Google My Business : Tips & Tricks

If you run a local business and want more customers from Google, this guide is for you. I will walk you through everything you need to set up, optimise and manage your Google My Business (GMB) profile so your business shows up in local searches, maps and gets real customers calling, visiting or booking.

Why local search matters

Nearly half of all Google searches are local searches. People look for businesses near them.
Most customers discover local businesses online. If your listing is poor or incomplete, you miss leads.
Mobile searches are critical: many mobile searchers contact a business after searching.

Is Google My Business right for your business?

GMB is made for businesses that have a physical location customers can visit or that serve customers in a defined local area (for example a repair service visiting homes). If you sell only online without a local presence, GMB may not be necessary.

How to create and claim your Google My Business listing

Create or use a Google account you control. This will be the owner account for the listing.
Go to the official Google Business page and click “Sign in” or “Manage now.”
Enter your business name. If the listing exists, claim it instead of creating a duplicate.
Choose the most accurate category (primary category) — this affects how Google shows your listing.
Add a precise address if customers can visit. Drop the pin on the map for accuracy.
If you serve customers at their locations (service area business), set the service area and do not show a public address if you don’t have a storefront.
Enter contact details: phone number, website URL (if you have one), and other important information.
Verify your listing by the method Google provides (usually postcard, phone or email). Do not skip verification.

Business profile: fields to fill and why none should be blank

Google relies on the info you give. The more accurate and complete it is, the better your chances of ranking for local results.

Business name: Use your official brand name. Do not add keywords or locations to the name unless those are part of the real legal name.
Primary and additional categories: Select the best primary category and add secondary categories if needed (up to allowed limits).
Address and pin: Exact address and pin help Google show you in maps and local packs.
Service area: If you travel to customers, set the areas you serve.
Business hours and special hours: Set regular hours and add holiday/special hours when needed.
Phone and website: Use a main phone number. You can add secondary numbers. Website helps conversion — even a simple landing page is better than none.
Attributes: Attributes such as “online appointments”, “wheelchair accessible”, or COVID precautions help customers choose you.

Write a perfect business description

You get a description field and a shorter snippet that often appears in search results. The first 250 characters are very important — they appear in many views.

Start with the most important information: who you are, what you offer, and your location.
Use simple, customer-focused language. Avoid all-caps, excessive punctuation, or promotional phrases like “50% off” in the description field.
Create templates if you manage multiple clients — keep them editable so you can customise for each business.
Update your description when your services or focus change. Recent updates can take a few days to reflect.

Services and categories: how to list what you do

The Services section allows you to list detailed services and prices or starting prices. Use it:

Add service names and short descriptions so customers see exactly what you offer.
If you have many services, organise them and use clear naming (for example “Web Design” instead of vague terms).
Choose categories carefully — Google uses categories heavily for matching queries to listings.

Store code, labels and multiple locations

If you manage multiple branches you will need:

Separate listings for each location — Google treats each physical location as a distinct listing.
Unique addresses for each listing. Names should remain consistent but addresses and pin locations must be different.
Store code and labels to segment and tag locations for reporting and management.
Avoid duplicating listings for the same exact location. Duplicate or incorrect multiple listings can cause suspension.

Photos: what to upload and best practices

Photos are powerful. They help customers understand your place and products and Google uses image activity as a ranking factor.

Upload high-quality, natural photos of interior, exterior, products, team and service delivery.
Do not use unrelated or heavily edited promotional images — keep photos realistic.
Encourage customers to post photos too. Customer photos increase trust and the number of images you show in search results.
Regularly add new photos. Quantity helps, but quality and relevance matter more than just a big number.

Reviews: why they matter and how to manage them

Reviews influence both customer decisions and Google rankings. They contribute to your prominence and trustworthiness.

Positive reviews increase conversions. People read reviews before choosing a business.
Quality and recency matter — recent, detailed reviews are more valuable than many old or poor-quality ones.
Respond to reviews promptly. For positive reviews, thank the customer and personalise your reply. For negative reviews, respond professionally, acknowledge the issue, and offer to resolve it offline.
Do not attempt to fake reviews or post reviews from competitors. This can lead to penalties and suspension.

How to generate a review link

Go to your GMB profile and find the section to get a “review short link.”
Copy the link and use it in emails, SMS, website buttons or social media to make it easy for customers to leave reviews.

Flagging inappropriate reviews

If a review violates Google policies (spam, hate speech, conflicts of interest, personal attacks), flag it:

Open the review and choose “Flag as inappropriate.”
Follow Google’s process. You can request removal, but Google will only remove reviews that genuinely violate policy.
Document evidence if the review is fraudulent. This helps in appeals or support tickets.

Social links and other listing fields

Add links to your social profiles if relevant. Also populate other fields like services, products, and appointment URLs so customers have multiple ways to contact or book with you.

