Your Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows up when someone searches your name or “[your trade] near me.” For a lot of local businesses, it’s the single most important thing on the internet — and it costs nothing. Here’s how to set it up, claim it if it already exists, and fill it out so customers actually find you.
Step 1: Find or create your profile
Search your business name on Google. If a listing already appears, Google may have created a basic one for you — look for a “Claim this business” or “Own this business?” link and follow it. If nothing shows up, go to Google Business Profile and create one. Either way, you’ll verify that you’re the owner, usually by a postcard, phone call, or email. Don’t skip verification — an unverified profile can’t be fully edited and won’t rank well.
Step 2: Get the basics exactly right
Google rewards accuracy and consistency. Fill in:
- Name — your real business name, exactly as it appears on your sign. Don’t stuff in keywords like “Best Plumber San Diego”; it can get you suspended.
- Category — the most specific one that fits. This is one of the biggest factors in whether you show up for the right searches.
- Address & service area — a storefront gets an address; a mobile business (a detailer, a contractor) sets a service area instead.
- Phone & hours — accurate, and updated for holidays. Wrong hours are the fastest way to earn a one-star review.
Step 3: Add photos, and keep adding them
Profiles with real photos get far more attention than bare ones. Add your storefront, your work, your team, and a few of whatever you actually sell. Phone photos in good daylight beat stock images every time — people want to see the real place.
Step 4: Turn on reviews — and reply to them
Reviews are a major ranking and trust signal. Once you’re verified, ask happy customers to leave one (here’s the honest way to ask), and reply to the ones you get — including the rough ones. If you’re not sure how to handle a bad one, we wrote a whole guide on replying to a bad Google review.
Step 5: Keep it alive
A profile isn’t set-and-forget. Post updates, specials, and announcements; refresh photos; fix your hours before a holiday. Google favors listings that look active, and so do customers. This is the part that quietly eats time — which is why pageboss lets you manage your Google Business Profile and your website from the same place, instead of logging into Google every time something changes.