What Is a Google Business Profile?
A Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly Google My Business, is the free listing a business manages directly with Google that controls how it appears in Search and Maps — name, category, address, hours, photos, posts, and reviews. It's the single most influential local SEO asset a business controls, since Google pulls straight from it to populate the local pack and knowledge panel — and the stakes are high: Google's own research found 88% of consumers who do a local search on a smartphone visit or call a business within 24 hours.
Last updated 2026-07-28
What a Business Profile controls
- Your business name, category, address, and phone number as shown in Search and Maps.
- Hours, including holiday hours and temporary closures.
- Photos, Google Posts, and any products or services you list.
- The reviews section — where customers leave ratings and where you post public replies.
- Direct messaging and, in supported categories, booking links.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the profile unclaimed or unverified, letting Google or a third party edit it.
- Letting hours or address go stale after a move or a schedule change.
- Ignoring the profile once verified — an inactive profile signals a stale business.
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