Google Business Profile: A Free Listing for Businesses to Manage Their Online Presence
Google Business Profile is a free listing that allows businesses to manage their presence on Google Search and Maps. It includes essential information such as name, address, phone number, opening hours, category, photos, posts, and replies to customer reviews.
The profile usually exists before the owner claims it because Google compiles profiles from crawled web pages, licensed data, and user contributions. Claiming and verifying a profile gives businesses editing rights over their page, which drives local ranking, provides access to Google's advertising products, and feeds answers written by Gemini models.
Businesses can claim and verify their profile through various methods, including phone, text message, email, recorded video, live video call, or postcard with a five-digit code. The verification method chosen by Google depends on the business type, region, and public information.
Every profile is one of three types: storefront, service-area business, or hybrid. A storefront displays its address and must keep permanent signage there, while a service-area business hides its address and lists up to 20 areas within two hours' drive from its base. A hybrid does both.
The name field in the profile only takes the real-world trading name, and businesses are warned against using taglines, store codes, service descriptions, trademark symbols, or location details that could lead to suspension. Chains with 10 or more locations can seek bulk verification through Business Profile Manager.