible. "Electrician" is better than "Contractor". "Emergency Electrician" is better still if that is your core service. You can add secondary categories too, but the primary category carries the most weight.

Get Google reviews consistently

Review quantity and quality are major ranking factors. Ask every satisfied customer to leave a Google review. The simplest method: send a short message after completing a job with a direct link to your review page (Google provides this in your profile dashboard). A business with 50 reviews at 4.7 stars will consistently outrank a competitor with 8 reviews at 5.0 stars in most local searches.

Respond to every review

Responding to reviews — positive and negative — signals to Google that you are an active, engaged business. For negative reviews, respond professionally and briefly without being defensive. Potential customers read how you handle complaints as much as they read the complaints themselves.

Post updates regularly

Google Business Profile allows you to post updates, offers, events, and new products directly to your listing. These appear in your profile and can boost visibility. Aim for at least one post per month. Share recent work, seasonal offers, or useful tips relevant to your service.

Keep your information current

If your opening hours change for bank holidays, update them. If your phone number changes, update it immediately. Stale or incorrect information erodes trust and can result in Google demoting your listing. Business information needs to match across your website, your profile, and any other directories (Yell, Yelp, Facebook, etc.).

Common Google Business Profile mistakes

Keyword stuffing in the business name. Adding keywords to your business name (e.g. "Smith's Plumbing — Emergency Plumber London") violates Google's guidelines and can result in your listing being suspended.
Wrong business category. Choosing a broad category instead of the most specific one that matches your business reduces your ranking for the searches that matter.
No photos. Listings without photos get significantly fewer profile views and website clicks than those with photos.
Ignoring reviews. Not responding to reviews, especially negative ones, signals inactivity to Google and puts off potential customers.
Inconsistent NAP data. Name, address, and phone number (NAP) must be identical across your profile and your website. Small discrepancies (street vs St, for example) can reduce trust signals.

Google Business Profile and your website: how they work together

Your Business Profile and your website are complementary. The profile drives visibility and direct contact for people who are already searching. The website provides depth — detailed service information, case studies, trust signals, and the ability to rank for a wider range of search terms.

A well-optimised profile without a website will reach its ceiling quickly. A well-built website without a profile will miss most local searches. The combination of both, each kept up to date and consistent with the other, is what produces reliable local organic traffic over the long term.

If your website is not set up to convert visitors who arrive from your Business Profile, you are still leaving enquiries on the table. Our guide on the most common website mistakes covers the conversion issues we see most often on small business sites.

Frequently asked questions

What is Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is a free tool that lets businesses manage how they appear on Google Search and Maps. It shows your name, address, phone number, opening hours, photos, and reviews when someone searches for your business or for services in your area.

Is Google Business Profile free?

Yes. It is completely free to create and manage. There are no paid tiers for the core listing features.

How long does setup take?

Creating the profile takes 20 to 30 minutes. Verification typically takes 5 to 14 days by postcard, or can be instant if you are eligible for phone or video verification.

How do I rank higher in Google Maps?

Complete your profile fully, choose the most specific primary category, get Google reviews consistently, respond to all reviews, post updates monthly, and make sure your business information is identical on your website and your profile.

What happens if I do not have a profile?

Your business will not appear in the Google Local Pack (the map results at the top of local searches). Competitors with profiles will take those clicks instead. You will miss the majority of local intent searches for your service area.