Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the single most important free tool for local businesses. It's the box that shows up when someone Googles your business name — with your hours, photos, reviews, and a link to call you.
If you don't have one set up, you're invisible in local search. If you have one but haven't touched it in months, you're almost as invisible.
Here's how to set it up properly in about 15 minutes, and — more importantly — how to keep it working for you after the initial setup.
Before You Start
You'll need:
- A Google account (Gmail works fine — create one if you don't have one)
- Your business name, address, and phone number (NAP)
- Your business hours
- 2-3 photos of your business (storefront, interior, your team)
- Your website URL (if you have one)
If your business already has a profile that someone else created, you can claim it during the process below.
Step 1: Go to Google Business Profile Manager
Go to business.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
Click "Manage now" or "Add your business to Google."
Type your business name. If it already exists on Google Maps, you'll see it appear — click on it to claim it. If not, click "Add your business" to create a new listing.
Step 2: Choose Your Business Category
Google will ask you to select a primary business category. This matters more than most people think — it directly affects which searches your business appears in.
Tips for choosing the right category:
- Be as specific as possible. "Dentist" is better than "Health & Wellness." "Emergency Plumber" is better than "Plumber."
- You can add secondary categories later, but your primary one determines your main search visibility
- Look at what category your top local competitors use — search for them on Google and check their listing
Common examples:
| Business Type | Best Primary Category |
|---|---|
| Dental office | Dentist |
| Hair salon | Hair Salon |
| HVAC company | HVAC Contractor |
| Law firm | Law Firm (or specific: Personal Injury Attorney) |
| Roofing company | Roofing Contractor |
| Restaurant | Restaurant (or specific: Italian Restaurant) |
Step 3: Add Your Location
If customers visit your physical location, enter your full street address.
If you're a service-area business (plumber, landscaper, mobile groomer), check "I deliver goods and services to my customers" and specify your service area by city or zip code. You can hide your street address if you work from home.
Important: Your address must match exactly what's on your website, your social media, and any other directories (Yelp, Facebook, etc.). Inconsistencies confuse Google and hurt your ranking.
Step 4: Add Contact Information
Enter your:
- Phone number — use a local number, not a toll-free one. Local numbers rank better in local search.
- Website URL — link to your homepage or a dedicated landing page
Both of these appear directly on your profile, so make sure they're correct. A wrong phone number means missed calls.
Step 5: Verify Your Business
Google needs to confirm that you actually own this business. Verification options vary, but typically include:
- Phone call or text — fastest option, usually instant
- Email — takes a few hours
- Postcard — Google mails a postcard with a verification code to your business address (takes 5-14 days)
- Video verification — record a short video of your business location
Choose the fastest option available to you. Until you're verified, your profile won't appear in search results.
Step 6: Complete Your Profile (Don't Skip This)
After verification, Google gives your profile a "completion score." Profiles that are 100% complete get significantly more visibility. Here's what to fill out:
Business Hours
Enter your regular hours and set special hours for holidays. Incorrect hours are the #1 complaint in negative Google reviews for local businesses.Business Description
You get 750 characters. Use them wisely:- Lead with what you do and where: "Full-service dental practice in downtown Phoenix serving families since 2015"
- Include your main services
- Skip the marketing fluff — write it like you're telling a neighbor what you do
- Include your city/neighborhood name naturally
Photos
Upload at least 5-10 photos:- Exterior — so people can recognize your building
- Interior — shows the quality and atmosphere
- Team photos — builds trust and personal connection
- Your work — completed projects, food, services in action
Services / Products
List your specific services with descriptions. This helps Google match you to searches like "teeth whitening near me" or "emergency roof repair."Step 7: Get Your First Reviews
Your profile is live — now you need reviews. Reviews are the #1 factor (after proximity) in local search ranking.
Here's the simplest system:
Don't overthink it. Just ask consistently.
Step 8: Keep It Active (This Is Where Most Businesses Fail)
Setting up your profile is step one. Keeping it active is what actually drives results.
Google rewrites your profile as "permanently closed" if you don't engage with it. An inactive profile signals to both Google and customers that your business might not be operating anymore.
What "active" means:
- Post updates at least weekly — promotions, tips, photos, events
- Respond to every review — positive and negative, within 24-48 hours
- Update your hours for holidays and seasonal changes
- Add new photos regularly
The Posting Problem
Here's where most local business owners hit a wall. You set up the profile, get a few reviews, and then... the posting stops. You get busy. A week turns into a month. Suddenly your last post is from September.
If this sounds like you, there are two options:
Option 1: DIY posting. Set a calendar reminder every Monday to create and publish a GBP post. It takes about 15 minutes. Most people do this for 3-4 weeks before it falls off.
Option 2: Automate it. Tools like Glow Social publish posts directly to your Google Business Profile alongside Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and 10 other platforms — automatically. You approve the content, and it handles the rest for $49/month.
Most social media tools (Buffer, Later, Hootsuite) don't support Google Business Profile at all. That's a problem, because GBP posts directly influence your local search ranking in a way that Instagram posts never will.
What a Good Google Business Profile Looks Like
A complete, optimized profile includes:
- ✅ Correct business name, address, and phone number
- ✅ Specific primary category (not generic)
- ✅ 10+ photos including exterior, interior, and team
- ✅ Complete service/product listings
- ✅ 750-character business description with location keywords
- ✅ 10+ Google reviews with owner replies
- ✅ Weekly posts (updates, offers, or photos)
- ✅ Accurate hours including holiday hours
If you're missing any of these, fix them today. Each one directly impacts whether your business shows up when someone searches for what you do in your city.
Google Business Profile vs. Social Media
GBP and social media serve different functions:
| | Google Business Profile | Social Media |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Show up in local search results | Build brand awareness and trust |
| Who sees it | People actively searching for your service | Your followers and their network |
| Best for | Getting found by new customers | Staying top-of-mind with existing ones |
| Content type | Updates, offers, photos | Everything — stories, reels, posts |
| SEO impact | Direct local ranking factor | Indirect (social proof) |
The answer isn't one or the other — it's both. Your Google Business Profile gets you found. Your social media proves you're worth calling.
That's why we built Glow Social to handle both simultaneously — GBP posts and social media posts from the same dashboard, same content, same $49/month.
Get Started
Your Google Business Profile is the most underutilized free marketing tool available to local businesses. Set it up today, complete every section, and commit to keeping it active.
If you want to automate the ongoing posting (the part that actually matters long-term), set up Glow Social in 5 minutes and we'll handle your GBP and social media posting for you.
Related: How Customers Check You Online · Best Platforms for Local Business · Why Customers Check Your Social Media