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Google Business Profile basics for a local business

Your Business Profile is the free listing people see on Google Search and Maps. Getting the basics right takes an afternoon, and most of it only the owner can do.

Written October 7, 2026, from the sources listed at the bottom. Where a rule comes from Google, Google's page is the final word.

Claim it before you create it

Search for your business on Google Maps first. A listing may already exist. If it does, claim it; if someone else manages it, use Google's request-ownership option. Don't make a second listing for the same business.

Verification is Google's choice

Google decides how you verify: a code by phone or text, a code by email, a live video call, or a postcard. You can't change the method. Postcards usually arrive within 14 days, and reviews of a verification take up to 5 business days.

Three rules that trip people up

  • Name: use the name on your sign and your truck. No city, services, or slogan added.
  • Address: if you travel to customers, hide your address and list the areas you serve. No P.O. boxes or virtual offices.
  • Service area: up to 20 areas by city or ZIP code, within about 2 hours' drive of your base.

Keep ownership

Stay the primary owner yourself. Anyone who helps, including a marketing company, should be added as a manager. A manager can edit and reply to reviews but can't add or remove people or delete the profile.

The step-by-step version of all this is our Google Business Profile checklist, with 42 boxes to tick.

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

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