When someone in Johannesburg searches "accountant near me" or someone in Durban searches "best pizza Umhlanga", the first results they see are usually on a map. Those listings come from Google Business Profile, a free tool that every local business should be using.
Why it matters
- It puts you on Google Maps and in the map results at the top of local searches.
- It shows your phone number, hours, photos and reviews before anyone visits your website.
- It is free, and most of your competitors have not filled theirs in properly.
Setting it up
- Go to Google Business Profile and sign in with a Google account the business owns, not a staff member's personal account.
- Search for your business. If a listing already exists, claim it instead of creating a new one.
- Choose the most accurate main category. This is one of the strongest signals Google uses.
- Add your address if customers visit you. If you go to them, hide the address and list the areas you serve instead.
- Verify the listing. Google offers different methods depending on the business, such as a video, phone or email.
Filling it in properly
- Business name: your real trading name, without extra keywords. Stuffing keywords into the name can get a listing suspended.
- Phone number and website: the same ones that appear on your website, written the same way.
- Hours: keep them accurate, including public holidays.
- Services and description: describe what you do in plain language, the way customers search for it.
- Photos: your premises, your team, your work. Real photos beat stock images.
Reviews: the part that counts most
Ask every happy client for a review, and make it easy by sending them your review link. Reply to every review, good or bad, politely and quickly. Never buy reviews or write fake ones; Google removes them and it can damage your listing.
Keep it active
Post updates, offers or news every couple of weeks, answer questions people ask on your listing, and add new photos regularly. An active profile signals to Google, and to customers, that you are open for business.
Common mistakes
- Two listings for the same business. Merge or remove duplicates.
- Different phone numbers or addresses on your website, Facebook page and Google listing.
- An address for a home office when you do not see clients there. Use service areas instead.
If you would rather hand this to someone else, setting up and managing Google Business Profiles is part of our SEO service.