Donaldson R F
Small Business Starter
Set Up Google Business Profile
Get your business properly set up and verified on Google Business Profile, so you show up in local search and maps.
The Problem
Your business doesn't appear when people search for it on Google or in Google Maps, or an old, unclaimed, or incomplete listing is showing outdated information you have no control over.
About this problem
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is what puts your business on the map — literally — in local search results, complete with reviews, hours, and photos. A huge number of small businesses either never claimed their listing, have one that was auto-generated with wrong details, or set it up once and never finished verifying it, which means it barely shows up at all.
What's Included
- Claiming or creating your Google Business Profile listing
- Filling in accurate business details: category, hours, service area, phone, website
- Guiding you through the verification process (postcard, phone, or email, depending on what Google offers you)
- Adding your logo and a starter set of photos
- A short walkthrough of how to respond to reviews and post updates yourself
What's NOT Included
- Google's own verification process timing — that's controlled entirely by Google, not by me
- Ongoing review management or responding to reviews on your behalf
- Removing negative reviews — only Google can do that, and only in specific policy-violation cases
How It Works
- Check whether a listing already exists for your business (claimed, unclaimed, or auto-generated) and take the right path from there.
- Set the correct business category, service area or address, opening hours, phone number, and website link.
- Start Google's verification process and guide you through whichever method Google offers for your business.
- Upload your logo, cover photo, and a few interior/exterior or product photos.
- Check the listing displays correctly in both Google Search and Google Maps once verified.
In practice: you buy the service, send over whatever access or details the job needs, I investigate and do the work, and you confirm it's resolved before we call it done.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why isn't my business showing up on Google Maps?
- Usually because there's no verified Business Profile for it yet, or an existing one was never fully verified — until verification completes, Google treats the listing as unconfirmed and shows it rarely or not at all.
- How long does Google take to verify a business?
- It depends on the method Google offers: phone or email verification can be instant, while a postcard to your business address can take one to two weeks to arrive.
- Can someone else have already claimed my business listing?
- Yes, this happens more often than people expect, usually from an old automated listing. If that's the case, the process shifts to requesting ownership rather than creating a new one from scratch.
- Do I need a physical address to have a Google Business Profile?
- No — service-area businesses (like a plumber or cleaner who travels to customers) can set up a profile showing the areas they cover instead of a public address.
- Can I respond to Google reviews myself after this is set up?
- Yes, that's part of the short walkthrough included, so you're able to manage reviews and post updates yourself going forward.
- Will this guarantee my business appears at the top of local search results?
- No — a complete, verified profile is the foundation for showing up at all, but ranking position also depends on reviews, relevance and distance, which develop over time rather than from the setup alone.