What a Google Business Profile is, briefly
A Google Business Profile is the owner-managed record of a business on Google Maps. It holds the facts a searcher sees when the business appears on the map or in local results. The owner edits those facts directly instead of waiting for Google to find them.
The name has changed over time, and Google Business Profile is the current one. Older guides and forum posts that use an earlier name describe the same tool.
Google Maps launched in early 2005, announced on Google’s blog on February 8 of that year. The profile is how a business takes charge of its own entry on that map.
What the profile holds
A profile can carry a primary category, extra categories, an address or service area, and a phone number. It can also carry an About description, attributes, photos, videos, posts, offers, events and services. Category and region together decide which of those features an owner is offered.
How an owner sets up and maintains the profile
Running a Google Business Profile follows seven steps, from the first sign-in to ongoing upkeep. The first four get the profile live. The last three keep it accurate and useful once customers start to see it.
- Sign in with a Google account. Any existing business email can serve as the account, so a Gmail address is optional.
- Find or start the listing. An owner whose business is already on Maps requests access. Otherwise the owner starts a new entry under the business name.
- Enter the essentials. The owner picks one primary category, adds a phone number, and either lists a visitable address or defines a service area.
- Complete verification. Google checks that the owner runs the business, using one or more methods such as video, phone, text, email, live video call or mail.
- Fill in the description and features. The About section explains the business in plain words, without links or HTML.
- Add photos and posts. Photos show the place, the work or the team’s equipment, and posts share news, events or offers.
- Check performance and update. Owners review how customers found the profile and fix anything that has changed.
A sibling guide covers steps one to four in detail, from the first search to the verification code. This guide concentrates on what the profile does once it is live.
Describing features through attributes
Attributes are short labels that describe features of a business, such as accessibility or amenities. The options shown depend on the category. Types include ownership, such as veteran-owned or women-owned, along with crowd, accessibility, planning and languages spoken.
The full list, and how owners choose among them, belongs to the series article on profile attributes. Here it is enough to know they add detail a description cannot.
Keeping posts fresh
Posts are short updates that appear on the profile. They can cover specials, events and products, and can include a call-to-action button. Mississippi State Extension says Google archives updates after 7 days and recommends posting at least weekly.
Choosing photos that load properly
One general photo specification cited by the Rhode Island SBDC is 720 x 720 px, 10 KB to 5 MB, in JPG or PNG. The cover photo is the most prominent image on the profile. Owners should confirm current sizes, because sources differ on the cover photo.
Reading performance insights
Performance insights show how people interact with the profile. They cover interaction metrics, discovery, which means how customers find the business, and website clicks from the profile. Owners use them to see whether changes to the profile made a difference.
What changes how well the profile performs
A profile’s results depend on accuracy, relevance and how near the business is to each searcher. An owner controls the first two directly. Distance depends on where the searcher is, which the owner cannot change.
Category choices
The primary category tells Google what the business mainly does. Extra categories can be added after setup. The Rhode Island SBDC advises choosing only highly relevant categories, because unrelated ones can hurt rankings.
Address or service area
A business that customers visit should show its address. A business that travels to customers can set a service area, which keeps the address off the public listing. A service area can include up to 20 locations, mixing cities, ZIP codes, counties or other areas.
Signals from across the web
Google names prominence, relevance and distance as its three main criteria for local results. Prominence draws on web signals such as review counts, links and articles. A well-kept profile supports relevance, while prominence also reflects activity beyond the profile.
How those three criteria interact is the subject of the sibling guide on Google Maps ranking. That guide also explains why two people searching the same phrase can see different results.
Distance to the searcher
A business near the searcher has a better chance of showing on the results map. When a query has no place name, Google estimates distance from what it knows about the searcher’s location. A profile cannot change that distance, but an accurate address or service area makes sure it is measured correctly.
Reviews
Reviews appear on the profile and count among the web signals behind prominence. Extension guidance warns against buying reviews or offering incentives for them. Honest requests to real customers keep a profile within those limits.
Mistakes that weaken a Google Business Profile
Most profile problems come from a few repeat errors: wrong names, wrong categories, wrong addresses and stale content. Each one either confuses customers or gives Google weaker signals. All of them can be fixed by the owner.
Stuffing keywords into the business name
Fake listings often put keywords and locations in the business title instead of a registered name. A 2016 study found a keyword in the business name was one of the most important local-pack factors, and linked the practice to spam. A profile should use the business’s real name.
Listing unrelated categories
Adding many categories in hope of more visibility can backfire. Unrelated categories can hurt rankings, according to the Rhode Island SBDC. Fewer, accurate categories describe the business more clearly.
Using a PO box or a shared address
PO boxes are not eligible as a business address. The September 1, 2016 “Possum” update filters listings that share an address and category. Two related businesses at one address in the same category may not both appear.
Sending a weak verification video
When Google asks for a video, it must be at least 30 seconds long and unedited. The Rhode Island SBDC suggests showing the location, such as street signs or neighbors, plus proof the business exists. Tools or equipment and proof of management access help too.
A clip that skips these points may not pass. Planning the shots before recording saves a second attempt.
Letting the profile go stale
Posts archive after 7 days, according to Mississippi State Extension. Phone numbers, photos and services also drift out of date. A short monthly review catches most of these changes.
Relying on retired features
Chat on Google Business Profile has been retired. Google announced the change in May 2024, disabled new chats on July 15, 2024, and ended all chat on July 31, 2024. Owners should point customers to the phone, website or other active contact options instead.
Trusting unsolicited calls
Oklahoma State University Extension says Google never calls unsolicited. Callers who claim to be from Google and offer to fix a profile deserve caution. Owners should make changes themselves inside Google Business Profile.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Gmail address to set up a Google Business Profile?
No, a Gmail address is not required. Setup needs a Google account, and an existing business email works for that account. A phone number is also required, while a website is optional.
What is the difference between a normal Google Account and a business account?
A Google account is the sign-in a person uses across Google services. A Google Business Profile is the listing that account manages for a business. Any existing business email can be used for the account, so a separate Gmail address is not needed.
Is it worth having a Google Business Profile?
A profile lets the owner control the facts searchers see on Maps, such as phone, address and category. Without a verified profile, those details may be missing or unchecked. Profile info only appears after verification, so the owner’s version replaces guesswork.
Who is eligible for a Google Business Profile?
A business with a real location, or one that serves customers within a defined area, can create a profile. PO boxes are not eligible as the business address. Google verifies each business before its profile information appears.
What the Google Maps hub covers next
The profile is the centre of a business’s presence on Google Maps. The hub links it to the walkthrough on adding a listing and the guide to ranking. Series articles look closer at attributes, posts, photos and videos, and performance insights.
Visit Google Maps explained to continue.