Google Business Profile for a new business

Create and verify it

• +Search for your business name on Google Maps first, in case a profile already exists.
• +Create the profile from the business profile site and follow the verification steps Google gives you.
• +Use your real, registered business name. Do not add keywords to the name.

If you have no shopfront

A business that travels to customers, or works from home, can hide its address and set a service area instead, such as the suburbs or the city it covers. Do not list a fake shopfront or an address you do not operate from.

What to fill in

• +The right primary category, plus a few accurate secondary ones.
• +Your phone, website and opening hours.
• +A short description in plain words, covering what you do and where.
• +Your services, with a line on each.
• +Real photos of your work, your team and your van or space.

Reviews

• +Ask each customer for a review as the job finishes, with the direct link.
• +Reply to every review, good or bad, politely.
• +Do not offer rewards for reviews, do not review your own business and do not buy reviews.

Keep it consistent

The name, phone number and website should match what is on your site and your social profiles. Update the profile when your hours or services change, and add a post or photo now and then.

More guides for new businesses

• Logo or website first for a new business
• What to do after registering an ABN
• New business launch checklist, Melbourne
• How to name a business in Australia
• Business name vs company name in Australia
• Do I need a website for a small business
• What is a brand identity for a small business
• Brand guidelines for a small business
• How to get your first customers as a new business
• How much a new business should spend on ads
• Website checklist before you launch a small business site
• What photos a new business needs
• Landing page or website for ads
• Social media profiles for a new business
• How to start a business in Melbourne
• How to start a clothing brand in Australia
• How to register a brand name in Australia
• Do I need an ABN to start a business in Australia
• Sole trader or company in Australia
• Do I need to register for GST
• How to choose a .com.au domain name
• How to get a logo for a new business
• Business email for a new business
• Privacy policy for a small business website in Australia
• What to post on social media when you start a business
• Setting up a business in Victoria

All of them are on the guides page.

Who is behind this

Urban Launch is built and run by Urban Media (ABN 28 169 446 902), a Melbourne studio founded by Jack Harrington and Gabriel Pozo. Urban Media makes video, design and websites for clients including Box Hill United, Brighton Grammar and Porsche Club Victoria.

If you want to talk to the people doing the work, call 0456 785 904. More about who we are, and how to check us, is on the About page.

Watch Jack explain it, 1:51

Common questions

Is a Google Business Profile free?

Yes, creating and managing a profile is free.

Can I have a Google Business Profile without a shopfront?

Yes. Service-area businesses can hide the address and show the area they serve. It must be a real area you cover.

How long does verification take?

It depends on the method Google offers for your business. Follow the steps shown in the profile and keep the details exactly as you entered them.

Start with a Launch Call

Live and generating enquiries within 45 days, or we keep working at no extra cost until you are. The Launch Call is where we check it is the right fit before we book anything in. For a real example, read the Airwize case study (12 conversions, meaning leads that became sales, in the first month of Google Ads from $70 of ad spend, our figures). You can also read how a launch package compares with hiring separately, or go to the packages and prices on the homepage.

More: Brand and website package, Melbourne, Startup package for a new business, Melbourne, Branding, website and photography package, Melbourne.