When someone searches for a plumber, cafe or accountant nearby, Google often shows a map with a short list of businesses. Those listings come from Google Business Profile. For many local businesses that small panel brings in as many calls as the website itself. Getting it set up properly is one of the simplest local search jobs you can do.
The good news is that Google publishes clear guidance on how profiles work and how local results are ranked. You cannot pay your way into the map results. You can make sure your profile is accurate, verified and kept up to date. This article walks through the main steps using Google’s own help pages.
How Google ranks local results
Google says its local ranking is mainly based on three factors. They are relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches what someone searched for. Distance is how far your business is from the person searching, or from the location they typed in.
Prominence is how well known your business is. Google says links from other websites and the number and rating of your reviews both contribute. That means your wider online presence feeds into the map results. Good SEO on your website and a profile that customers review regularly tend to support each other.
Google is also clear that there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Good information and genuine reviews are what you can work on. If anyone promises a guaranteed top spot in the map, treat that claim with caution. Our article asking whether it is possible to rank number one on Google looks at the same question for normal search results.
Check you are eligible first
Not every business can have a profile. Google’s guidelines say a business qualifies if it has a physical location customers can visit, or if it travels to customers where they are. A rented mailing address where you do not actually operate does not count as a location. Individual practitioners need to be reachable at the verified location during their stated hours.
Service area businesses are a common case in Australia. Think of electricians, cleaners, mobile mechanics or landscapers who work at the customer’s place. Google says these businesses should have one profile for their central office with a set service area. They should also hide their address from customers if they do not serve people there.
Use your real business name
The name on your profile should match your real world business name. Google’s guidelines for representing your business say extra information in the name is not permitted. That includes taglines, phone numbers, opening hours and location words added to look more relevant. Stuffing a suburb or service into the name can put the profile at risk.
If you want to rank for a service, describe it in the right places instead. Use the business description, your categories and your services list. Do the same on your website, where you have far more room to explain what you do. That approach keeps the profile within the rules and still gives Google plenty of detail.
Choose categories carefully
Categories tell Google what kind of business you are. The guidelines say to use as few categories as possible to describe your core business. They also say to choose categories that are as specific as possible while still representing your main business. A long list of loosely related categories does not help.
Your primary category matters most because it describes the main thing you do. Pick the one that best matches the work customers come to you for. You can add a small number of secondary categories for closely related services. Review them every so often in case your business has changed.
Address, phone and hours
Use your precise, real address if customers visit you. Google does not accept post office boxes or remote mailboxes. Each location should have only one profile, so avoid creating duplicates for the same premises. Duplicate listings can confuse customers and split your reviews.
The phone number should connect directly to that business location. Google’s guidelines say the number must be under the direct control of the business. List your regular customer facing hours and update special hours for public holidays. Google’s ranking page notes that accurate hours help customers know when they can visit.
Verify your profile
Verification shows Google that you are allowed to manage the business. Google says verified businesses are more likely to appear in local results. You will need a Google Account to sign up and claim or add your business. Keep that account secure and make sure more than one trusted person in the business can access it.
Google decides which verification methods you can use, based on things like your business type, region and hours. Options can include a phone call, text message, email, a recorded video or a live video call. Some businesses may receive a postcard in the post. Google says verification reviews usually take up to five business days, though on rare occasions they take longer.
If you are sent a postcard, do not edit your business name, address or category while you wait. Changes during that time can hold up the process. Google also warns not to share verification codes, even with people who help manage the profile. Managers can be added once verification is complete.
Keep the profile active
A profile is not a set and forget job. Google suggests responding to customer reviews and says positive reviews and helpful replies can help your business stand out. A short, polite reply to each review shows people a real person is paying attention. Reply calmly to negative reviews too, as other customers will read your response.
Photos and videos are another part of the guidance. Google suggests using them to show what you offer and tell your business’s story. Use real images of your work, team and premises. Most people will see your profile on a phone, so the same thinking behind mobile responsiveness and SEO applies here.
Your profile should also link to a website that backs it up. People who tap through want to see services, prices or bookings quickly. That is part of why web design is important even for businesses that get most of their work from the map. For the website side of local search, our guide to the steps to get your SEO done right is a good companion read.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay Google to rank higher in the map results?
No. Google states there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Accurate details, verification and genuine reviews are the things you can control.
Should a mobile business show its home address?
Google says service area businesses should hide their address if they do not serve customers there. You set a service area instead. This suits trades and other businesses that travel to clients.
How long does verification take?
Google says verification reviews usually take up to five business days. On rare occasions they can take longer. Postcard codes mostly arrive within 14 days.
Can I add my suburb to my business name?
Only if it is part of your real world business name. Google’s guidelines do not allow extra locations or keywords added to the name. Put that detail in your description and services instead.
