Set Up Your Google Business Profile the Right Way

Google says it plainly. Creating a Business Profile is free. And there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. So anyone who sells you "guaranteed first place on Google Maps" is selling something Google itself says does not exist.

How Google Picks Who Shows Up

Google ranks local results on three things. Relevance is how well your profile matches the search. Distance is how far you are from the person searching. Prominence is how well known you are. You control relevance with a complete profile. You build prominence with reviews and mentions over time.

Google also says businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up. Complete means every field, not just the name and phone.

Get Verified

Verification tells Google you are allowed to speak for the business, and Google says a verified profile is more likely to show up in search. Methods include a phone or text code, email, a live video call, a recorded video or a postcard. Postcard codes usually arrive within 14 days and expire after 30. Not every business gets every option.

Name and Address Rules

Use your real world name, the one on your sign and your invoices. Adding extra words to your name is not allowed. If you drive to customers, hide your address and set a service area. A rented mailbox you do not work from, a virtual office, is not eligible for a profile at all.

Photos, Posts and Hours

Photos must be JPG or PNG, between 10 KB and 5 MB, and Google recommends 720 by 720 pixels. Add an exterior photo so people recognize your door. Posts older than six months get archived, so post regularly. For holidays and Shabbat or Yom Tov closures, use Special Hours. They only show if your regular hours are set first.