Optimising your Google Business Profile in 2026: the complete guide for local businesses
A fully completed and actively managed Google Business Profile is the fastest route to a higher position in Google Maps and the local search results. In this guide you work through seven concrete steps, from categories and photos to posts and reviews. After that you will see how the local algorithm works and how to keep track of your performance on an ongoing basis.
What is the Google Business Profile?
Until late 2021, this tool was called Google My Business. Google renamed the platform to Google Business Profile and moved management from a separate dashboard into the search results themselves. If you are signed in, you edit your profile directly from Google Search.
The Business Profile is the central place where you decide how your business looks in Google Search and Google Maps
If someone searches for "plumber Manchester", three businesses appear at the top in the local pack. That information comes straight from this profile. A profile that is complete and optimally filled in gives Google every signal it needs to show you higher up. It is not just about being present, but about being visible at the moment someone is actively searching.
Why this pays off is not a percentage but a position: the local pack shows three businesses above all the other results, those three cards are filled from this profile, and what you do not put into it, Google cannot pull out. That goes for your category, your opening hours, your services and your photos alike.
Practical tip: first search for your business name plus your town
Does a profile already exist? Then claim it through the verification process. If you do not, someone else could unintentionally manage or change your business information.
Step 1: choose the right categories
Categories tell Google what kind of business you are and which searches you are relevant for. You work with one primary category and up to nine additional ones. Google does not publish any weightings, but in the annual Whitespark research, the primary category comes out as the heaviest factor. So choose it as narrowly as possible.
Type in terms that describe your business and look at Google's suggestions
Those are based on the most commonly used categories in your trade. Two examples:
- A restaurant with delivery chooses "Restaurant" as its primary category and adds "Pizzeria", "Takeaway" and "Italian restaurant".
- A physiotherapist chooses "Physiotherapist" and adds "Sports massage" and "Manual therapist".
Choose the primary category as specifically as possible
Not "Shop", but "Bike shop" or "Electric bike shop". Also look at which categories well-ranking competitors use. Avoid categories that do not directly apply to you, as Google can regard that as misleading.
Some categories activate extra features
Hotels get options for room types, restaurants can upload a menu, and beauty salons get an online booking option. So after setting your category, always check whether new fields have become available.
Step 2: write a strong business description
Your business description can be up to 750 characters long. Google does not name the description among the factors for your local ranking, but it does influence click behaviour. Write it from the perspective of your ideal customer. What makes you different? Why should someone choose you and not the competitor?
Name concrete benefits: fast turnaround times, years of experience, a specialism or a distinctive way of working
Work your focus keyword and synonyms in naturally. So not "painting company that does painting work", but for example: "For more than 20 years, our painting company has been carrying out interior and exterior painting for homes and business premises across the Manchester area. We always work with fixed pricing and deliver a tidy job on time."
Do not use promotional slogans, links or HTML
Google disapproves of that. And put the most important point first, because a reader is first shown a truncated snippet followed by "Read more". Google does not document exactly how many characters that is. The 250 characters that are quoted everywhere as a Google rule are an industry rule of thumb, not a published limit.
Step 3: add photos and videos
Photos do the job on your profile that a shop window does: someone sees what you make before they read a word from you. Start with the basics: a recognisable logo as your profile photo, since that appears next to your business name in the search results, and a cover photo that immediately shows what you do.
Then add:
- Photos of the interior and exterior of your premises
- Products or services in action
- Team photos for the human touch
- Atmosphere shots that show the experience
- Before-and-after photos if that suits your trade
Pay attention to quality: good lighting, sharp focus, at least 720 by 720 pixels and JPG or PNG format
Avoid stock photos as much as possible, because authenticity works better than perfection. Videos can last up to 30 seconds and be up to 100 MB. Think of a short tour, an explanation of a service or a customer testimonial.
Customers can also add their own photos to your profile
You cannot remove those yourself, so check them regularly and report unsuitable images to Google.
Step 4: set your opening hours and contact details correctly
Nothing is more frustrating for a potential customer than driving to a business on Google's word only to find it closed. So fill in your regular opening hours carefully for every day, and use the special hours feature for bank holidays, holidays and temporary changes. Google actively warns users when your hours look uncertain.
