Google Business Profile: a basic guide for local businesses
What to check on your Google profile: consistent details, categories, opening hours, real photos, posts and how to reply to reviews.
Consistent details everywhere
Name, address, phone and website should match on your profile, your website and your social accounts. Use the business's real name, without adding keywords that are not part of it: Google's guidelines forbid it.
Category, opening hours and attributes
- Choose the primary category that best describes what you do and add secondary ones only if true.
- Keep opening hours up to date, including holidays and temporary closures.
- Fill in the attributes and services that apply to your business.
Real, current photos
Upload photos of the exterior (so people can find you), the interior, your products or services and the team if you are comfortable. They should show the business as it is today; avoid stock images that do not match your premises.
Posts and updates
Profile posts are for announcing offers, events or news. Reuse pieces from your content calendar adapted to this format, and check that dates and conditions are accurate.
Replying to reviews
Reply politely to both positive and negative reviews. Say thank you, clarify facts without arguing and offer a private channel to solve problems. Do not offer incentives for reviews or post them on behalf of customers: it breaks Google's rules.