Create your Google Business Profile at business.google.com, enter your real business name and address, choose accurate categories, verify the profile as Google instructs, then complete services, hours, photos and reviews. Service-area businesses can hide their address if customers do not visit them.
Step 1: Check you are eligible
Google requires a precise, real-world location. P.O. boxes, remote mailboxes and virtual offices do not qualify. If you serve customers at their home or workplace and not at your own premises, set up a service-area business and define the area instead of showing your address.
Step 2: Create the profile
- Sign in with a Google account that your business will always control.
- Search for your business to avoid creating a duplicate, then add it if it is missing.
- Enter the name exactly as customers see it on your sign and invoices.
- Enter the address in a consistent format, or set a service area.
Step 3: Choose categories
Google recommends the fewest categories that are as specific as possible and that describe what your business is, not every product it sells. Your primary category has the most influence, so choose it carefully.
Step 4: Verify
Verification shows Google that you are authorised to manage the business. Follow the options offered, such as video or phone. Methods vary by business, so use whichever Google presents.
Step 5: Complete every section
- Hours, including special hours.
- Phone number and website, with UTM tags if you track traffic.
- Services or products with short descriptions.
- Attributes that apply, such as parking, women-led or accessibility features.
- A clear business description written for customers.
Step 6: Add photos
Upload a logo, the exterior and interior, your team and examples of finished work. Use real photos taken on your phone, and add new ones regularly.
Step 7: Reviews and replies
Share your review link with customers after a job or visit, and reply to every review. Do not buy reviews or offer rewards for positive ones.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Adding keywords to the business name | Against guidelines and can lead to suspension |
| Using a virtual office address | Not allowed and a common cause of removal |
| Duplicate profiles | Splits reviews and confuses customers |
| Wrong primary category | Shows you for the wrong searches |
| Ignoring reviews | Weakens trust and prominence |
What next?
Connect your profile to a website that has matching service pages and the same business details. Our local SEO service covers this, and the Lahore local SEO checklist lists the full steps.
