Google Business Profile Common Questions

Generally, a business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours to be eligible. This includes businesses customers visit and service-area businesses that travel to customers. Online-only businesses are generally not eligible. Review Google's eligibility guidance for exceptions and current requirements.

Creating and managing a Google Business Profile is free through Google. You may choose to pay for help from a third-party provider, but that is optional. Google does not charge a fee to show an eligible business profile in Search or Maps.

Sign in to the Google Account you want to use for the business, then follow the steps at Google Business Profile to add or find your business and request access. If someone else manages an existing profile, use Google's ownership request process rather than creating a duplicate.

Verification helps Google confirm that you represent the business and are authorized to manage its information. Google chooses which verification methods are available for each business; options can vary. Follow the instructions shown in your account, and don't change key business details while verification is in progress unless they are incorrect.

If customers do not visit your address and you travel to them, you can usually set the business up as a service-area business and hide the address from the public. Use an accurate service area and follow Google's rules; a virtual office or an address where you are not staffed generally should not be used as a customer-facing location.

Sign in with an account that manages the profile, open the business profile in Google Search or Maps, and choose the option to edit profile information. Keep details accurate and consistent with how customers can reach and visit you. Google may review some edits before they appear publicly.

Each eligible, distinct business location that customers can visit can generally have its own profile. Use the real-world name and contact details for each location, and avoid creating multiple profiles for the same location. Businesses with many locations can review Google's bulk management options.

You can invite customers to share honest feedback, but you must not offer incentives, selectively ask only happy customers, or try to influence what they write. A business cannot remove a review just because it is negative; you can report reviews that appear to violate Google's policies and respond professionally to feedback.

New profiles and edits can take time to appear, and some changes are reviewed by Google. Check that the profile is verified, look for notices or pending reviews in your account, and confirm the information follows Google's guidelines. Search display and ranking can vary by query, location, and other factors.

Review Google's Business Profile guidelines and the notice in your account, correct any issues, and use Google's official appeals process. Provide the documents requested in the appeal form. Avoid creating a replacement profile while an appeal is being reviewed, as duplicate profiles can make the issue harder to resolve.