Google Business Profile (formerly "Google My Business") is one of the most powerful and, importantly, free tools for local business. It determines whether you appear on Google Maps and in "near me" searches. Here is how to set it up, verify it and optimize it.
It is a free business card in Google Search and Maps — name, services, hours, contacts, photos and reviews. For "near me" searches, Google shows the map pack of business profiles above regular websites. Without a profile you miss this most visible spot.
They are the same thing. In 2021 Google renamed "Google My Business" to "Google Business Profile" and later shut down the separate mobile app. You no longer need an app: sign in with your business account and search for your business name in Google — the management panel appears above the results. Google Maps and business.google.com work too.
Go to business.google.com, sign in with a business Google account and click "Add business". Enter your name as customers know it, category, service area or address, phone and website. If you have no storefront, choose a service-area business.
Google requires proof the business is real, most often via a short video showing your workplace, tools and business name; sometimes by phone, email or postcard. Follow the steps exactly — without verification the profile is not shown.
Fill everything: categories, services with descriptions, hours, quality photos. The biggest factor is reviews — ask happy clients and always reply. Post updates regularly. A complete, active profile ranks higher.
Do not add "Ltd" or keywords to the name — use only the real brand, or Google may suspend it. Do not create multiple profiles. Ensure name, phone and address exactly match your website (NAP consistency); mismatches hurt local ranking.
A very common case: the profile already exists — created by a former employee, an agency or Google itself — but you have no access. Find your business in Search, click "Own this business?" / "Claim this business" and submit a request. If someone manages it, Google notifies the current owner and gives them a few days to respond. If they do not, the claim passes to you, followed by the usual verification. Do not rush to create a second profile: duplicates split your reviews and hurt ranking.
If several profiles exist for the same business, keep the one with more reviews and history and mark the rest as duplicates (in Maps: "Suggest an edit" → "Close or remove"). If the business has ceased trading, mark it permanently closed rather than deleting it. If you move, change the address instead of starting over, so the reviews stay with you.
After successful verification the profile usually appears in Search and Maps within a few days. Real traffic takes longer: local ranking builds gradually with reviews, photos, posts and consistent information across sources. Expect first meaningful actions (calls, directions) within weeks and a stable map pack position after a few months of active management.
They reinforce each other: the profile brings people from the map, the website converts them into clients. When both are aligned, local visibility grows far faster than with either alone.
We help set up your Google Business Profile and align it with your website to bring more local clients. Write to us.