Google Business Profile
The free Google listing that often shows up before your website does, and how it works alongside your site.
What does Google Business Profile mean?
A free listing from Google that shows your business name, services, hours, reviews, and photos in Google Search and Google Maps when people look for what you offer nearby.
Also called: GBP, Google My Business
How a Google Business Profile works
When someone searches for a service near them, such as a plumber or a hair salon, Google often shows a map with a short list of local businesses above the regular results. Those listings come from Google Business Profiles. Each profile can show your business name, category, service area, hours, photos, reviews, and a link to your website.
You claim and manage the profile through a Google account, and Google asks you to verify that you run the business before the profile goes fully live. The profile used to be called Google My Business, which is why you will still see that name in older articles.
Google Business Profile vs. a website
A profile is a short listing that Google controls the layout of. A website is your own space, where you explain your services in depth, answer common questions, and ask the visitor to call or book. Customers often see the profile first, then click through to the website to decide whether to contact you.
The two work best when they agree. Your business name, service area, hours, and services should match between them, and the profile should link to the right page on your site.
- Keep the business name exactly the same in both places.
- Choose the category that best describes your main service.
- Link the profile to your website, not to a social media page.
Service-area businesses
If you travel to your customers, like most trades do, you can hide your street address and list the towns or counties you serve instead. That keeps a home address private while still letting you appear for nearby searches.
An example
A plumber in Bucks County, PA works out of a home office. Their Google Business Profile hides the street address, lists the towns they serve, shows recent job photos and customer reviews, and links to a website with a page for each service. A customer searching for an emergency plumber sees the profile in the map results, reads a few reviews, and taps through to the website to book.
Questions we get asked
Is a Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Google does not charge to create or manage a profile. Ads that appear near the profile are a separate, optional product.
Do I still need a website if I have a profile?
Most owners do. The profile is short and Google decides how it looks. The website is where you explain your services, show your work, and make it easy to call or book. Every Artol site includes Google Business Profile setup.
