Google Business Profile: how to set it up so customers find you.

When someone searches for what you do near them, the map and the list of businesses under it come from Business Profiles. For a lot of customers, that listing is the first thing they see of you, before your website, before they call. And it costs nothing. Google says creating a Business Profile and listing your business on Google is free.

• 1. Use your real business name, and nothing else

  Google's rule: Your name should reflect your business's real-world name, the one on your sign, your website and your invoices. Adding keywords like “Best Roofer Miami” to it isn't allowed, and Google says it could get the profile suspended.

• 2. Get the address right

  If customers come to you, show your address. If you go to them, Google says to hide it. Its own example: if you're a plumber and run your business from your residential address, clear the address from the profile and set the areas you serve instead.

• 3. Pick the category that fits

  Choose the one that describes what you actually do, not every service you could possibly offer.

• 4. Fill in everything, accurately

  Hours, phone, website, services, photos. Google is direct about why: Businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results. The description can be up to 750 characters, and Google says not to include links or HTML in it.

• 5. Verify it

  Google has to confirm the business is real and that you run it. Depending on your business, it offers a phone call or text, an email, a video, a live video call, or mail. Google says that verification reviews take up to 5 business days, occasionally longer.

One more rule on the address: never use a rented mailbox or a virtual office you don't work from. Google says that location isn't eligible for a Business Profile. And to qualify at all, a business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours.

Google names three things on its local ranking page:

• Relevance

  how well a Business Profile matches what someone is searching for.

• Distance

  how far each business is from the customer who's searching.

• Prominence

  how well-known a business is, which Google says includes how many websites link to you and how many reviews you have.

And one thing it rules out: There's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google. If someone sells you a guaranteed top-three spot on Maps, they're selling something Google says can't be bought.

• Ask every happy customer. Google suggests you ask customers to visit a Google link or scan a QR code. Send the link the day the job is done.
• Reply to every review, good and bad. Google says When you reply to customer reviews, it shows that you value their feedback. The reply is for everyone who reads it afterwards.

From Google's own troubleshooting page, the usual causes:

• It isn’t verified

  Only verified businesses can show their business info on Maps and Search.

• It’s new

  Google says rankings for new businesses can take up to a month to appear.

• You just edited it

  Changes can take up to 3 days to show.

• It’s been suspended

  A profile that breaks the guidelines is suspended or disabled and won’t show to anyone until it’s fixed.

• The info is thin or wrong

  Google says an inaccurate profile might not show up for relevant searches in your area.

You can appeal, but Google says appeals can only be submitted once, and not to create a new profile for the same business. So fix the problem properly before you appeal.

A profile isn't something you set up once. Hours change, holidays come, you add a service. Keep it current, add photos of your real work now and then, and reply to reviews as they come in. You can also post updates and offers; Google archives posts after six months unless you set a date range.

The profile is where people find you. Your website is where they decide. Put your website on the profile, and make sure the name, phone and hours match on both. When they disagree, customers notice before Google does.

Your Google Business Profile is included in my Website Care. I set it up, or clean up the one you have, and keep it current: hours, photos, services, holiday changes. You own the profile; I'm added as a manager, so you never lose it.

• The website: never more than $999

  Live nine days after I have your content.

• Care: $99 a month

  Hosting, security, updates, your Google profile, and any change made within 24 hours.

• For my first 99 clients

  Care drops $9 every year until it’s free from year twelve.

Wondering what all that costs every month? Read what a website costs per month, or just tell me about your business.