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What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows your business's name, address, hours, photos and reviews on Google Search and Google Maps.1

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Why it matters for a small business

A verified profile is what lets customers find you on Search and Maps, and what lets you control the details shown there.1

Google matches nearby searches against what the profile says. A profile with missing hours or the wrong category gives it less to match.2

Google's AI answers read it too. Its guide to AI search names Business Profiles as a way for local businesses to show up in AI responses.3

A made-up café in Ljubljana

Nina's café started closing on Mondays, but her profile still said open. A few customers walked to a locked door and wrote about it in reviews. She changed the hours, added special hours for the holidays, and replied to each review.

How to check it yourself

  1. Find your profile

    Search your business name and town in Google Maps. A "Claim this business" link means nobody has verified the profile yet.1

  2. Read every field as a customer would

    Check your address, hours, special hours, category and website link. Google lists these among the details that tell customers when and where to come.2

  3. Use your real-world name

    Write your name as it appears on your sign and your website, with no extra keywords. Google can suspend a profile whose name adds them.4

  4. Answer your reviews

    A reply tells the reviewer, and everyone reading, that you listen. Google's help says helpful replies can make a business stand out.2

Questions about Google Business Profile

Does a Google Business Profile cost anything?

No. Google lets you add or claim a profile at no charge.1

Can I pay Google to rank higher in local results?

No. Google's help says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.2

Should a hotel or guesthouse list opening hours?

No. Google asks indoor lodging such as hotels and motels not to give hours, along with other places whose hours vary.4

Where this comes from

  1. Adding and verifying a Business Profile lets customers find a business on Search and Maps; adding or claiming one costs nothing; an unverified profile shows a Claim this business link in Google Mapssupport.google.com
  2. Local results on Search and Maps are based mainly on relevance, distance and popularity (prominence); complete, accurate details, hours including special hours, reviews and replies help; there is no way to pay for a better local rankingsupport.google.com
  3. Google's guide to generative AI search: AEO and GEO describe work on visibility in AI search, which Google treats as SEO; its AI features retrieve pages from the Search index and link those that support the answer; Google Search ignores llms.txt files; no special schema.org markup is needed; Business Profiles help local businesses show in AI responses; measure with the Generative AI performance report; no third-party tool sees Google's ranking or AI systems (last updated 10 July 2026)developers.google.com
  4. Google's guidelines for Business Profiles: represent the business as it is consistently known in the real world; a name as used on the storefront, website and stationery, with no extra keywords; a precise address with suites on line 2; a local phone number; the fewest categories needed; one profile per business; indoor lodging such as hotels gives no hours; Google decides how to show an address from the business's and other sourcessupport.google.com

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