Local marketing # Google Business Profile: attract customers from Search and Maps A practical guide to building and maintaining a business profile that turns local visibility into calls, directions and inquiries. Author **MAWERSTIN editorial team** Updated **August 20, 2026** Reading time **4 minutes** Nearby search **Your business** **4.9** ★★★★★ MAWERSTIN At a glance **Google Business Profile** helps your company appear where customers are already choosing: local search results and Google Maps. Performance depends on accurate information, relevance, reputation and ongoing profile management, rather than the number of keywords. **01** Keep profile information consistent **02** Show real services and photos **03** Measure inquiries, not just views Share 01 / THE FOUNDATIONS OF LOCAL SEARCH ## What Google Business Profile does for your business Google Business Profile is a free business listing that appears in Google Search and Maps. It shows your address or service area, business hours, phone number, website, services, photos and reviews. The profile helps people find nearby services and compare businesses. Up-to-date contact details and clear service descriptions help them choose a provider and get in touch. 01 ### The first impression Reviews, photos and accurate information help people assess your business before visiting the website. 02 ### One step to contact Customers can call, get directions or open a relevant page. 03 ### Meeting existing demand Your profile connects your services with local customer searches. 02 / VISIBILITY ON GOOGLE MAPS ## What affects your visibility on Google Maps Local results rely on three main signals: relevance, distance and prominence. You cannot directly control every factor, but an accurate profile gives the search engine a clear understanding of your business. Factor | What it means | What to improve | **Relevance** | How well you match the search | Categories, services and description | **Distance** | Proximity to the search location | Address and service area | **Prominence** | Trust and recognition | Reviews, mentions and reputation | Important You cannot buy or guarantee an organic position. Paid advertising on Maps is a separate tool and does not replace an accurate, well-maintained profile. 03 / PRACTICAL STEPS ## How to set up your business profile Your profile should accurately represent your real business. Complete the key fields, then check that they match your website and other sources. - **1** ### Verify ownership Use Google’s available verification method and assign access roles without sharing a password. - **2** ### Complete the key details Check the name, category, address, phone number, website and regular business hours. - **3** ### Describe services clearly Explain what the customer receives, who the service is for and where it is available. - **4** ### Add real photos Use images that help people make a decision. 04 / TRUST AND REPUTATION ## How reviews and content support local visibility Reviews give customers social proof and provide search engines with additional context about your company’s work and service quality. - ✓ **Reply to all reviews.** Be calm, personal and specific. - ✓ **Do not buy ratings.** Ask for feedback after genuine customer interactions. - ✓ **Keep photos current.** Show your business as it is today. - ✓ **Check your details.** Contact information should match your website and profile. 05 / ANALYTICS ## How to measure Google Business Profile performance A position for one search term does not show the full impact. Assess user actions and connect them with inquiries and sales. ↗ ### Website visits Use UTM tags to identify traffic from your profile. ☎ ### Calls and inquiries Compare inquiries by service and activity period. ⌖ ### Directions For physical locations, direction requests can indicate an intention to visit. ◆ ### Lead quality Track sales as well as lead volume. Trusted sources ### The basis for these recommendations - [Google Business Profile Help ↗](https://support.google.com/business/) - [Review content policies ↗](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114) 06 / FAQ ## Google Business Profile FAQs **Are Google My Business and Google Business Profile different services?+** No. Google Business Profile is the current name of the service previously known as Google My Business. **Can you guarantee first place on Google Maps?+** No. Rankings depend on the query, the user’s location, competition and many other signals. **Do I need a website if I already have a business profile?+** A website provides more information, builds trust and helps measure what users do after clicking through. M About the author ## MAWERSTIN editorial team Articles on marketing, search optimization, advertising, design and digital solutions for business. Local marketing ## Is your business profile failing to generate inquiries? We will review your information, profile presentation and website visits, then prepare a list of improvements and a practical action plan. [Request an audit **→**](https://www.mawerstin.com/contacts/) Keep reading ## Related articles [All articles →](https://www.mawerstin.com/blog/) SEO **MAWERSTIN** SEO · 3-minute read ### Local SEO: help nearby customers find your business [Read article →](https://www.mawerstin.com/local-seo-visibility/) Analytics **MAWERSTIN** Advertising · 3-minute read ### Google Ads: evaluate campaigns by lead quality [Read article →](https://www.mawerstin.com/google-ads-quality-leads/) Reputation **MAWERSTIN** SEO · 3-minute read ### Content for search and AI systems: core principles [Read article →](https://www.mawerstin.com/content-for-search-and-ai/) Source: https://www.mawerstin.com/google-business-profile-guide/