How to set up a Google Business Profile (step by step)

How do I set up a Google Business Profile?

Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. If you do not have one, create one — use an email you will check regularly, because Google sends notifications about reviews, questions, and profile suggestions to this address.

The setup process walks you through each step. Here is what to expect and what to get right the first time.

Step 1: Enter your business name

Type your exact legal business name as it appears on your signage, invoices, and registrations. Do not add keywords, locations, or taglines to the name. "Smith Plumbing" is correct. "Smith Plumbing — Best Plumber in Sydney" will get your profile suspended under Google's naming guidelines.

If your business already has a listing (someone else may have created it, or Google may have generated one from web data), Google will show it as a suggestion. Claim the existing listing rather than creating a duplicate.

Step 2: Choose your business category

This is the most important field in the entire profile. Your primary category is the strongest signal Google uses to decide which searches your profile appears for. Google has over 4,000 categories — find the one that most precisely describes your core business.

Rules of thumb:

1. Be specific. "Italian restaurant" ranks better for Italian food searches than "Restaurant." "Emergency plumber" is better than "Home services."
2. Choose one primary. You get one primary category and can add secondary ones. The primary should describe your main service.
3. Add secondaries. If you are a plumber who also does gas fitting and drain cleaning, add "Gas fitter" and "Drain cleaning service" as secondary categories.
4. Check competitors. Search for your main keyword and see what categories the top-ranking profiles use. Tools like Pleper's category list let you browse the full category database.

Step 3: Set your location type

Google asks whether customers visit your business at your address. This determines how your profile works:

1. Storefront. Customers come to you (shop, restaurant, clinic). Your address appears on Maps and directions are available.
2. Service area. You go to customers (plumber, electrician, mobile mechanic). You set a service radius or list of areas. Your address is hidden from the public.
3. Both. You have a location customers visit AND you serve surrounding areas. Show the address and define a service area.

Get this right at setup. Changing it later is possible but can trigger re-verification.

Step 4: Enter your contact details

1. Phone number. Your primary local business number. Use the number customers should call to book or enquire. Do not use a personal mobile if you have a business line — consistency across directories helps Google trust your listing.
2. Website. Your website URL. If you do not have a website, leave this blank rather than linking to a Facebook page (you can add social links separately).

Step 5: Verify your business

Google needs to confirm you are a real business at a real address. Verification methods depend on your business type and location:

1. Postcard. Google mails a postcard with a 5-digit code to your business address. Takes 3–14 days (sometimes longer). This is the most common method.
2. Phone. Some businesses can verify immediately by receiving a code via phone call or SMS.
3. Email. Some businesses are offered email verification.
4. Video. Google may ask you to record a short video showing your business location, signage, and proof of management.
5. Live video call. In some cases, a Google representative calls you via video to verify your location.

You cannot edit most profile fields until verification is complete. Do not request multiple postcards — each new request invalidates the previous code. Google's verification help page has the latest on available methods.

Step 6: Complete every field

Once verified, fill in everything. An incomplete profile is an unoptimised profile. The fields that matter most:

1. Business description. 750 characters. Describe what you do, who you serve, and what makes you different. Write in plain language for customers, not search engines.
2. Services or menu. List every service you offer with a short description. Google matches these to search queries.
3. Opening hours. Accurate regular hours plus special hours for public holidays. Wrong hours are the fastest way to lose trust — a customer who drives to a closed business will not come back.
4. Photos. Upload at least 10: exterior, interior (if applicable), team, and work photos. See our profile optimisation guide for what to upload.
5. Attributes. Google offers attributes like "wheelchair accessible," "free Wi-Fi," "women-owned." Select every one that applies.

What should I do right after setup?

Three things, in this order:

1. Ask your first five customers for a review. A profile with zero reviews is invisible in competitive areas. Send each customer your Google review link directly — text message works best.
2. Create your first post. A photo from a recent job or a short update about your services. This signals activity to Google.
3. Set up notifications. In the Google Business Profile app or dashboard, enable notifications for new reviews, questions, and profile suggestions. You want to know the moment someone reviews you so you can respond quickly.

Common setup mistakes to avoid

1. Creating a duplicate listing. Always search for your business first. Duplicates confuse Google and split your reviews between two profiles.
2. Using a virtual office or PO Box. Google requires a real, staffed business address. Virtual offices and mail drops violate their guidelines and will result in suspension.
3. Wrong category. This is the single biggest mistake and the hardest to fix later because you have already started building ranking signals around the wrong category.
4. Ignoring the profile after setup. A profile that is set up and never touched again will be overtaken by competitors who post, collect reviews, and update photos regularly.
5. Multiple profiles for one location. One business at one address gets one profile. If you offer multiple services, use secondary categories — do not create separate profiles.

Do I need the Google Business Profile app?

It helps. The Google Business Profile mobile app (available for iOS and Android) lets you respond to reviews, post updates, and check insights from your phone. For a busy business owner or tradie, being able to reply to a review from the job site is practical.

The app also sends push notifications for new reviews, which means faster response times. Google has stated that responsiveness is a factor in how prominently your profile appears.

What happens after my profile is live?

Your profile starts appearing in Google Maps and local search results. How prominently depends on your category, location, review volume, and profile completeness relative to competitors.

The ongoing work is straightforward: collect reviews consistently, respond to all of them, post weekly, and keep your information accurate. For a full breakdown of what that looks like, see our guide on Google Business Profile optimisation.

If you want an assessment of how your profile compares to local competitors, our free reputation audit covers it.