Setting up and optimising your Google Business Profile: a step-by-step guide

The Google Business Profile is your free listing in Google Search and Google Maps. It shows customers opening hours, address, phone number, photos and reviews at a glance. A complete, well-kept profile is the most important lever for hairdressers, tradespeople, driving schools, restaurants and hotels to be found locally. This guide shows you how in eight steps.

Why is the Google Business Profile so important?

When someone searches for “hairdresser near me” or “hotel Lindau”, Google often shows a map with three businesses right at the top. These listings come from the Google Business Profile (formerly “Google My Business”). Whoever appears here gets called, visited and booked – often without the customer even clicking on a website.

AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude also draw on this kind of data when they recommend businesses. We explain why that matters in our articles Local SEO and What is GEO?.

Setting up your Google Business Profile: the guide in 8 steps

Step 1: Check whether a profile already exists

Search for your business in Google Maps. Google has often already created a listing – for example from public data or from customer suggestions. If it says “Claim this business”, you can take over the listing. If there is none yet, create a new one.

Step 2: Create the profile

Go to the Google Business Profile page and sign in with a Google account. Tip: use an account that belongs to the business and not to an individual employee – otherwise you will run into problems when that person leaves the company. Google also offers step-by-step help itself in its official guide.

Step 3: Enter your name, category and address

• Name: Exactly as your business is really called – on the sign, on invoices, in the legal notice. No additional search terms!

• Primary category: The most important setting of all. Choose as precisely as possible, so “Pizzeria” rather than just “Restaurant”. You can also add other fitting categories.

• Address or service area: If customers come to you, enter the address. If you travel to customers – as a tradesperson, for example – enter a service area and you can hide the address.

Step 4: Verify the profile

Google wants to make sure that you really are the owner. This process is called confirmation or verification. Depending on the business, Google offers different ways, such as a code by phone or email, a postcard, or a short video in which you show your business. The profile only appears in full once it has been verified. You can find details in the Google Help page on verification.

Step 5: Opening hours – including the special ones

Enter your regular opening hours and remember the special opening hours for public holidays, company holidays or shopping Sundays. Wrong hours are one of the most common reasons for bad reviews – nothing annoys people more than a locked door.

Step 6: Description, services and attributes

In the description (up to 750 characters) you explain in your own words what you offer, for whom and what makes you special. Write naturally, just as you would tell a customer.

Under services or products you list what you offer, ideally with prices. Under attributes you state things such as “wheelchair accessible”, “free Wi-Fi” or “terrace”. These are exactly the details customers ask about – and AI assistants too.

Step 7: Upload real photos

Profiles with good photos look more trustworthy and get clicked more often. Upload:

• An exterior view, so customers recognise you

• Interiors and workspace

• Your team (with the consent of everyone pictured)

• Results of your work: hairstyles, finished bathrooms, dishes, rooms

Real photos are better than stock photos. A recent smartphone and daylight are quite enough.

Step 8: Keep it alive

A profile is not something you “set up once and forget”. Google favours active businesses. This is part of regular maintenance:

• Reply to reviews: in a friendly, personal way, even when it is criticism.

• Publish posts: news, offers or events, such as the new lunch menu or free driving lesson slots.

• Add new photos: for example seasonally or after a renovation.

• Look at the statistics: In the “Performance” section you can see how many people viewed your profile, called you or planned a route.

Extra tips for your industry

Mistakes you should avoid

Conclusion: an hour well spent

No other free tool brings local businesses new customers as directly as the Google Business Profile. Take an hour, fill everything in completely and honestly, and then take a quick look once a month. That already puts you ahead of many competitors.