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Adapted from playbooks Simon Campbell wrote for his own businesses in October 2026, with the business-specific parts removed. Platform rules change, so check the linked official help pages.
A Google Business Profile is the free listing that appears on Google Search and Maps when people look for your business or for services near them. For local businesses it is often the single most useful free marketing tool. This playbook explains who can have one and how to set it up and maintain it.
1. Check you're eligible
Google's guidelines say a business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours, either at a location customers visit or by travelling to customers (a "service-area business"). Online-only businesses aren't eligible. Virtual offices and mailbox addresses aren't allowed. Source: Google: Guidelines for representing your business.
- Shop, salon, café or office customers visit: show your address.
- You travel to customers (trades, cleaners, mobile services): hide your address and list your service areas instead. Source: Google: Manage your service areas.
- Online only (for example an Etsy shop with no customer contact): don't create a profile. Focus on your website and social media instead.
2. Set-up checklist
| Step | What to do | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Access | Create or claim the profile and add a second trusted person as an owner or manager. | Avoid sharing one login. |
| 2. Name | Use your business name exactly as it appears on your signage, vans and website. | No keywords, taglines or town names unless they are part of your real name. |
| 3. Categories | Pick the most specific primary category for your main work, and only add secondary categories for genuine core services. | Use the fewest categories that describe the business. |
| 4. Address or service area | Show the address if customers visit; otherwise hide it and add the areas you really cover. | Don't list areas you don't serve. |
| 5. Hours | Customer-facing hours, plus special hours for bank holidays. | Keep them accurate. |
| 6. Phone and website | A number you control and your website. Add UTM tags to the website link (for example utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic). | Use a direct business number. |
| 7. Description | Plain-English summary: who you help, with what, where, and why choose you. | No links or prices in the description. |
| 8. Services or products | Add each service with a short description. | Describe what you really offer. |
| 9. Photos | Logo, cover and plenty of real, recent photos of your work, premises, vehicles and team. | Real photos only; get consent before showing people. |
| 10. Posts | Post an update, offer or tip regularly, ideally weekly. You can schedule posts in advance. | Keep links related to your business. |
| 11. Reviews | Create your review link and use it (see below). | Never offer incentives. |
| 12. Monthly check | Look at performance (searches, calls, website clicks), reply to reviews, add new photos. | About 15 minutes a month. |
Getting started guide from Google: Google: Get started with Google Business Profile.
3. Writing your description
Lead with your one-sentence description, then add your main services, the areas you cover, experience, and what makes you different. Write for people, not search engines. Repeating keywords doesn't help and may get edits rejected.
4. Asking for reviews the right way
Reviews are one of the most important things on your profile. Google's policies prohibit:
- offering money, discounts, gifts or anything else in return for reviews;
- content based on a conflict of interest, such as reviews from you, current or former staff, or family about your own business.
Source: Google: Prohibited and restricted content (reviews). It's also good practice to ask every customer, not only those you expect to be happy: it keeps your reviews honest and useful. Fake reviews can also break UK consumer protection law, so this matters beyond Google.
A fair routine: ask every customer after the job or sale, with a short message and your review link. For example (adapt it): "Thanks for choosing us. If you have a moment, an honest review on Google really helps a small business like ours: [link]."
5. Replying to reviews
- Reply to every review, good or bad, within a few days.
- Thank people by name, mention the service, and keep it short.
- For a negative review, stay calm, apologise for their experience, and offer to sort it out offline. Never share personal details in a reply.
6. Measure what it brings
Check the performance figures on your profile each month: how people found you, calls, direction requests and website clicks. With UTM tags on your website link, your analytics shows visits from your profile. Ask new customers how they found you.
7. Common mistakes
- Adding keywords or locations to the business name.
- Using a home address that customers don't visit as a public address.
- Several profiles for the same business.
- Letting a former web designer or employee keep the only owner access.
- Stock photos instead of real ones.
Next steps
- Read our social media playbook.
- Make sure your website matches your profile details.
Official sources
- Google: Guidelines for representing your business
- Google: Get started with Google Business Profile
- Google: Manage your service areas
- Google: Prohibited and restricted content (reviews)
- ASA: The CAP Code
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Last checked 29 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.