Four rules apply to your contact details:
Phone number
use a local number. That works better for local searchers than a national 0800 or non-geographic number.Website
link to a specific landing page for local visitors rather than to your homepage.Address
this must match your website, your Companies House details and other listings exactly. Google does not name that consistency anywhere as a separate ranking factor, but an address that reads differently in three places still costs you the certainty that prominence rests on.Service area
do you also work at customers' homes or on site? Add your service area, so Google also shows you for surrounding towns.Step 5: post updates for extra visibility
With Google Posts you put short updates straight onto your profile: current information, offers and events. There are four types:
Update post
news and announcements, such as a new service, a move or growing the teamOffer
discounts or promotions with a coupon code, start and end date and a link to your websiteEvent
workshops, open days or webinars with a date, which creates urgencyProduct
a specific product or service with a price and descriptionA post stays visible for an average of seven days before Google archives it, unless a date is attached to it. So schedule a new post weekly or fortnightly. Google rates businesses that post regularly as more active and more trustworthy. Always use an image and a clear call to action such as "More information", "Book now" or "Call". A simple content calendar helps keep your profile current without taking up much time.
Do you want to stand out with paid visibility in Google Maps too, alongside your organic presence
Then read how adverts in Google Maps through Demand Gen work.
Step 6: actively manage questions and answers
The questions and answers section is ignored by many business owners, even though anyone can ask and answer questions there. Including competitors or trolls. Google also sometimes sends other users notifications asking them to answer questions. So without your answer, strangers can spread information about your business.
Deal with this proactively
Fill the section yourself with the most frequently asked questions and your own answers. Think of: "Is there parking?", "Do you also work at weekends?", "Is there a minimum order value?" or "Do you provide tailored quotes?".
Answer new questions within 24 hours and set up notifications so you get an alert straight away
See your answers as a content opportunity: work relevant keywords in naturally, as that strengthens your profile's topical relevance. Thorough, friendly replies also show potential customers that you are approachable and helpful.
Step 7: add products and services
This is an underrated part with a direct effect on your visibility for specific searches. Add your specific services per category, each with its own description. A heating and plumbing company might list, for example: "Boiler installation", "Bathroom renovation" and "Underfloor heating installation".
Google uses this information to show your profile for searches that match your services, even when that search term is not part of your primary category. For products you add a photo, name, price and description, plus a button that lets people view the product directly on your website. For online shops, that is a direct sales opportunity through Google.
Two things to watch
Make sure there is consistency between your profile and your website: if you name a service in your Business Profile, a relevant page about it should also exist on your site. And look at the products and services of competitors in the same region. Find out which terms they use and fill the gaps in your own profile.
Ranking factors in Google Maps: how the algorithm works
Local results have their own weighting: relevance, distance and prominence. That weighting is not separate from the ordinary search results, because Google itself says that your position in the web results counts towards prominence. There are three primary factors.
1. Relevance
How well does your profile match the search? Google does not publish a ranking order between the three factors, so we are not adding one either; this is, however, the factor you have the most control over yourself. Google looks at your categories, description, services, keywords in reviews and the overall completeness of your profile. An incomplete profile gives Google less information and therefore scores lower on relevance.
2. Distance
How far is the searcher from your location? Google takes the user's location into account at the moment of searching. Someone 500 metres away sees you sooner than someone 10 kilometres away, even with a perfectly optimised profile. You cannot fully control distance, but you can extend your service area. Do you also work outside your own town? Then add the areas you are active in.
3. Prominence
How well known and well regarded is your business online? This is the most complex factor, with several signals:
Reviews
more reviews and higher ratings mean a better rankingCitations
mentions on other websites, such as directories and local sitesWebsite authority
a well-performing website with relevant local contentEngagement
clicks on your phone number, direction requests and website visits through your profileProfile activity
regular posts, recent photos and quick answers to questionsWant to improve your prominence? Start with a systematic approach to collecting reviews. Send customers a friendly email after a purchase or job with a direct link to your review page. If you are in a competitive trade, you can supplement your organic visibility with Google Local Services Ads for tradespeople.
What you control yourself, and what you do not
The three factors above are often placed side by side as if you can do just as much about each of them. That is not the case, and that difference determines the order of your work. Line them up against two questions: is it mine, and how quickly does it work.
Distance is not yours
You cannot move your business closer to the searcher. Two businesses with an equally good profile, on two streets three kilometres apart, get a different outcome for the same search. That is not a fault in your profile, and there is nothing to fix. What you can do: set your service area to the region you actually work in, so you are in the running in the neighbouring town instead of falling outside it. Expect to start there at a disadvantage, one that can only be made up for with the other two factors.
Relevance is entirely yours, and it moves fast
Categories, description, services, products, photos: those are all fields you fill in yourself, and Google takes them into account straight away. There is no budget attached and no months-long wait. That is why this is always the first job, even if your profile has existed for years, because it is precisely the old profiles that still carry the category from back then and a description that no longer matches what you do today.
