Local Visibility

Google Business Profile

A [Google Business Profile](/glossary/google-business-profile) is Google's no-charge way for an eligible, in-person business to manage how it appears on Google Search and Maps. It can describe a storefront, a business that travels to customers, or a business that does both. Start by adding or claiming the profile, then verify it before managing its information and access.

The main street of a small town just after sunrise, a row of independent shopfronts with the pavement still empty

What information does a profile carry

Google's setup guidance says a Business Profile can show business hours, a website, a phone number, and location information. Depending on the business category, the location can appear as a street address, service area, or place marker.¹

Which kind of profile fits my business

Google's business guidelines cover three practical setups. A storefront serves customers at a real location. Eligible individual practitioners may have a separate profile under Google's practitioner rules. A service-area option travels to customers. Google says it should use one central office or location, hide the address from customers, and designate a service area. A hybrid profile serves customers at its location and also travels to customers. It can show both the address and service area when staff can receive customers during stated hours. Use Google's service-area setup guide and service-area checklist when choosing and saving the setup. Google says a virtual office is not an acceptable service location unless it is staffed during business hours. Businesses offering age-restricted products or services need a storefront to use a Business Profile as a service-area business. The overall service area generally should stay within about two hours of driving time from the base, although larger areas may be appropriate for some businesses. Separate locations can each have a profile when they have separate service areas and separate staff.³

A two-chair neighbourhood hair salon in the quiet hour, a stylist tidying the station beside a tall window — A profile describes a real room. Hours, services and photos are only as good as the place they point at.

What does verification change

Adding and verifying a Business Profile makes the business findable on Search and Maps and lets the business control how its information appears. Google says adding or claiming a profile is free, and verification is required before a business can edit core information or interact with customers. If Google offers no method, use the no-verification-method guide.²⁵

Who can manage a profile

A Google Business Profile can have multiple owners but only one primary owner. Owners have full control. Managers have mostly the same access, except they cannot add or remove users or remove the profile. Google says each person should use their own Google Account rather than share a password. When duplicate records create an ownership problem, use the duplicate-record guide.⁴

How does Google choose verification methods

Google chooses the verification methods available for each business. The choice depends on the business type, public information, region, and business hours, and some businesses may need more than one method. The business cannot change the available method.⁵

Keeping the profile current

Google's getting-started sequence is add or claim the profile, verify it, manage business information, and manage access. After setup, use the monthly Google Business Profile routine, audit checklist, holiday-hours checklist, and Google Maps optimization guide to keep the record current. To choose and maintain the category field, use the Google Business Profile category guide; for the narrower question of primary and additional categories, read choosing the right categories for your Google Business Profile. If customers cannot find the profile, use the business-not-showing-on-Google-Maps guide. When a field changes without your edit, read why profile information keeps changing; when control changes hands, read handing the profile to a new owner.¹

How should I read Performance before changing the profile

What changes in the report	Check first on the profile	What Google's metric means
Searches fall or the search terms change	Check the business information, primary category, and services. Google says complete, detailed information helps it match a profile to relevant searches.⁷⁸¹⁰	Searches are the terms people used to find the business. Google updates this metric at the start of each month, and it can take up to 5 days to appear. The business cannot directly manage the queries.⁶
Views move up or down	Check the profile's complete and accurate information, including the address when customers visit, main and special hours, category, and relevant attributes.⁷⁹	Views count unique people who viewed the profile on Search and Maps. A person counts once per day, with limited counting across devices and platforms. The metric does not count overall views of the business on Google.⁶
Directions move down	Check the full address and hours before changing other fields.⁷⁹	Directions count people who asked for directions. Google says its unique-request count accounts for multiple taps, cancellations, and spam.⁶
Website clicks move down	Check that the profile website link points to the intended full web address with its protocol.⁹	Website clicks count clicks on the website link on the profile.⁶ The Performance card does not describe what people do after they reach the website.
Any movement	Use the listed fields as first checks, then compare the same profile or profiles and date range again.	This is a first-check map, not proof that one field caused a movement. Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity, and that no one can request or pay for a better local ranking. Categories, hours, address, attributes, services, and the website link are fields to verify, not ranking guarantees.⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰

What rules should I apply to Performance data

Performance data is available only for a verified profile and requires the Google Account associated with it. Open the profile, select Performance, choose a time period, and select Apply. In the Google Maps app, open Business, select See more next to Performance, choose a time period, and select Apply. Only metrics that apply to the business appear, so compare the same profile or profiles and date range before reading a change.⁶

What does Business Profile Performance not show

Business Profile Performance counts the profile website-link click.⁶ Google Analytics separately documents website and app users, sessions, events, revenue, and attribution models.¹¹ Treat post-click website behavior and revenue attribution as a separate measurement job. The current Performance help page also does not document grid-position reporting or an edit-level result that identifies which change caused a movement.⁶

Everything you can do with your Google Business Profile

Can I hide the phone number on my Google Business Profile?how Google's “Don't show” setting affects profile phone visibility.
Google Ads will allow limited business-name differences in October 2026what the destination-domain exception changes, and what it does not change on a Business Profile.
Google Business Profile for HVAC companiescategories, services, service areas, certifications, and Local Services Ads checks for HVAC businesses.
Google Business Profile for gyms and fitness studioscategories, classes, bookings, facility details, trainers, and membership-risk checks.
Google Business Profile for accountantscategories, services, credentials, and advertising boundaries for accounting and tax practices.
Understanding local citations for your Google Business Profilehow directory records connect with local business information.

Sources

Last updated September 30, 2026. Maintained by the Maps Agent research team.

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Where to next

Everything you can do with your Google Business Profile

Creating your Google Business Profile

how to add or claim a profile and check eligibility.

Google Business Profile

What information does a profile carry

Which kind of profile fits my business

What does verification change

Who can manage a profile

How does Google choose verification methods

Keeping the profile current

How should I read Performance before changing the profile

What rules should I apply to Performance data

What does Business Profile Performance not show

Everything you can do with your Google Business Profile

Sources

Everything you can do with your Google Business Profile

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