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How to Set Up and Use a Google Business Profile

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A Google Business Profile (GBP) puts your company in front of customers on Google Search and Google Maps. It is a free tool that gives you control over how your business shows up on Google.

Formerly known as Google My Business, a Google Business Profile displays details like your website, physical location, business hours, and contact information. This guide covers how to set one up, how to customize it, and why it is worth the time for a small business owner. Google updates its interface often, so some screens may look slightly different from what is described here.

Key Points and Facts About Google Business Profile

  • A Google Business Profile is free to create and free to maintain.
  • Setup now happens directly inside Google Search and Google Maps. The older business.google.com dashboard was retired in late 2024.
  • The old public Q&A feature has been discontinued. Google replaced it with Ask Maps, an AI feature that answers visitor questions using your profile, reviews, and website.
  • Customers can now message a business directly through a WhatsApp or text number added to the profile, replacing the older native chat toggle.
  • Businesses with a complete profile are more likely to be seen as trustworthy, visited, and chosen over competitors with incomplete listings.

Action Steps for Setting Up a Google Business Profile

Listing your business on Google Business Profile is a strong first step toward getting found by online customers. Setup and management cost nothing. Here is what the process generally involves.

1. Sign in to Google Business Profile

Google will prompt you to sign in with a Gmail account or create one. Use a business Gmail account rather than a personal one. This way, any information Google sends about your listing goes to your company inbox instead of a personal one.

2. Search for your business name

After signing in, search for your business name. Check whether a similar listing already exists. Spell and capitalize your business name correctly, since this is the first thing customers will see.

3. Select a business category

Choose the category that best describes your business. Google will suggest categories as you type. If none match exactly, pick the closest one.

4. Add your business location

Google will ask if your business has a physical location. If it does, that location can appear on Google Search and Maps when customers search for you.

5. Add a physical address

If you have a location, enter your primary address. Your address can show up on Google Maps and in search results. You can add more locations later. The fields typically include:

  • Country
  • Street address
  • City
  • State
  • Zip code

6. Add service areas

If you serve customers instead of hosting them at a storefront, you will be asked to add your service areas. These are the areas where you provide service, whether in person, by mail, or online.

7. Add contact information

Add your business phone number and website URL, if you have one. This information will appear alongside your listing in Google search results.

8. Choose your notification preferences

Google will ask whether you want email or mobile updates about your profile, such as new reviews or account activity. You can turn these on or off, and adjust them later from your profile settings.

9. Verify your business

Google requires verification before your profile goes live. Depending on your business type, this may happen by phone, email, or a mailed postcard sent to your business address.

10. Add your business hours

Enter your hours as accurately as possible. Customers use this information to decide when to visit or call. If you are not sure yet, you can skip this step and fill it in later.

11. Add a messaging option

If you want customers to message you directly from your listing, add a WhatsApp number or a text-message number to your contact info. This lets customers reach you in real time from Search or Maps. Chat options are currently available in select regions and may not appear for every profile yet.

12. Write a description of your business

Add a description that gives customers more detail about what you do. Keep it focused on your business rather than promotions or pricing. Google allows up to 750 characters in this field.

13. Add photos

Photos make your listing more noticeable and help customers know what to expect. Add pictures of your storefront, products, or your work in progress. A hairdresser, for example, might add a photo of a finished haircut.

14. Decide whether to try Google Ads

Google may offer new advertisers a promotional credit toward Google Ads, its pay-per-click advertising platform. The credit amount and terms vary by offer and region, so check the current terms in your account before deciding. This step is optional.

15. Enter your Business Profile manager

Once setup is complete, you can manage your listing from your Business Profile manager. Any future updates or corrections happen there.

Customizing Your Google Business Profile

A complete profile is a good start. Customizing it further helps you capture more customer interest and get more value from the listing.

1. Create a promotion post

Create an offer post to share limited-time deals or discounts through a promo code. Promotion posts show up under your listing in search results. Include a clear start and end date.

2. Promote posts or upcoming events

Share updates about your business, such as an upcoming event or a piece of company news, through a post.

3. Add your products and services

List your products and services on your profile. This can help you show up when a local customer searches for something specific that you offer, which improves your visibility in local search results.

4. Let Google answer common customer questions for you

Google’s older Q&A feature, which let customers post public questions, has been discontinued. It has been replaced by Ask Maps, which answers visitor questions automatically using your profile information, reviews, and website content. Keeping your profile complete and accurate helps those automated answers stay correct.

5. Collect reviews from customers

Reviews help build engagement and give new customers a reason to call or buy from you. You can collect and respond to reviews directly through your profile. Once your listing is set up, invite customers to leave one.

Benefits of a Google Business Profile

Word of mouth alone rarely reaches enough customers today. A Google Business Profile gives you a free, direct way to be found. Here is what it offers.

1. Brand Awareness

A Google Business Profile helps customers find you online. It builds awareness and improves your ranking in local search, sometimes called local SEO.

2. Increased Customer Trust

Complete profiles perform better than incomplete ones. According to research compiled by BrightLocal citing Google’s own data, customers are 2.7 times more likely to see a business as reputable when its profile is complete, and are 70% more likely to visit and 50% more likely to consider purchasing from that business compared to one with an incomplete listing.

3. Directions to Your Business

A Business Profile listing also appears on Google Maps, giving customers turn-by-turn directions to your location.

4. Free to Set Up and Maintain

Google Business Profile costs nothing to create or maintain. You will not be charged to add photos, respond to reviews, or post updates about your business.

5. Access to Insights

As the account manager, you can view data on how customers find and interact with your listing through the Insights tool built into your profile.

6. A More Level Playing Field

Because the tool is free and works the same way for every business, a Google Business Profile gives smaller businesses a real way to compete for visibility against larger ones in local search results.

Who Qualifies for a Google Business Profile?

Not every business is eligible for a listing. According to Google’s published eligibility guidelines, a business generally qualifies if it meets the following:

  1. The business has a physical address, or it offers goods or services at a customer’s location.
  2. The profile accurately reflects the business, including hours, location, contact details, branding, and the goods or services offered.
  3. There is only one profile per business location.

Some business types are not eligible at all. These include online-only brands with no physical presence or in-person service, businesses using a P.O. box or remote mailbox as their address, and lead-generation agencies that do not directly serve customers.

Checklist for Setting Up a Google Business Profile

  1. Account and search
    • Sign in with a business Gmail account.
    • Search your business name to confirm it isn’t already listed.
  2. Core details
    • Choose a category, add your location or service area, and enter contact information.
  3. Hours and description
    • Add accurate business hours.
    • Write a description under 750 characters.
  4. Photos and messaging
    • Upload photos of your business, products, or work.
    • Add a WhatsApp or text number if you want direct customer messages.
  5. Verification
    • Complete verification by phone, email, or postcard, depending on your business type.
  6. Ongoing management
    • Post updates, respond to reviews, and check Insights regularly.

FAQ: Google Business Profile

Is Google Business Profile really free?

  • Yes. There is no cost to create, verify, or maintain a listing, including adding photos and responding to reviews.

What happened to the Q&A feature?

  • Google discontinued the public Q&A feature. It has been replaced by Ask Maps, which generates answers to visitor questions automatically using the profile’s information, reviews, and website content.

How do customers message me directly?

  • You can add a WhatsApp number or a text-message number to your contact info, giving customers a direct way to reach you from Search or Maps. This replaced Google’s older native chat feature.

Can I have more than one profile for the same business?

  • No. Google’s guidelines allow only one profile per business location.

Do I need a website to sign up?

  • No. A website is optional. You can add one later if you create one.

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