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Understanding Google My Business and Why It Matters for Your Organization

Google My Business is a free platform that allows organizations, businesses, and service providers to manage how they appear on Google Search and Google Maps. When someone searches for your business type or location, information from your Google My Business profile often shows up in the search results. This profile displays your business name, address, phone number, hours of operation, website link, photos, and customer reviews all in one place.

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The platform was created by Google to help organizations connect with local customers. When you set up a profile, you control the information that appears when people search for services or products you offer in your area. For example, if someone searches "pizza restaurants near me" or "plumbing services in downtown," businesses with active Google My Business profiles have a better chance of appearing in those results.

Your Google My Business profile works differently than your website. A website is something you own and control completely on your own domain. Your Google My Business profile is a profile on Google's platform that follows Google's rules and guidelines. Both work together—your website provides detailed information and the ability to sell products or services, while your Google My Business profile helps local customers find you quickly.

Millions of people use Google every day to find local businesses. Many of these searches happen on mobile phones while people are out and about. A complete, accurate Google My Business profile makes it much easier for potential customers to find your location, call you, visit your website, or get directions to you.

Practical takeaway: Google My Business is a tool that puts your organization on the map—literally. It's where local customers go to verify you exist, check your hours, read reviews, and find ways to contact you. Having a profile is different from having a website, and both serve different purposes in helping customers find you.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Google My Business Profile

Creating a Google My Business profile begins with having a Google Account. If you already use Gmail, YouTube, or any other Google service, you have a Google Account. If not, you can create one at no cost by visiting accounts.google.com. The account should be one you can access regularly, since you'll use it to manage your profile.

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Once you have a Google Account, go to google.com/business. You'll see a button to start or manage your business profile. Google will ask you to sign in with your Google Account. After signing in, you'll enter basic information about your organization: the business name, whether you have a physical location customers can visit, your address, the primary category of what you do (for example, "restaurant," "hair salon," or "accounting service"), and your phone number.

The address you enter is important because Google uses it to determine which customers can see your profile in search results. If you provide a home address and you don't meet Google's requirements for home-based businesses, your profile may not appear in local searches. Google's guidelines require that home-based businesses either have their address hidden from public view or meet specific requirements for their business type.

Google will then ask you to confirm your location. This usually happens in one of two ways. The first method is phone verification—Google calls a phone number associated with your address and you enter a code to confirm you control that location. The second method is postcard verification—Google mails a postcard with a verification code to your business address. This postcard typically arrives within 5 to 7 business days. You then enter that code into your profile to confirm ownership.

After verification, you can start adding more information to your profile. This includes uploading photos, adding your website URL, listing your hours of operation, describing what you do, and providing additional details like payment methods you accept or parking information.

Practical takeaway: Setting up your Google My Business profile involves four main steps: creating a Google Account, providing basic business information, confirming your location ownership, and adding complete profile details. The verification step is required and typically takes one to two weeks. Plan ahead if you choose postcard verification.

Completing Your Profile: Information That Helps Customers Find You

Once your profile is created and verified, the next step is making it complete and useful. A complete profile has higher chances of appearing in customer searches and giving people the information they need to contact or visit you.

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The business name should be exactly what you're officially called. Google has specific rules about what can be in your business name—you shouldn't add keywords like "best" or "top-rated," and you shouldn't include phone numbers or service areas in the name itself. Your actual business name is what should appear. If your business operates under multiple names, you can list variations in other fields, but the main name should be your official one.

Your business category is how Google understands what you do. When someone searches for "plumber" or "dentist" or "coffee shop," Google uses categories to determine which profiles to show. You can select one primary category and up to nine additional categories. Choose categories that accurately describe what you do. If your business offers multiple services, pick the one that represents most of your work as the primary category.

Business hours should be accurate and current. If your hours change seasonally or for holidays, you can note special hours. If you're closed on certain days, make sure those days show as closed rather than listing zero hours. Many customers check hours before calling or visiting, so accuracy is important.

Your business description is a space to explain what you do in about 750 characters or fewer. Write this in plain language that a customer would understand. Instead of "We provide comprehensive digital marketing solutions with full-service engagement models," you might write "We help small businesses grow online through social media, website design, and search engine marketing."

Photos are powerful. You can upload up to 10,000 photos to your profile. Include photos of your storefront, your team, your products or services, and your workspace. Recent photos that show what customers will actually see when they visit you tend to perform better than old ones. If you offer services at customer locations, include photos of that work.

Your website and phone number should be the most direct ways for customers to reach you. Make sure the phone number is one you actually answer or that reaches your team. Many customers use the call button right from the profile, so ensure someone can handle those calls.

Practical takeaway: A complete profile includes accurate business name, appropriate categories, current hours, a clear description of what you do, quality photos, and working phone and website information. Focus on accuracy over marketing language—customers want to know what they'll actually experience.

Managing Reviews and Building Trust on Your Profile

One of the most important features of Google My Business is the reviews section. Customers who have visited or used your services can leave reviews and ratings on your profile. These reviews help other potential customers decide whether to choose you. Research shows that most people read reviews before making a decision to contact or visit a business.

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You cannot delete negative reviews unless they violate Google's policies—for example, if a review contains offensive language, promotes illegal activity, or appears to be from a competitor trying to harm you. Instead, Google's approach is to encourage you to respond professionally to all reviews, positive and negative. When you respond to a negative review with courtesy and an offer to solve the problem, it shows other customers that you care about service quality.

You can request reviews from your customers. Google's policy says you cannot create fake reviews or offer incentives specifically for leaving a review (like "leave us a review and get 10% off"). However, you can encourage satisfied customers to share their experience. Many businesses include a line on receipts, in email signatures, or on their website saying "Share your experience on Google—we'd love your feedback." This honest request is appropriate.

Responding to reviews is one of the most valuable things you can do with your Google My Business profile. When you respond to a positive review, thank the customer and consider mentioning something specific they noted. When you respond to a negative review, stay calm and professional. Offer to fix the problem or explain what happened. Many customers respect businesses that handle complaints well, and your response is visible to everyone reading reviews.

Google also allows you to respond to questions customers ask on your profile. Some customers use the Q&A feature to ask things like "Do you offer delivery?" or "What are your parking options?" Answering these questions promptly helps customers get information without having to call or email.

Photos from customers also appear on your profile. You can see customer-uploaded photos and choose to feature them or hide them if they don't represent your business well. Encouraging customers