Google Business Profile: a practical guide for local businesses
How to create and optimize your Google Business Profile to show up on Google Maps and attract customers near you.
Published on · Local SEO, Google
When someone searches for “florist near me” or “plumber Avignon”, Google first shows a box with a map and three businesses. These results come from Google Business Profile listings. For a shop or a small business, it is often the main source of visibility, even before the website.
Create or claim your profile
Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. If your business already appears on Google Maps, simply claim it. Otherwise, create the profile with the exact name of your business, your category and your address or service area.
Google will then ask you to verify the business, by mail, phone, email or video depending on the case. Until the profile is verified, your changes are not published.
The information that matters most
- Primary category: this is the most important factor. Pick the most specific one available, then add secondary categories.
- Opening hours: keep them up to date, including public holidays and exceptional closures.
- Description: 750 characters to describe your business, your services and your area, in plain language.
- Photos: storefront, interior, team, products. Profiles with recent photos inspire more trust.
- Link to your website: it makes the profile more credible and lets you present your offer in more detail.
Customer reviews: a key lever
The number of reviews, their rating and how regularly you receive them all influence your ranking. Simply ask satisfied customers for a review, for example with a QR code at the counter or a link sent after a service. Reply to every review, positive or negative, politely: future customers read those replies too.
Keep your information consistent
Your name, address and phone number should be identical everywhere: Google profile, website, social media and directories. Conflicting information confuses Google and can lower your visibility.
In short
A complete profile, recent photos, regular reviews and a consistent website: these are the foundations of good local SEO. These actions take little time and often produce visible results within a few weeks.