How to get your business on Google Maps.

When someone searches “hair salon near me” or “garage in Kingston”, Google usually shows a map with a handful of local businesses before the normal results. Those listings come from Google Business Profile, a free tool from Google.

For most local businesses, this is the single most valuable free marketing you can do. A complete, active profile helps you appear in Maps, shows your hours, reviews and photos, and lets people call, get directions or visit your website in one tap.

Go to Google Business Profile and sign in with a Google account you’ll keep long term (ideally one linked to your business email, not a personal account someone might lose access to).

• Search for your business name. If a listing already exists, claim it rather than creating a duplicate.
• Enter your business name exactly as it appears on your signage. Don’t add keywords or locations to the name; Google can suspend profiles for this.
• Add your address if customers visit you. If you visit customers (plumbers, cleaners, mobile hairdressers), you can hide your address and set a service area instead.

Google needs to confirm you’re a real business at that location. Depending on your business, it may ask you to verify by video, phone, email or post. Follow the instructions carefully and keep your signage, equipment or premises ready to show if asked for a video.

Until you’re verified, your edits may not appear publicly, so do this early.

Your primary category is one of the strongest signals Google uses to decide which searches you appear for. Choose the most specific one that describes your main business, such as “Hair salon” rather than “Beauty”, or “Auto repair shop” rather than “Service”.

You can add secondary categories for other things you do, but only if they’re genuinely part of your business.

A complete profile builds trust and gives Google more to work with:

• Phone number and website. Link to your real website, ideally the page for that location.
• Opening hours, including bank holidays and special hours.
• Services or menu with short descriptions and prices if you can.
• Business description: plain language about what you do, who for and where.
• Attributes such as wheelchair access, parking or payment options.

Make sure your business name, address and phone number (often called NAP) are exactly the same on your website, your profile and any directories you’re listed on. Inconsistent details confuse both customers and Google.

Profiles with good photos tend to get more clicks and calls. Add:

• Your shopfront, so people recognise it.
• The inside of your premises.
• Your work: haircuts, dishes, finished jobs, cars you’ve fixed.
• Your team, if you’re comfortable.

Use real, recent photos rather than stock images, and add new ones regularly.

Reviews influence both rankings and whether people choose you. The simplest approach is to ask every happy customer, every time:

• Get your review link from your profile and share it by text, WhatsApp, email or a QR code at the counter.
• Reply to every review, good or bad, politely and briefly.
• Never buy reviews or offer rewards for them; it’s against Google’s rules and can get your profile penalised.

A steady flow of genuine reviews beats a sudden burst. An AI automation can send review requests automatically after each booking.

If you’ve set up your profile and still can’t find yourself on the map, check these first:

• It isn’t verified yet, or verification failed. Check your profile dashboard for messages.
• The category is too broad. A general category competes with everyone; a specific one matches what people search for.
• Distance. Google weighs how close a business is to the person searching. You’ll naturally appear more often near your location.
• Thin information. Missing hours, services, photos or website links make your profile less useful to Google.
• Few or no reviews. Competitors with a steady flow of recent reviews usually appear above those without.
• Inconsistent details. A different phone number or old address on directories and your website can confuse Google.
• Keyword-stuffed names. Adding “Best Plumber Kingston” to your business name breaks Google’s guidelines and can lead to suspension.

Fix these one at a time. Most profiles improve over weeks, not days, as Google sees consistent, genuine activity.

You don’t need hours a week to keep a profile healthy. A short, regular routine works better than an occasional big effort:

1. Reply to new reviews with a short, personal thank-you, mentioning what they had done where it feels natural. 2. Answer any questions in the Q&A section, or add common questions and answers yourself. 3. Add one or two new photos: a recent job, a new dish, a seasonal display, the team. 4. Publish a short post about an offer, a new service, an event or a useful tip. 5. Check your hours for upcoming bank holidays or closures. 6. Send your review link to customers you served this week.

For example, a salon might post a before-and-after photo, share the review link with that week’s clients by text, and update holiday hours ahead of Christmas.

• Creating a second profile instead of claiming the existing one. Duplicates split your reviews and confuse Google.
• Using a virtual office or PO box as your address. Google expects a real location where you meet customers, or a hidden address with a service area.
• Ignoring negative reviews. A calm, helpful reply shows future customers how you deal with problems.
• Letting someone else own the profile. If a former employee or agency set it up, make sure you are an owner, not just a manager.
• Forgetting your website. The profile and your site should support each other, with the same details and a clear link between them.

Treat your profile like a shop window. Post updates, offers and events, answer questions, and keep hours and photos up to date. Pair it with a clear, fast website that mentions your services and area, and you give Google every reason to show you.

If you’d rather have it done for you, my local SEO and Google Business Profile service covers setup, optimisation and ongoing posts and reviews, and a website built for local search ties it together.