Guides

Learn Google Business Management

Step-by-step guides to help you master Google Business Profile and grow your local presence.

12 min read•Last updated: December 2024

How to Set Up a Google My Business Profile for Your Business

The complete guide to claiming, verifying, and optimizing your Google Business Profile to attract more customers.

Why Google Business Profile Matters

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. When someone searches for businesses like yours in your area, Google displays a map with local results—and your Business Profile is what appears there.

A well-optimized profile can mean the difference between a customer choosing you or your competitor. Studies show that businesses with complete profiles are 70% more likely to attract location visits and 50% more likely to lead to purchases.

Step 1: Claim or Create Your Business Profile

First, check if your business already has a profile on Google. Search for your business name on Google Maps. If it appears, you'll need to claim it. If not, you'll create a new one.

To claim or create your profile:

Go to google.com/business and click 'Manage now'
Sign in with your Google account (or create one)
Search for your business name and address
If found, select it and click 'Claim this business'
If not found, click 'Add your business' and enter your details

Step 2: Verify Your Business

Google needs to verify that you're the legitimate owner of the business. This is crucial for maintaining trust in their platform.

Important: Verification methods are automatically determined by Google based on your business type, region, and other factors—you cannot choose or change them. In some cases, you may need to verify with more than one method.

Postcard by mail: Google sends a postcard with a verification code to your business address. This typically takes 5-14 days to arrive.
Phone or text: Available for some businesses. You'll receive an automated call or SMS with a verification code.
Email verification: If available, Google will send a verification code to your business email address.
Video recording: You may be asked to record a video showing your business location, signage, and operations.
Live video call: A Google representative may verify your business via a real-time video call.

After completing verification, Google reviews the information you provided. This review process can take up to 5 business days, though some profiles are verified instantly if Google can confirm your information through other sources. Once verified, you'll have full control over your profile.

Step 3: Complete Your Business Information

Now comes the important part—filling out every detail about your business. The more complete your profile, the better you'll rank in local search results.

Essential information to add:

Business name: Use your official business name exactly as it appears on signage—no keyword stuffing
Address: Enter your complete, accurate street address (P.O. boxes and virtual offices are not allowed)
Service area: If you serve customers at their location, define your service area by cities or postal codes. You can add up to 20 service areas, but Google recommends staying within a 2-hour driving distance from your base
Phone number: Use a local phone number for each location rather than a central call center
Website: Link to your official website or a location-specific page
Hours of operation: Be accurate and keep these updated for holidays and special occasions
Business category: Choose the most accurate primary category, then add relevant secondary ones
Business description: Write a compelling 750-character description with relevant keywords
Products and services: List what you offer with prices if applicable

Step 4: Add High-Quality Photos

Photos are incredibly important for attracting customers. Businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for driving directions and 35% more clicks to their websites.

Essential photos to add:

Logo: A clear, high-resolution version of your business logo
Cover photo: An eye-catching image that represents your business (1024 x 576 pixels recommended)
Interior photos: Show the inside of your establishment (at least 3)
Exterior photos: Help customers recognize your location from outside
Team photos: Put a human face on your business
Product photos: Showcase your best offerings
At work photos: Show your team in action

Update photos regularly to keep your profile fresh and show that you're an active business.

Step 5: Optimize for Local SEO

Getting found in local searches requires ongoing optimization. Here are key strategies:

Use keywords naturally in your business description
Keep your business information consistent across all online platforms
Encourage customers to leave reviews (this is where Happy Critics helps!)
Respond to all reviews—positive and negative
Post updates, offers, and events regularly through Google Posts
Answer questions in the Q&A section promptly
Add attributes that apply to your business (wheelchair accessible, free WiFi, etc.)

Step 6: Monitor and Maintain Your Profile

Your Google Business Profile isn't set-it-and-forget-it. Regular maintenance is essential:

Check for suggested edits from Google or users and verify their accuracy
Update hours for holidays and special occasions
Respond to new reviews within 24-48 hours
Post at least once a week to stay active
Monitor insights to understand how customers find and interact with your profile
Add new photos monthly

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these pitfalls that can hurt your local rankings:

Using a P.O. Box or virtual office address (not allowed)
Keyword stuffing your business name
Having inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across the web
Ignoring negative reviews
Using stock photos instead of real images
Letting information become outdated
Creating duplicate listings

8 min read•Last updated: December 2024

Managing Multiple Google Business Locations from One Email

Learn how to centralize management of all your Google Business locations under a single admin account.

