When someone nearby searches for "restaurant near me" or "printing shop Mombasa", Google shows a map with a short list of businesses before any websites. Those listings come from Google Business Profile, a free tool that every local business should be using.
Step 1: Create or claim your profile
Go to google.com/business and sign in with a Google account you will keep long-term (ideally a business email, not a staff member's personal account). Search for your business name first. If a listing already exists, claim it instead of creating a duplicate.
Step 2: Fill in the details accurately
- Business name: your real-world name, exactly as it appears on your signage. Do not add keywords; Google can suspend profiles for that.
- Primary category: the single category that best describes you (for example "Seafood restaurant" rather than just "Restaurant"). You can add secondary categories later.
- Location or service area: add your address if customers visit you, or list the areas you serve if you go to them.
- Phone number, website and opening hours, including special hours for public holidays.
Step 3: Verify your business
Google needs to confirm that your business is real and that you manage it. Depending on your business, it may ask you to verify by phone, email or a short video showing your location, signage and that you can access the premises. Your profile will not appear fully on Maps until verification is complete.
Step 4: Make your profile stand out
- Add clear photos of your premises (inside and outside), products, team and work. Profiles with good photos tend to get more clicks.
- Write a helpful business description: what you offer, who you serve and where.
- List your products or services with short descriptions.
- Post updates or offers occasionally so customers can see you are active.
“ Your Google Business Profile is often the first impression a customer gets of your business, before they ever visit your website or walk through your door. ”
Step 5: Ask for, and reply to, reviews
Reviews are one of the strongest signals for local search, and customers read them closely. Ask happy customers to leave a review (you can share a direct review link from your profile), and reply to every review, both positive and negative, politely and promptly.
Connect it to your website
Your profile and your website should support each other. Make sure your name, address and phone number match exactly on both, and link from your profile to your website. If you would like help setting up or improving your profile as part of a wider local SEO plan, get in touch.
