Key takeaways
- Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing a local customer sees, in Google Maps and in the local results.
- Completeness and accuracy matter most: the right category, correct hours, real photos, and the same name, address and phone number everywhere.
- Follow Google’s guidelines. Fake addresses, keyword-stuffed names and bought reviews can get a profile suspended.
1. Claim and verify the profile
Search for your business name on Google or Maps. If a listing exists, claim it; if not, create one. Google will ask you to verify that you are the owner, using a method such as a postcard, a phone call, an email or a video, depending on your business. Until you verify, you cannot manage most of the profile.
Use your real business name as it appears on your signage, invoices and website. Do not add keywords or locations to the name to try to rank better; that breaks the guidelines and can lead to suspension.
2. Set the address and service area correctly
If customers visit you, enter your real address. If you travel to customers and do not receive them at your premises, set up a service area and hide the address. Do not use a virtual office, a mailbox or a friend’s address, and do not create several listings for the same business.
List the areas you actually serve, such as London, St. Thomas or Strathroy, rather than a very long list of towns you rarely visit.
3. Choose categories and list your services
- Primary category: pick the single most accurate one. It has a strong influence on which searches you can appear for.
- Secondary categories: add only those that truly describe what you do.
- Services or products: list each one with a short, honest description and, where you can, a price or a price range.
4. Hours, photos and description
- Hours: keep regular hours correct and set special hours for holidays. Wrong hours quickly erode trust.
- Photos and video: add real images of your premises, team and work, and refresh them regularly.
- Description: explain what you do, for whom, and what makes you different, in natural language.
- Attributes: select the ones that apply, such as accessibility features, online appointments or languages spoken.
5. Link to the right pages
Point the website button to the most relevant page, which might be a booking page or a local landing page rather than the homepage. Make sure your website shows the same name, address, phone number and hours as the profile; inconsistencies confuse customers and search systems.
6. Reviews, questions and updates
Ask satisfied customers for reviews with a direct link, reply to every review politely, and answer common questions in the Q&A area where it is available. Use posts for offers, events and updates when you have something worth saying; they are helpful, but they are not a magic ranking switch.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Stuffing keywords into the business name.
- Using a P.O. box or virtual office as a location.
- Leaving old phone numbers or former addresses on the profile.
- Buying reviews or asking customers to write specific wording.
- Ignoring negative reviews.
Next steps
A complete profile is the foundation of local visibility. Our complete guide to local SEO for London, Ontario shows how the profile, your website, citations and reviews work together, and Smartise can set up or audit your profile for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Creating and managing a Business Profile is free; you do not pay Google to appear in local results through your profile.
Can I have a profile without a storefront?
Yes, as a service-area business. You set the areas you serve and can hide your address, but you must not use a fake or virtual address.
How often should I update my profile?
Check it whenever something changes (hours, services, phone number) and review it at least monthly, adding fresh photos and replying to new reviews.
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