Insights: what to track and how to use them

GMB provides useful insights to understand customer behaviour:

Queries: What people searched to find your listing — helps you match content and keywords.
Customer actions: Calls, website clicks, direction requests and bookings.
Direction requests: Map pins showing where users who requested directions are located. Zoom to see which pin codes generate the most requests.
Phone calls: See call volume and times to staff appropriately.
Photo views and quantity: Compare how your photos perform against competitors in your category and location.

Posts, events and offers: how to use them

Use posts to share updates, events, offers, and calls to action. These appear in your business listing and help with engagement.

Create “What’s New” posts for updates and announcements.
Use Event posts with dates and booking links if you’re hosting workshops or workshops.
Use Offer posts to promote discounts and add coupon codes, terms and expiry dates.
Keep posts fresh and consistent. Regular posting improves visibility.

Ads and Smart Campaigns

If you want to promote faster, use Google Ads Smart Campaigns tied to your business profile. Smart Campaigns help you get more calls, website visits or in-store visits. Set a daily budget and target area carefully.

Citations vs Backlinks: what they are and why both matter

Citations are online references to your business name, address and phone number (NAP) on directories and other websites. Backlinks are links pointing to your website. Both increase trust but serve different roles:

Citations strengthen the local visibility of your business and confirm NAP consistency across the web.
Backlinks increase website authority and help organic search rankings.
A citation is not the same as a backlink. Citations do not always include links but help local relevance and trust.

How to audit citations

Create a spreadsheet with columns: business name, address, city, state, zip code, phone number, website, listing URL, notes.
List all major directories where your business appears (Justdial, industry directories, local chambers, etc.).
Check each listing for NAP consistency and completeness. Correct mismatches immediately.
Prioritise fixing high-authority directories first and then move to smaller sites.
Where possible, claim unclaimed listings and update details.

How to find citation opportunities

Search competitors’ listings and note directories that mention them but not you.
Use local business directories, niche directories for your industry, local chamber of commerce, and review sites.
Look for platforms where customers search for your service (e.g., health platforms for clinics).

Multiple locations: rules and best practices

Create one listing per physical location with unique, accurate address and pin.
Use the same brand name across listings. Do not add keyword stuffing or city names to the business name.
Phone numbers: ideally a central phone number can be used, but unique local numbers are acceptable as secondary numbers. Avoid creating duplicate listings for the same place.
Manage labels and store codes to organise multiple locations.

Settings, users and access control

You can add users with different roles. Choose access carefully:

Primary owner: Full control; there can be one primary owner who cannot be removed by others.
Owner: Full control similar to primary owner but cannot remove the primary owner.
Manager: Can edit business info, create posts and respond to reviews but cannot remove users or transfer ownership.
Only give owner level access to trusted, permanent team members. Use manager access for daily operators or interns.

Reasons for suspension and how to avoid them

Your listing can be suspended for many reasons. Key prevention tips:

Avoid duplicate listings for the same business address.
Do not add misleading business names or keyword stuffing to your name.
Follow Google content policies for reviews. Do not post fake reviews or ask staff to post false reviews.
Keep NAP consistent across all directories and your website.
When making major changes (name, address, phone), proceed carefully and document proof of business ownership if Google asks.

Checklist to optimise your GMB profile

Claim and verify your listing.
Complete every field: name, address, phone, website, categories, services, attributes.
Write a strong description, placing the most important info in the first 250 characters.
Upload high-quality photos and keep adding new ones regularly.
Encourage and respond to reviews professionally.
Create posts consistently: news, events, offers.
Monitor Insights and adapt hours, staffing and campaigns based on data.
Run citation audit and fix inconsistencies across directories.

Short name and review collection tools

Create a GMB short name to make it easy for customers to find your profile. Use the review short link to ask customers for reviews via email, SMS or website buttons.

Website from GMB

If you do not have a website, GMB offers a basic website builder that pulls information from your listing. It is a quick solution for small businesses, but a dedicated website is better for long-term SEO.

Final tips — practical and easy

Never leave optional fields blank. Fill everything accurately.
Be consistent with your NAP everywhere on the internet.
Respond to every review — thank positives and resolve negatives professionally.
Use photos, posts and offers to keep your listing active and interesting.
Use insights data to understand where customers come from and when they call. This helps you make better ad and local marketing decisions.

Conclusion

Google My Business is one of the most powerful free tools for local businesses. A well-optimised listing improves visibility, builds trust, and drives real customer actions like calls, visits and bookings. Follow this guide to set up, optimise and maintain your GMB profile, and treat it as an ongoing channel — update it, monitor results, and keep improving.

Get started today: claim your listing, verify it, fill every field, upload real photos, get reviews and track your results. Consistency and accuracy win in local search.