Your Google Business Profile is what appears on Maps and in the local pack. Set up well, it brings calls and direction requests. Set up poorly, or against the rules, it can even get suspended. Here is the safe step by step.
1. Create or claim your profile
Go to Google Business Profile with the account that will manage the business. If a profile already exists, claim it instead of creating another: duplicate profiles for the same business violate the guidelines.
2. Use your real business name
Write the name exactly as it appears on your website, signage and documents. Do not add a city, service or slogan. “Your Business Cleaning” is fine if that is the name. “Your Business Best House Cleaning Orlando” is not.
3. Choose your primary category carefully
Pick the most specific category that describes what you do, such as “House cleaning service” rather than a generic one. Add secondary categories only for services you actually provide.
4. Set your address or service area
If you serve customers at their homes and do not receive people at your address, hide the address and list the cities or regions you serve. If you receive customers, show the address. The area should reflect where you really work.
5. Complete verification
Google asks the owner to verify using the method it indicates for your case. Without verification, your edits may not appear.
6. Fill in services, hours and attributes
- Services: one item per service, with a short description in your customers’ words.
- Hours: including special holiday hours.
- Attributes: languages, payment methods and other real differentiators.
7. Write the description and upload real photos
The description allows up to 750 characters. Say what you do, for whom and where, in natural language. Upload real photos of your work, team and vehicles. They build more trust than stock images.
8. Build a review routine
Ask every customer for a review, simply, with the link to your profile. Do not offer discounts or gifts in exchange, because that violates Google’s policies. Reply to every review, positive and negative.
9. Keep the profile active
Post updates, seasonal services and answers to common questions. Review your details whenever something changes in the business, and keep your site, profile and directories saying the same thing.