When someone near you searches “plumber near me” or “cake shop Randburg”, Google shows a map with a handful of businesses before any normal results. Being in that map is one of the most valuable spots online for a local business, and getting there is free.
You get there with a Google Business Profile. Here is how to set one up properly.
Step 1: Check whether you are already listed
Search for your business name and area on Google Maps. Sometimes a listing already exists because a customer added it. If you find one, choose “Own this business?” and claim it instead of making a new one. Duplicate listings confuse Google and split your reviews.
Step 2: Create your profile
Go to Google Business Profile and sign in with a Google account you will keep long-term (ideally a business email, not a staff member’s personal one). Then:
- Enter your business name exactly as it appears on your signage and website.
- Choose your main category carefully. It is one of the strongest signals for which searches you show up in.
- Add your address if customers visit you, or set a service area if you go to them.
- Add your phone number and website.
Step 3: Verify that the business is yours
Google needs proof that you are a real business at that location or in that area. Depending on your business, it may ask for a video, a phone or email code, or a postcard. Your listing won’t show properly until this step is done, so finish it as soon as Google offers it.
Step 4: Fill in everything
A complete profile shows up more often and gets more clicks than a bare one. Add:
- Opening hours, including public holiday hours when they change.
- A short description of what you do and where you work, in plain words.
- Your services or products, with prices where it makes sense.
- Real photos of your work, your team and your premises. Add new ones regularly.
Step 5: Ask for reviews
Reviews are one of the biggest reasons people pick one business over another on the map. After a job goes well, send the customer your review link and ask. Reply to every review, good or bad, politely and briefly.
Mistakes that hold listings back
Stuffing keywords into the name
Adding “Best Plumber Johannesburg Cheap” to your business name can get the listing suspended. Use your real name.
Details that don’t match your website
If your phone number or address is different on your website, your profile and other directories, Google is less sure which one is right. Keep them identical everywhere.
Setting it up and forgetting it
Outdated hours and old photos make people doubt you’re still trading. Check your profile once a month.
Your profile and your website work together
Your Google Business Profile gets you seen. Your website is where people decide to call you. Every Sybergain website includes Google setup and links your profile to your site so the two back each other up. See Websites, or get a free quote.