Google Business Profile – how your company shows up in local search and on Google Maps

Definition

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is Google's free tool for managing how your company appears in Google's search results and on Google Maps – and the single most important factor in local SEO.

What is Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile, called Google Företagsprofil in Google's Swedish interface, is the profile that appears when someone searches for your company name on Google, or when your business shows up in a local search. It is behind the information box to the right of the search results – the Knowledge Panel – and your listing in the Local Pack map view. All of that information comes from your business profile.

The service is free, but you have to verify that you really are the owner or a representative of the business – by phone or text message, email, video call, video recording or postcard. Google decides which methods are offered for your business, and if you have already verified your website in Search Console, you can sometimes be verified straight away.

Google My Business, Google Business Profile or Google Företagsprofil – what is the difference?

There is no difference – all three names refer to the same tool. Google My Business was the earlier name, Google Business Profile has been the international name since 2022, and Google Företagsprofil is what the service is called in Google's Swedish interface. The profile, the login and the features are the same whichever name you come across.

The name change was announced in November 2021, as reported by Search Engine Land, and rolled out over the course of 2022. At the same time, the separate My Business app was phased out – today most companies manage their profile directly in Google Search and Google Maps. Same tool, three names.

In practice, it is still worth knowing that all three names live on: people search for all three, and older guides use them interchangeably. Once you know they refer to the same tool, you will not go looking for a service that has merely changed its name.

Why is Google Business Profile important?

For a local business, Google Business Profile is often the first point of contact with a potential customer – before they have even visited your website. The profile appears above the organic search results in the Local Pack and contains:

• The company's name, address and phone number
• Opening hours and any exceptions
• Customer reviews and average rating
• Photos and videos
• Products and services
• A direct link for booking or getting in touch

For local searches, the profile is often the first thing a potential customer sees – and what decides whether they choose you or a competitor.

How do you optimise your Google Business Profile?

An incomplete profile ranks lower. Google prioritises complete, active profiles. Optimising it means filling in all the information correctly and keeping the profile active:

• Choose the right primary category – The single most important factor for what you rank for. Choose the category that best describes your core business
• Complete NAP – Name, address and phone number must match your website exactly
• Products and services – Detailed descriptions help Google understand how relevant you are to specific search terms
• Opening hours – Keep them up to date, including public holidays and exceptions
• Photos – According to Google's own data, profiles with photos get 42 per cent more requests for directions and 35 per cent more clicks through to the website
• Google Posts – Short posts about offers, news or events that appear directly in the profile and keep it active

Reviews – the strongest ranking signal

Reviews are one of the most important ranking factors in local search and directly affect whether you end up in the Local Pack. Three factors carry a lot of weight:

• Number – More reviews mean more credibility and better rankings
• Average rating – Ideally 4.0 or higher, so you do not put potential customers off
• Frequency – Regular, new reviews signal an active business to Google

Always respond to reviews – both positive and negative. Ignoring negative reviews is worse for your reputation than handling them professionally and factually. Google also values the activity that replying generates.

Q&A and attributes

The profile's Q&A feature no longer exists in its old form. Since the end of 2025, customers ask their questions directly in Google Maps and get AI-generated answers based on the information about the business. That makes it even more important that your categories, attributes, opening hours and description are complete and consistent with your website – they are what the answers are based on.

Attributes are specific features linked to your type of business: "wheelchair accessible", "free Wi-Fi", "accepts cash" – small but concrete signals that match your profile to relevant searches.

Google Business Profile for service businesses

Service-based businesses without premises that customers visit – consultants, tradespeople, agencies – can create a profile with a service area and hide their physical address. The principle is the same: complete information, active management and ongoing work on reviews.

Insights and measurement

Google Business Profile includes built-in statistics showing how visitors found your profile (the Performance report, with the searches that led to the profile), what they did next – clicked through to the website, asked for directions, called – and how profile views are distributed over time. This data is invaluable for understanding what actually drives business decisions.

Need help setting up and optimising your Google Business Profile as part of a local SEO strategy? Get in touch.