How to Set Up a Google Business Profile in 7 Steps
To set up a Google Business Profile, go to business.google.com/create, sign in with the Google account you will manage the business from, and follow seven steps: add your business name, choose a category, add your location or service areas, add your phone number and website, then verify the business. Setting it up is free. Once Google verifies the profile, your details can show on Google Search and Google Maps when people near you look for what you sell.
This guide walks you through each step with the real screens, explains who qualifies, and covers the verification options Google may offer you.
What is a Google Business Profile?
A Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows your business on Google Search and Google Maps. It holds your name, category, address or service areas, phone number, website, opening hours, photos and reviews.
When someone searches for a bakery, a plumber or a printing shop near them, Google shows a map with a short list of local businesses. Those entries come from Business Profiles. So if your business has no profile, it cannot appear in that list.
Why you should set up a Google Business Profile
A profile puts your business where local buying decisions happen. For example, a customer who searches “bakery near me” usually wants to buy today. If your profile appears, that customer can call you, get directions or visit your website in one tap.
There are four practical benefits:
- You appear on Google Maps. People can find your shop or service area while they search on their phone.
- You control your information. You decide which phone number, website and hours customers see.
- You collect reviews. Reviews help new customers trust you before they visit.
- It costs nothing. Google does not charge to add or claim a Business Profile.
In addition, a complete profile supports your wider marketing plan. If you are still building that plan, our guide on how to build a digital marketing strategy shows where local search fits.
Who can set up a Google Business Profile?
Before you start, check that your business qualifies. Google only accepts businesses that make in person contact with customers during the hours they list. That can happen in two ways:
- Customers visit your location, such as a shop, salon or restaurant.
- You travel to your customers, such as a cleaner, caterer or mobile mechanic.
However, some businesses are not eligible. These include online only businesses, rental or for sale properties such as holiday homes, lead generation businesses and remote mailboxes. You can read the full rules in Google’s guidelines for representing your business.
Check whether your business is already listed
Next, search Google Maps for your business name. A customer or a past employee may have added it already.
- If a profile exists and nobody manages it, claim it instead of creating a new one.
- If someone else already verified it, request ownership through Google. Google explains this process in its help article on requesting ownership of a Business Profile.
- If nothing comes up, you can create a new profile with the steps below.
Above all, do not create a second profile for the same business. Duplicate listings confuse customers and can delay verification.
How to set up a Google Business Profile: the 7 steps
The steps below match the screens at business.google.com/create, checked on 8 November 2026. We used a demo business called Sunrise Bakery, and we did not submit it.
You can also watch the full tutorial, which moves slowly so you can follow along on your own screen:
Step 1: Sign in and open the setup page
First, sign in to the Google account you want to manage the business with. Use an account you will keep for years, because this account will own the profile.
Then go to business.google.com/create. You will see a page titled “Start building your Business Profile”.
Step 2: Add your business name
Type your business name exactly as customers see it on your sign, packaging and receipts. For example, write “Sunrise Bakery”, not “Sunrise Bakery Best Cakes Near Me”.
Google’s guidelines do not allow extra keywords in the name. Adding them can get your profile suspended, so keep the name clean.
Step 3: Choose your business category
Start typing your main category, then pick the closest match from the list. For instance, when we typed “Bake”, Google suggested Bakery and Bakery equipment.
Choose the category that describes what your business is, not everything it sells. You can change it and add more categories later. When the name and category are in place, click Next.
Step 4: Add a location customers can visit
Next, Google asks whether you have a location customers can visit.
- If customers come to you, click Yes. Then enter your address or place the marker on the map at your exact entrance.
- If you have no shop, click No. Google then takes you to service areas instead.
Use a real street address that customers can visit. Google does not accept remote mailboxes as a business location.
Step 5: Add your service areas
If you serve customers at their homes or offices, add the areas you cover. You can add cities or postal codes, up to 20 areas in total.
Google suggests that your service areas stay within about two hours of driving from where your business is based. So list the areas you actually serve, not every city you could reach.
Step 6: Add your phone number and website
Then add the phone number and website customers should use. Choose a number that reaches this business directly, because customers will tap it from Maps.
If you do not have a website yet, you can leave that field empty and add one later. After that, click Next and then Finish.
Step 7: Verify your business
Finally, Google asks you to verify the business. Verification proves that you own or manage it. Until you verify, you cannot fully manage the profile.
Google decides which verification methods you can use, based on your business type and location. You cannot change the options it gives you. You may see one or more of these:
| Verification method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Video recording | You record a short video that shows your location, your business tools and proof that you manage the business. |
| Phone or text | Google sends a code by call or text message to your business number. |
| Google sends a code to your business email address. | |
| Live video call | You show your business to a Google support agent on a video call during your opening hours. |
| Postcard | Google posts a card with a 5 digit code to your address. It usually arrives within 14 days. |
If you are not ready, click Later and verify from your profile when you are. After you submit verification, Google can take up to 5 working days to review it. You can find more detail in Google’s help article on verifying your business.
What to do after you verify your profile
Once Google verifies your profile, finish the details that help customers choose you. A complete profile gives people fewer reasons to scroll past.
- Add your opening hours, including special hours for public holidays.
- Upload real photos of your storefront, your products, your team and your work.
- Write a short description that says what you do, who you serve and what makes you different.
- Add your products or services with clear names and prices where possible.
- Ask happy customers for reviews, and reply to every review, good or bad.
In addition, keep your profile up to date. If your phone number or hours change, update them on the same day. Customers who arrive at a closed shop rarely give you a second chance.
Common mistakes when you set up a Google Business Profile
Many businesses lose visibility because of small, avoidable errors. Watch out for these:
- Keyword stuffing the name. Use your real business name only.
- Choosing a broad category. “Store” says far less than “Bakery”.
- Using a virtual office address. Google expects in person contact at a real location.
- Creating duplicate profiles. Claim or request the existing listing instead.
- Ignoring reviews. Unanswered complaints tell new customers that nobody is listening.
How a Google Business Profile fits into your marketing
A Business Profile works best alongside your other channels. For example, you can add your profile link to your Instagram bio, your WhatsApp Business catalogue and your email signature. Then you can track how many people arrive from each link with UTM parameters.
Similarly, if you run social media for a local business, our guide to social media marketing strategy shows how to plan content that sends people to your profile.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Google does not charge you to create, claim or manage a Business Profile.
Can I set up a Google Business Profile without a physical shop?
Yes, as long as you serve customers in person at their location. In that case, choose No when Google asks about a location customers can visit, then add your service areas instead.
How long does verification take?
It depends on the method Google gives you. A postcard usually arrives within 14 days. After you submit your verification, Google can take up to 5 working days to review it.
Can I choose my verification method?
No. Google decides which methods are available for your business, and you cannot change them.
Can an online only business get a profile?
No. Google only accepts businesses that make in person contact with customers during their stated hours.
Get help with your Google Business Profile
Setting up a Google Business Profile takes about ten minutes, and it can bring customers to your door for years. Start today at business.google.com/create, follow the seven steps above, and then keep your profile complete and current.
If you would like DeeGeet to set up, verify or manage your profile for you, contact our team or see our digital marketing services.
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