Quick answer: Verify your Google Business Profile, fill in every field accurately, ask real customers for reviews and answer them, add good photos, and keep your hours current. Google says those are the things that help you show up. Most of them take minutes, and none of them costs money.
Below: how Google decides what to show, the seven fixes in order, what can get you in trouble, and when it makes sense to hand the work to a tool.
What decides whether your business shows up on Google?
Google’s page on improving your local ranking names three factors and keeps the rest of its algorithm private.
| Factor | What it means | Can you change it? |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | How well your profile matches what someone searched for | Yes: complete, detailed information |
| Distance | How far you are from the person searching | No |
| Prominence, or popularity | How well known you are, including links to your business, how many reviews you have and your ratings | Partly: reviews and a good website help |
So spend your time on the two you can move.
Which seven fixes should you make first?
- Add or claim your profile. Start with Google’s add or claim page. If someone else already claimed it, Google has a way to request ownership.
- Verify it. Your profile needs to be verified before you can reply to reviews, and your photos appear on Google only after you verify.
- Fill in every field accurately. Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up. Edit your profile to add your address, hours, phone number and website.
- Use your real-world business name. Google’s guidelines say the name should match your storefront, website and stationery. Extra words in the name can get the profile suspended.
- Ask for reviews. Send customers a Google link or QR code right after the job is done. Our guide to how reviews bring local customers shows what to do this week.
- Reply to reviews. Replying shows customers you value their feedback. Answer the bad ones too. If they worry you, read five fears about bad reviews.
- Add clear photos. Google’s photo standards: JPG or PNG, between 10 KB and 5 MB, 720 by 720 pixels recommended, in focus and well lit.
Set a reminder: check your hours before every holiday. Wrong hours send customers to a locked door.
What can get your profile or reviews removed?
Two rules catch the most people:
- Paying for reviews, in any form. Google says offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for a review, a changed review or a removed review is strictly prohibited.
- Reviews that are not real. Google’s content policy says a review should reflect an actual experience with the business. Do not post them yourself or ask staff to.
Never ask a customer to change a review in return for something. Ask them to review you, and reply to whatever they write.
When does a tool like Localworks make sense?
When your listings live in more places than you can keep up with. Google is one directory, and customers also find you on Facebook, Apple Maps and others. Changing your hours in each one by hand is how they fall out of date.
Localworks manages listings across 100+ platforms, monitors reviews and helps you respond, and posts to Facebook, Google Business Profile, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn from one place. The Growth AI plan adds AI listing management and AI review responses. Our guide to Localworks has more.
If you only have one location and a few reviews a month, start by hand with the list above. We recommend a tool once the upkeep starts to slip.
Quick answers
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Google does not charge to add or manage a profile, and there is no fee on its add or claim page.
Do I need a website if I have a profile?
We think so. Google’s prominence factor counts links to your business from around the web, and a site gives them somewhere to point. Our answer on websites and social media makes the same case.
How many reviews do I need?
Google does not name a number. It says more reviews and positive ratings can help. Aim for a steady flow from real customers.
Can I have a profile without a storefront?
Yes. Google’s guidelines allow a service area for businesses that visit their customers.
Your next step
Search for your own business on Google now. Check that the name, hours and phone number are right, and fix anything wrong today.
Get found locally. Localworks manages your listings across 100+ directories and helps you own your reputation. See Localworks.
