Is Google Business Profile free?

Yes. Creating, verifying and managing the listing costs nothing. Google does not charge for ranking in the local pack either, though it sells ads that appear alongside it.

What happened to Google My Business?

It was renamed Google Business Profile in 2021, and management moved into Search and Maps directly. The standalone app was retired; the listing itself is the same asset.

How long does verification take?

Instant to a few days for phone or email methods. Postcard verification typically takes one to two weeks, and video verification is usually reviewed within a few business days.

Can someone else edit my Google Business Profile?

Yes. Google accepts suggested edits from the public and applies data from third-party sources, which is why an unclaimed or unmonitored profile can change without your involvement.

Definition

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 2026-10-06

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.

Claiming and verifying a profile

Google often generates a listing for a business before anyone claims it, assembled from third-party data. Claiming it transfers editing control to you; until then the details can be wrong and the public can suggest edits you never see.

Verification is the step that unlocks real control, and the method depends on the business type — postcard, phone, email, or video of the premises and equipment. Video verification has become common for service-area businesses, so expect to show the location and some proof you operate from it.

What the profile does that your website cannot

The profile is what Google shows in the local pack, the knowledge panel and Maps. For a large share of local searches, that panel is the whole interaction: the searcher reads the rating, checks the hours and taps to call without ever loading a website.

That makes the two assets complementary rather than competing. The website carries depth — services, pricing, proof — while the profile carries the decision-moment facts. A strong site behind a neglected profile still loses the searches that end in the panel.

Keeping a profile active after setup

Profiles decay quietly. Hours go stale after a seasonal change, a service gets dropped, photos start showing a refit that happened three years ago. None of it throws an error, and all of it costs trust at the moment someone is deciding.

A light recurring routine covers most of it: confirm hours before every holiday period, reply to new reviews, refresh photos a few times a year, and re-check the categories as the business changes. Profiles that are maintained also hold up better against public suggested edits.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Business Profile free?: Yes. Creating, verifying and managing the listing costs nothing. Google does not charge for ranking in the local pack either, though it sells ads that appear alongside it.
What happened to Google My Business?: It was renamed Google Business Profile in 2021, and management moved into Search and Maps directly. The standalone app was retired; the listing itself is the same asset.
How long does verification take?: Instant to a few days for phone or email methods. Postcard verification typically takes one to two weeks, and video verification is usually reviewed within a few business days.
Can someone else edit my Google Business Profile?: Yes. Google accepts suggested edits from the public and applies data from third-party sources, which is why an unclaimed or unmonitored profile can change without your involvement.