Prominence is half yours, and it moves slowly
You ask for reviews yourself, you build up mentions on other sites yourself, and you can improve your own website yourself. That is the half that is yours. The other half, how heavily Google weighs those signals and what the competition is doing in the meantime, is out of your hands. Prominence is also the slowest of the three: a review approach you start today will not show up in your ranking for another three months.
The practical order that follows from this. Start with relevance, because it is free, yours and fast. Then set up a fixed rhythm for reviews, because that is yours but slow, and the sooner you start the sooner it counts. Only after that pick up the rest of your prominence: mentions, local pages on your own website and the quality of that website itself. That last one is not a side issue, because Google itself writes that your position in the ordinary web results counts towards your prominence.
And do not waste time on distance: if you simply happen to be on the edge of your working area, a stronger page about that neighbouring town on your own site is a better investment than another hour tweaking your profile.
Monitoring: keep track of your performance on an ongoing basis
Optimising is not a one-off action. The competition does not stand still, reviews come in, and Google rolls out changes. Anyone who sets their profile up once and never looks again only notices a decline once the phone goes quieter.
In your profile's built-in statistics you can see how many people found you, with which search term, via Maps or Search, and how many views, website clicks, calls and direction requests that produced. Do you see that a lot of people are searching for a term you are not yet optimised for? Then add that term to your description or services.
Go through this checklist weekly:
Reviews
reply to every review professionally and personally, positive and negative alike. A thank you on a five-star review shows engagement, a careful reply to a negative review shows you take complaints seriously.Questions
answer new questions quickly and fully.User suggestions
Google sometimes shows edits users suggest. Approve correct changes and reject incorrect ones.Notifications from Google
watch for verification requests and policy violations.Unexpected changes
check whether any information has changed without you doing anything.Combine this with Google Search Console and Google Analytics to see how much traffic your profile generates and what visitors do on your website.
Warning: Google can temporarily suspend your profile if it suspects misleading information, spam or policy violations
Competitors can report abuse too. Do not use irrelevant keywords in your business name and do not add fake locations. Suspensions can take weeks and cost you visibility and revenue.
A Google Business Profile works best as part of a broader local SEO strategy: strong local content pages, relevant backlinks from local parties and an active review approach. If you could use help with that, take a look at our improving SEO service. Want to learn more yourself? Our knowledge base has more guides on local SEO.
Frequently asked questions about optimising your Google Business Profile
How long does it take before optimisations have an effect?
Some changes, such as opening hours and posts, are visible within a few hours. Improvements in your ranking through more reviews, better categories and richer content are a long-term process. Expect two to eight weeks before you see noticeable shifts, depending on the competition in your market and location.
Can I manage multiple locations from one profile?
No, every physical location needs its own profile. You can manage multiple profiles through the same Google account, though. For businesses with ten or more locations, Google offers a special upload format for bulk management.
What do I do about fake reviews on my profile?
Report fake or misleading reviews using the flag next to the review. Google then assesses whether policy has been breached. That process can take several weeks, and there is no guarantee of removal. In the meantime, reply professionally, so other readers can see you take it seriously, and actively collect more genuine customer reviews.
Do I need a physical address?
No. If you work exclusively on site, for example as a plumber, gardener or cleaner, you set up a service area instead. Your address is then not shown publicly, but Google does use it internally for verification. You only give your region or town as your working area.
Why does my competitor rank higher, even though I have more reviews?
Google weighs multiple factors. A competitor can score higher if their profile is more relevant to the search, is closer to the searcher, or has a stronger website and more external mentions. Check whether your categories match precisely, whether your description and services are relevant enough, and whether your website has enough local authority. Reviews matter, but they are never the only factor.
What to do this week
Reading seven steps in a row is easier than starting one. So this week, just do the cheap part: open your profile, check your main category against the service that earns you the most money, and rewrite your description if it still describes who you were five years ago. Then ask three customers from your most recent jobs for a review. In two weeks, check your statistics to see which search terms you are being found for, and whether those terms actually appear in your profile. Want to know where you stand first, then take the free local visibility check NL as a baseline.
Getting stuck, or seeing something in your statistics you cannot explain? Then bring your categories, your working area and your last four weeks of statistics and book a call. We will look together at what is behind it: your profile, the distance to the searcher, or your website. A first call carries no charge and no obligation. If your profile has been suspended and your phone has gone quiet, calling is faster: +31 6 29 91 97 56.