Many business owners use their Google business Listing to generate greater visibility to customers online.

How to set up a Google Business Profile

Verifying a Google Business Profile is fairly simple and completely free, however the verification process is getting more robust. To start, generate a Google account where you intend to run your business from. Whilst logged in to your account, open a Google Chrome browser and select Business Profile from the apps section in the top right hand corner of the browser. Once you have done this, you will be prompted follow a series of steps to add your business profile on to Google.

To complete the setup, Google will ask for a method to verify your business. This will vary from business to business, however common methods are video call verification, text message verification or email verification. Once verified, your business will become visible on Google Maps and you can start to update your profile.

A Google Business Profile is an extremely effective way to generate customers and demonstrate to Google that you are an active business. Many business owners use their profile to generate more organic leads.

A Google Business Profile is a place where you can interact with customers and update vital information about your business. From a Google Business Profile, you can:



·       Add the location of your business,

·       Show business opening hours

·       Detail Services offered

·       Provide Updates

·       Get Reviews

·       Upload Photos

·       Run Offers

·       Schedule Events

·       Answer customer questions about your business

·       Instantly message customers

·       Book appointments

Google Business Profiles are location dependent. When carrying out search on Google, you will notice the presence of the maps tab at the top. Within the maps section, Google will display all businesses with an active Google Business Profile in that area. For example, if you search for ‘restaurants near me’, Google maps will return results showing all registered restaurants within the area.  From within the maps, customers can easily click to call your business, or redirect to your website.  

As the business profile owner, you have full access to make edits and provide updates on your Google Business Profile. You can also add or take away management access to anyone as you see appropriate. Anyone with management access can also make edits to your Google Business Profile. This is very useful if you have an agency that manages the profile on your behalf. 

The Google ‘Map Pack’ refers to the top 3 businesses within the area, which Google’s algorithm shows preferentially in search. The ‘map pack’ is typically displayed above organically listed websites and if ranked correctly, it is possible to get your business listed in the top 3 of the maps. Being within the top 3 will enable you to generate more leads from organic search. What’s more, if you rank top 3 in the map pack and your website also ranks on page one, you will have an organic presence twice on Google search, thus maximising your chances to generate leads – not bad eh?

One of the key differences between ranking your website and raking your business profile is that maps are heavily dependent on location. So much so, that search from two different locations 1 mile apart can return completely different results. With the right software and expertise, it is possible to know where your business profile ranks from several locations at different points across your service area. This is known as a geogrid search and a reputable SEO agency will be able to offer this service, to track your google map rankings over time. 

When it comes to ranking a Google Business Profile, there are many key variables that need to be factored in. The strength of your competition, the age of your listing and the location of your business will all impact where you appear in search results. Nevertheless, there are steps you can take and with enough consistent action, you will see an improvement in your Google Business Profile ranking. Some of the important actions to take are:

• Completely building out your profile. This includes filling out the description, services and products so Google has a good understanding of what your business does.
• Getting reviews. Reviews help customers to find trusted services online and Google values businesses with a range of positive reviews.
• Providing photos of your work helps to build trust with customers and Google.
• Providing regular updates to customers shows Google that you are an active business.
• Being responsive to customer questions helps to show Google that you are active and that you are trustworthy source of information for users. 

The Business Profile feature in Google is a great way for businesses to get greater visibility online. It is completely free to setup and is something every business owner should take advantage of. Together with your website, your Google Business Profile can be ranked on Google to help increase organic traffic to your business.

Interested to know more about Google Business Profiles? Get in touch with our experts at Ntwine International today. Our dedicated Google Business Profile experts specialise in the setup, ranking and management of Google Business Profiles, to get you greater search coverage on Google Maps.

We also offer free Google Maps audits, with a free geogrid search to demonstrate where your business ranks across your location.

Call us now to get your business seen on Google Maps!