Why Centralized Management Matters

If you manage multiple business locations—whether you're a franchise owner, multi-location restaurant group, or agency managing client businesses—having a single point of control is essential for efficiency.

Managing each location with separate logins is not only time-consuming but increases the risk of inconsistency and errors. Google provides tools specifically for this purpose.

Option 1: Adding Users to Individual Locations

The simplest approach is adding your central email address as a manager or owner to each location. Here's how:

Go to your Business Profile on Google Search or Maps
Click 'More' (the three-dot menu), then 'Business Profile settings', then 'People and access'
Click the 'Add user' icon at the top left
Enter the email address of the person you want to add
Under 'Access', select either 'Owner' or 'Manager'
Click 'Invite' — they will receive an email to accept

Once accepted, that email can access all locations from a single dashboard at business.google.com. Tip: Each user needs their own Google Account—you cannot add Google Groups as managers or owners.

Option 2: Creating a Business Group

For managing 10+ locations, Google Business Groups (formerly Organization Accounts) provide better structure and control.

Benefits of Business Groups:

Bulk management of locations
Tiered user access across all locations
Bulk verification for new locations
Streamlined reporting and insights
Easier onboarding of new team members

Setting Up a Business Group

To create and manage a Business Group (also known as a Business Account):

Sign in to Business Profile Manager at business.google.com
If you have 2 or more locations, click 'Create business group' in the top right corner
If you can't find that button, click the three-dash menu in the top left and select 'Create business account'
Enter a name for your business group (usually your company name) and click 'Done'
Transfer ownership of your existing locations to the new business group
Invite team members with appropriate access levels

Note: With a business group, you can share management of multiple locations with multiple users, making it ideal for franchises and agencies. You can also enable bulk verification for new locations.

Understanding User Roles and Permissions

Google offers different permission levels to control what each team member can do:

Primary Owner:

Full access to all features and settings
Can add/remove other owners and managers
Can delete the business profile
Every profile must have exactly one primary owner
To transfer primary ownership, the profile must have at least one other owner or manager

Owner:

Same access as primary owner
Cannot remove the primary owner
Can accept transfer of primary ownership

Manager:

Can respond to reviews and messages
Can post updates, offers, and photos
Can edit business information
Cannot add or remove users
Cannot delete the business profile

Note on access:

Only owners can change access roles for other owners and managers
You cannot add Google Groups as owners or managers
Invited users can accept immediately; you'll receive an email confirmation
Invitations can expire—resend if needed

Best Practices for Multi-Location Management

Follow these tips to keep your locations organized and optimized:

Create a dedicated business email (e.g., google-admin@yourcompany.com) for primary ownership
Document all access credentials securely
Use consistent naming conventions for locations
Create templates for descriptions, posts, and responses
Schedule regular audits of all locations for consistency
Set up a response protocol for reviews across all locations
Use bulk upload spreadsheets for updating multiple locations

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Here are solutions to common problems when managing multiple locations:

Can't find a location in your dashboard:

Ensure you accepted all invitations to that location
Check your spam folder for invitation emails
Verify you're logged into the correct Google account

User invitation not working:

The invitee must have a Google account with that email
Invitations expire after a period—resend if needed
Check if the user already has a different role

Duplicate listings appearing:

Report duplicates through Google Business Profile support
Merge duplicates if you own both
Never create a new listing if one already exists

How Happy Critics Helps

While Google provides the foundation for multi-location management, Happy Critics takes it further:

Unified dashboard for all your locations in one view
AI-powered responses that maintain brand consistency
Smart review filtering across all locations
Comparative analytics between locations
Bulk actions for responding and managing reviews
Team permissions and approval workflows

Connect all your Google Business locations to Happy Critics and manage your entire reputation from a single, powerful dashboard.

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