Google Business Profile

Written By Bucks

The Absolute Basics Every Small Business Needs to Get Right

If you’re a small business owner, chances are you already have a website — or at least you know you should. But there’s one incredibly powerful (and free) tool that many businesses either overlook or never quite finish setting up properly: Google My Business (now officially called Google Business Profile). If you’ve ever searched for a local business and seen a map result, opening hours, reviews, photos, and a “Call” button — that’s a Google Business Profile. And when it’s done right, it can quietly bring you customers every single day without running ads.

At Bucks Studios, we often see businesses with great services and decent websites, but their Google Business Profile is either half-built, outdated, or completely unmanaged. This article covers the very basics — no fluff, no jargon — just what you need to get online, get found, and start attracting more customers.

What Is Google Business Profile (and Why It Matters)? Your Google Business Profile is what allows your business to appear in: Google Search results, Google Maps, Local “near me” searches & The right-hand knowledge panel on desktop. For local and service-based businesses, it’s often the first thing potential customers see, sometimes even before your website. The key benefits: It’s free, It improves local visibility, It builds trust through reviews, It drives calls, visits, and enquiries. If your business relies on local customers and you don’t have this set up properly, you’re leaving money on the table.

What You Need Before You Start

Before creating your profile, make sure you have:

  • Your business name (exactly how you want it displayed)

  • A physical address or defined service area

  • A phone number

  • A website (recommended, but not essential)

  • Access to a Google account (Gmail)

Consistency is important. Your business name, address, and phone number should match what’s on your website and social platforms.

Step-by-Step: Creating Your Google Business Profile

Step 1: Go to Google Business Profile

Visit google.com/business and sign in with your Google account.

Click “Manage now”.

Step 2: Enter Your Business Name

Type your business name exactly as it appears elsewhere online.

Tip: Do not stuff keywords into your name (e.g. “Joe’s Plumbing – Best Emergency Plumber in London”). Google can suspend profiles for this.

Step 3: Choose Your Business Category

This is one of the most important steps.

  • Choose the primary category that best describes what you do. (Pick what you are, not what you offer occasionally.)

  • You can add secondary categories later.

Example: Web Designer, Plumber, Personal Trainer, Café, Marketing Agency etc.

Step 4: Add Your Location or Service Area

You’ll be asked whether customers visit your location. (If you work from home and don’t want your address visible, choose the service-area option.)

  • Yes → Add your physical address

  • No → Set a service area (towns, cities, regions)

Step 5: Add Contact Details

Enter: Phone number & Website URL (if you have one). This is how customers will contact you directly from Google.

Step 6: Verify Your Business

Google needs to confirm you’re a real business.

Verification is usually done by:

  • Postcard (most common)

  • Phone

  • Email

  • Video verification (in some cases)

This can take a few days. Until verification is complete, your profile won’t be fully visible.

Once You’re Live: The Key Optimisation Steps

This is where many businesses stop — but this is also where the real value starts.

Add Photos (This Is Huge) Businesses with photos get far more engagement.

Upload:

  • Your logo

  • A cover image

  • Photos of your workspace

  • Products or services

  • Team photos (where appropriate)

Keep them real and up to date — not stock images.

Write a Proper Business Description! You have 750 characters. Use them well. Avoid salesy language. Think clarity, not hype.

  • Explain what you do

  • Who you help

  • Where you operate

  • Keep it natural and readable

Set Accurate Opening Hours. Incorrect hours are one of the biggest causes of negative reviews. Set regular hours, add special hours for holidays, keep them updated!

Turn on Messaging (If Appropriate) This allows customers to message you directly from Google. Only enable this if:

  • You can respond quickly

  • You’re comfortable managing enquiries

Slow replies can hurt trust.

Reviews: How They Actually Work? Reviews are one of the biggest ranking and trust factors.

Do:

  • Ask happy customers to leave a review

  • Respond to all reviews (even negative ones)

  • Keep responses professional and calm

Don’t:

  • Buy reviews

  • Offer incentives

  • Ignore negative feedback

A few honest reviews are far better than none at all.

Common Mistakes We See All the Time:

  • Profile created but never verified

  • Wrong category selected

  • No photos at all

  • Old phone numbers or websites

  • No responses to reviews

  • Profile created but never updated again

Google rewards active profiles. Even small updates help.

How Google Business Profile Fits Into Your Wider Marketing

Your Google Business Profile should work with your website and social media — not instead of them.

Think of it as:

  • Your digital shop window

  • Your local trust builder

  • Your quick conversion tool

When it’s aligned with your website, branding, and messaging, it becomes one of the most powerful assets a small business can have.

Bucks