Google Business Profile: the complete 2026 guide for local businesses

When someone searches "barber near me" or "Italian restaurant Chicago", the first thing they usually see isn't a website. It's a list of business profiles on Google Maps, with stars, photos and hours. That listing is your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). It's free, and for a local business it may be the single most important digital tool there is.

What it is and where it appears

• In Google Search, on the right on desktop or at the top on mobile, when someone searches your name;
• in the map box (the "local pack") when someone searches for a type of business in an area;
• in Google Maps, when people search, browse the map or ask for directions.

The same information feeds Google's AI answers, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode (more here).

Create or claim your profile

First, check whether a profile already exists: search your business name on Google Maps. It often exists even if you never created it.

1. If it exists and nobody manages it: open it and look for "Claim this business" or "Own this business?". Follow the steps.
2. If someone else manages it (a former partner, an old agency): you can request access from the same listing. The current owner gets the request.
3. If it doesn't exist: go to google.com/business, sign in with a Google account (ideally a business one, not personal) and create the profile: name, category, address or service area, phone, website.
4. Verify. Google needs to confirm it's really you. Google chooses the method: a video recording, phone, text, email or, less often, a postcard. Until you're verified, many edits won't show.

How Google decides who shows up first

Google says it plainly: local results are based mainly on three factors¹.

From the same page: there's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking, and replying to reviews, keeping hours current and adding photos are among Google's official tips¹.

The complete profile checklist

Name

Use your real business name, as on your sign and paperwork. Adding keywords, cities or slogans (say, "Mario's Pizza – Best Pizza Brooklyn") breaks Google's guidelines and can get the profile suspended².

Categories

The primary category is one of the most important signals for relevance. Pick the most specific one: "Pizza restaurant" rather than "Restaurant", "Bed & breakfast" rather than "Hotel". Then add secondary categories that truly apply.

Address, phone, website

Write them exactly as on your website, Facebook, Yelp. A different number or an address written two ways creates doubt, for Google and for AI.

Hours, including special hours

Wrong hours are the number one cause of angry customers and avoidable bad reviews. Set special hours for holidays and short closures. Per Google, special hours are for changes or closures of up to 6 consecutive days; for 7 days or more, or an unknown length, mark the business "Temporarily closed"³.

Description

Up to 750 characters to say what you do, for whom, and what makes you different. Write like you'd talk to a customer. No links, no shouting in caps, no time-limited promotions.

Photos and videos

Real, recent, bright photos: the outside (so people recognize you), the inside, your products or dishes, your team at work (with their consent). Refresh them every season. Avoid stock photos.

Attributes

The little boxes like "wheelchair accessible", "Wi-Fi", "outdoor seating", "takes reservations", "good for kids". They look minor, but they're exactly what people ask Google and AI ("restaurant with a patio in Denver").

Products, services, menu

List your main services with a short description and, where it makes sense, a price range. For restaurants, a text menu beats a photo of the menu.

Review link and QR code

From your profile you can copy a direct review link and download a QR code that opens the review form⁴. It's the simplest way to get more reviews.

Posts and updates

News, events, offers: posts show the business is alive. One every two weeks is a good pace. Never tie an offer to a review.

Reviews: asking and replying

• Ask everyone, with no rewards. Google bans incentives, asking only happy customers, numeric review targets for staff and discouraging negative reviews⁵. How to ask the right way.
• Reply to every review. Google checks replies before publishing (usually within minutes, sometimes longer) and the customer is notified when you reply⁴. How to reply, with examples.

Performance: what to actually look at

Your profile shows how many people saw it and what they did: calls, direction requests, website clicks, messages, bookings where available. Once a month, ask three questions:

1. Are actions up or down versus the same month last year? Comparing with last month misleads seasonal businesses.
2. Which searches find you? If people search "pizza" and your category is "Restaurant", that's a clear hint.
3. Do calls come in when you can answer? If many people call while you're closed, offer another channel.

If your profile is suspended or changed

1. Don't create a new profile. It makes things worse and creates duplicates.
2. Check what changed recently: added words in the name, an address that doesn't match reality, an off-topic category.
3. Correct it back to reality: the name on your sign, the exact address.
4. Request a review from the profile, with evidence ready: photos of your signage, business documents, a utility bill with the address.
5. Be patient: reviews can take days.

Also check "suggested edits": anyone can propose changes to your profile. Make sure nobody changed your hours or phone, and fix it right away if they did.

Who should have access

The profile must stay yours: the owner should be a business Google account you always control. If a team member, agency or service like ours helps you, add them as a manager in the profile settings. They can work on it without your password, and you can remove access anytime.

The most common mistakes

• Two profiles for the same business. They split your reviews and confuse customers: report the duplicate.
• Keywords in the name. Risk of suspension.
• Hours not updated for Thanksgiving, Christmas or July 4th.
• A category that's too generic ("Store" instead of "Wine store").
• Unanswered reviews, especially negative ones.
• An agency owning your profile. If that's the case, ask them to transfer ownership to you.
• Reviews in exchange for discounts or freebies. Banned by Google, and risky under the FTC rule.

The 15-minute monthly routine

1. Check next month's hours: holidays, closures, events.
2. Reply to reviews you haven't answered.
3. Upload 3–5 new photos.
4. Publish one post with real news.
5. Look at your performance: calls, directions, website clicks.
6. Check suggested edits from users.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Business Profile the same as Google My Business?

Yes. Google My Business is the old name; today it's called Google Business Profile.

How much does it cost?

Nothing. Creating, verifying and managing the profile is free. Ads are separate and don't change your position in the free local results.

Can I delete a negative review?

No. You can report it to Google if it breaks its policies (fake, offensive, off-topic) and you can always reply. A calm reply often helps more than a removal.

Who should own the profile?

You, through a business Google account. Team members and agencies should be managers.

Sources

1. Google, How to improve your local ranking on Google
2. Google, Guidelines for representing your business on Google
3. Google, Set special hours and closures
4. Google, Manage customer reviews
5. Google, Prohibited and restricted content

Sources checked on October 21, 2026. Platforms change often: if you spot something out of date, let us know.