A well-optimised Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is essential for any local business. It decides whether you appear in Google Maps and the local results, how trustworthy you look at first glance, and how easily people can call you, get directions or visit your website.
This step-by-step guide shows what a fully optimised profile looks like in 2026, including the changes Google has made in recent years.
Key takeaways
- Claim and verify your profile first. Without verification you cannot manage it properly.
- Completeness matters: categories, services, hours, photos and a clear description all feed relevance.
- Reviews and regular activity are the strongest signals you control.
- Some older tactics no longer apply: the Q&A section and the chat feature have been removed by Google.
Why an optimised profile matters
- Visibility: a complete profile is far more likely to appear in the map pack and in local results.
- Trust: current information, real photos and good reviews signal professionalism before anyone visits your website.
- Direct actions: customers can call, get directions or visit your site straight from the profile.
- Competitive edge: many local competitors still leave their profile half finished.
Step 1: Claim and verify your profile
Search for your business in Google Business Profile Manager. Google often creates profiles automatically from public data, so check whether one already exists before creating a new one. Then complete verification. Google decides which method is available for your business; today this is most often a short video showing your location, signage and proof of management, sometimes a phone, text or email code.
Step 2: Complete every business detail
- Business name: use your real-world name. Adding keywords or locations to the name breaks Google’s guidelines and can lead to suspension.
- Categories: one primary category that describes your core business, plus up to nine secondary categories for services you actually provide. The primary category has the biggest influence.
- Address or service area: enter your exact address. If you visit customers, define a service area instead or in addition.
- Phone number: a local number that is answered.
- Website: link to your homepage or the most relevant local page.
- Hours: keep regular and holiday hours accurate. Wrong hours are one of the fastest ways to lose trust.
Step 3: Write a description that converts
You have 750 characters. The first part is what most people see, so lead with who you help and what makes you different.
- Write for people, and mention your key services and area naturally.
- Highlight what is genuinely distinctive: specialisation, experience, languages spoken, accessibility.
- No links, prices or promotional phrases in capitals. Google may reject them.
Example: “Family-run physiotherapy practice in the city centre, specialising in sports injuries and back pain. Evening appointments, English and German spoken, wheelchair accessible. Book online or call us.”
Step 4: Add high-quality photos and videos
- A clear logo and a cover photo that shows your business at its best.
- Exterior photos so people recognise you on arrival.
- Interior, team and work photos. Real images build far more trust than stock photos.
- Short videos of your premises or work.
- Fresh photos regularly, for example monthly.
Step 5: Set attributes
Attributes such as “wheelchair accessible”, “online appointments”, “Wi-Fi” or identity-based attributes help people decide quickly whether you fit their needs. Set every attribute that genuinely applies.
Step 6: Publish updates regularly
Updates (posts) appear on your profile and show that the business is active. Use them for news, offers, events and helpful tips, each with a clear call to action and a good image. Standard updates no longer disappear after seven days, but a regular rhythm, for example weekly, keeps the profile fresh.
Step 7: Manage reviews strategically
- Ask satisfied customers for a review right after a positive experience, with a direct link or QR code.
- Reply to every review, ideally within a day or two.
- For negative reviews: stay professional, acknowledge the issue, offer a solution and take the conversation offline.
- In healthcare and other sensitive fields, never confirm someone is a client or patient in your reply.
- Never buy reviews or offer rewards for them.
Step 8: Add products and services
List your services with a short description and, where it makes sense, a price or price range. Retail and hospitality businesses can add products with photos. This improves relevance and gives people an overview before they contact you.
Step 9: Answer questions on your website instead of the old Q&A
Google has removed the questions and answers section from Business Profiles and is replacing it with AI-generated answers based on your profile, reviews and website. That makes your own information more important: answer common questions (parking, payment, appointments, languages, emergencies) clearly on your website and keep the profile complete, so Google has accurate facts to draw from.
Step 10: Track performance
The performance section shows how people find you, which searches lead to your profile and how many calls, direction requests and website clicks you get. Review it monthly, connect it with UTM-tagged website traffic in your analytics and adjust your updates, photos and services based on what works.
Bonus: what happens outside the profile
- Consistency: the same name, address and phone number on your website, social profiles and directories.
- Local links and mentions: partners, associations and local media strengthen prominence.
- Structured data: LocalBusiness markup on your website helps connect site and profile.
- Mobile-friendly website: most local searches happen on phones.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Incomplete profiles with empty sections.
- Inconsistent addresses or phone numbers across the web, often after a move.
- Unanswered reviews, especially negative ones.
- Keyword stuffing in the business name.
- A profile that has not been updated in months.
- The wrong primary category.
Conclusion
A complete, active Google Business Profile is the most cost-effective way for a local business to gain visibility, trust and enquiries. Set it up properly once, then spend a little time each week on reviews, updates and photos. The results show up as more calls, more direction requests and more customers.
Need help with your Business Profile?
We optimise your profile, set up a review process and connect it with your website, so local search turns into a steady source of enquiries.
