When someone searches for a local business, Google often shows a map and three listings before any website. That panel is built from Google Business Profiles.
Setting one up is free. It takes about 30 minutes, plus a wait for verification.
Here’s the process from start to finish. Have your business details, your opening hours and a few photos ready before you begin. It makes the whole job faster.
1. Sign in with the right Google account
Use an account that you’ll keep control of. A shared business email is better than a personal one. If a staff member sets it up on their own login and leaves, you can lose access.
Go to google.com/business and sign in.
Think about who else needs access. You can add other people later as managers, so there’s no need to share a password.
2. Check whether your business is already listed
Google creates listings automatically from public data. Search for your business name in the setup box before you add a new one.
If it exists, claim it. If you create a duplicate, you’ll end up with two profiles competing with each other, and that’s a mess to clean up.
Look for old listings at previous addresses too. If you’ve moved, an outdated profile can send customers to the wrong place.
3. Enter your business name
Use your real, everyday trading name. The one on your sign and your invoices.
Don’t add keywords or a suburb to the name. Google’s guidelines say your name should reflect your real-world name, and profiles that stuff extra words in risk suspension.
It’s tempting to squeeze in a few extra words. Resist it. Suspensions are slow to resolve, and you’ll lose your listing while you wait.
4. Choose your main category
Your primary category is one of the strongest signals on the profile. It tells Google what kind of business you are.
Pick the most specific one that fits. “Electrician” is better than “Contractor”. You can add secondary categories for other things you do, but don’t add ones that don’t apply.
If you’re not sure, look at which categories your top local competitors use. They’re often a good guide.
5. Add your address or service area
If customers visit you, enter your street address. If you travel to them, you can hide your address and list the areas you serve.
Keep it accurate. Match the details exactly to what’s on your website and other listings.
Home-based businesses should think carefully before publishing a home address. The service area option is there for a reason. Choose a realistic area you work in rather than listing every suburb you can think of.
6. Add contact details and your website
Enter a phone number you answer, and your website address. If you have a booking page, add it.
Check the number twice. A wrong digit means lost calls and you may not notice for weeks. Call it yourself once the profile goes live.
7. Verify your business
Google needs to confirm you own the business. The methods available depend on your business type and location. They can include phone, text, email, a video recording or a live video call.
A few points from Google’s own help pages:
• you may need to use more than one method
• some verifications go through a manual review that can take up to seven business days
• if you’ve verified your website in Google Search Console, you might get instant verification
• changing business details later may mean you have to re-verify
Until you’re verified, you can’t edit your info or interact with customers on the profile.
If the “Get verified” button returns, it means Google couldn’t complete the check. Try another method. Make sure any video you record clearly shows your business, so the reviewer can match it to your listing.
8. Set your opening hours
Add regular hours and your holiday hours. Customers rely on these.
Update them for public holidays and any closures. Few things frustrate a customer more than driving to a closed shop that Google says is open.
If you take appointments only, say so in your description, so people don’t turn up unannounced.
9. Write your description
You get a short space to describe your business. Use it.
Say what you do, who you serve and what makes you different. Write like a person. Skip the marketing language. Two or three plain sentences are enough.
Put the most important point first, because it may be cut off in some views. Don’t include links, phone numbers or special offers in the description.
10. List your services or products
Add the main things you offer. If you can include short descriptions and prices, do.
This helps customers decide before they call. It also gives Google more detail to match you with searches.
Use the same names your customers use. If people ask for “blocked drains”, don’t call it “drainage remediation”.
11. Upload real photos
Add photos of your shopfront, your team, your work and your products. Real ones. Customers can tell when a photo is from a stock library.
Start with five to ten good images. Then add new ones every few weeks. A profile with recent photos looks active.
A clear photo of your entrance helps first-time customers find you. Take it from the street, in daylight.
12. Ask for your first reviews
Reviews build trust, and they’re a big part of how profiles are judged.
Ask recent customers to leave an honest review. Send them the direct link. Don’t offer discounts or gifts in return, as Google’s policy prohibits it.
Reply to every review, good or bad. Keep replies short, polite and specific.
13. Keep it current
A profile isn’t a one-off job. Check it monthly:
• Are your hours right?
• Are there new reviews to answer?
• Have you got new photos or services to add?
• Is there any info that’s changed on your website?
Out-of-date profiles lose customers quietly.
A note on what a profile can’t do
A strong profile helps you show up for local searches. It won’t fix a weak website or a lack of reviews. It’s one piece of a wider local strategy.
If you want to go further, SEO Melbourne businesses rely on covers the website, content and links that sit behind a strong profile. But start with the free steps above. Most businesses still haven’t done them properly.
Sources
• Verify your business on Google – Google Business Profile Help
• Verify your business on Google, methods and timing – Google Business Profile Help