If you run a local business in Australia and you haven't set up your Google Business Profile yet, you're leaving an enormous amount of foot traffic, phone calls, and website visits on the table — completely for free.
Google Business Profile (GBP) is the listing that appears in Google Maps and on the right-hand side of search results when someone searches for your business, or for a business like yours nearby. It shows your address, phone number, hours, photos, reviews, and more.
And here's the number that should get your attention: businesses with a complete, optimised GBP profile receive 400% more website traffic than those without one. Yet 55% of Australian local businesses still haven't claimed their listing.
That's more than half your competitors missing from Google Maps. Setting this up properly takes about 30–45 minutes and costs nothing.
This guide walks you through every step.
What Is Google Business Profile and Why Does It Matter?
Google Business Profile was previously called Google My Business. It's Google's free tool for businesses to manage how they appear across Google Search and Google Maps.
When someone searches "electrician Ringwood" or "café near me," Google shows a Local Pack — a group of three business listings with a map at the top of the results page. This is the most valuable piece of real estate in local search. Users click on Local Pack results more than anything else on the page, with 45% of users interacting with one of the top 3 Map Pack results.
Getting into that Local Pack — and staying there — starts with a well-set-up Google Business Profile.
The stats make the case clearly:
- Over half of all GBP profiles receive more than 1,000 monthly views
- 60% of GBP viewers click through to the business website
- Australian businesses average 67 monthly actions via GBP — 36 website clicks and 18 phone calls
- GBP can outrank a business's own website for location-based searches
This is the single highest-ROI thing most Australian small businesses can do online, and it's free. Let's set it up.
Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Your Google Business Profile
Step 1: Go to business.google.com
Head to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. Use a business-specific Google account if you have one — it keeps your business and personal Google activity separate.
Step 2: Search for Your Business First
Before creating a new listing, search for your business name. Google may already have a listing for you — particularly if your business has been around for a while, or if customers have added it to Maps themselves.
If a listing exists, you'll need to claim it rather than create a new one. Look for the "Claim this business" option. This is important — an unclaimed listing can't be fully managed, and anyone can suggest edits to it.
Step 3: Add Your Business Details
If no existing listing comes up, select "Add your business to Google" and work through the fields:
- Business name — Use your exact trading name. Don't add keywords to your business name (e.g. don't list yourself as "Joe's Plumbing — Melbourne Plumber Emergency 24hr"). Google treats keyword stuffing in business names as a violation and may suspend your listing.
- Business category — This is one of the most important decisions. Choose the category that most precisely describes your primary service. "Plumber" is different from "Plumbing contractor" — pick the one your customers would most naturally associate with you. You can add secondary categories later.
- Location or service area — If customers visit your premises (shop, office, clinic), add your street address. If you go to customers (tradie, cleaner, mobile service), set a service area instead. You can do both if relevant.
- Phone number and website — Include both. Your phone number should match what appears on your website and other directories.
Step 4: Verify Your Listing
Google needs to confirm you're a real, legitimate business at the address you've claimed. Verification methods vary, but the most common are:
- Postcard by mail — Google sends a card with a verification code to your business address. Takes 5–14 days.
- Phone or email verification — Available for some businesses. Faster.
- Video call — Google may request a short video call to verify the physical location.
Don't skip verification. An unverified listing won't appear in Google Maps, and you won't be able to respond to reviews.
Step 5: Complete Every Field in Your Profile
Once verified, go back into your profile and fill in every available field. Completeness matters — Google uses profile completeness as a quality signal, and it directly affects how prominently your listing appears.
Key fields to complete:
- Business hours — Including holiday hours. Keeping these accurate avoids frustrated customers turning up to a closed door.
- Business description — You get 750 characters. Use them to describe what you do, where you operate, and what makes your business worth choosing. Include your suburb or city and your main service keywords naturally.
- Photos — Add at least 10 quality photos. Include your shopfront or vehicle (so people recognise you), your team, your work, and your products or completed jobs. Listings with photos receive significantly more enquiries.
- Services — List each service individually with a name and description. This helps Google understand exactly what you offer and match your listing to the right searches.
- Products — If you sell physical products, add them here with photos and prices.
- Attributes — Things like "wheelchair accessible," "free Wi-Fi," "women-owned business" — fill in whatever applies.
Optimising Your GBP for Maximum Visibility
Setting up the profile is step one. Optimising it — and keeping it active — is what gets you into the Local Pack and keeps you there.
Add Google Posts Regularly
Google Posts are short updates that appear on your listing. You can share offers, events, new services, or general news. They expire after 7 days, which means Google rewards businesses that post regularly. Aim for at least one post per week.
Set Up the Q&A Section
The Q&A section on your GBP lets anyone ask questions about your business — and anyone can answer. Get ahead of this by adding your own common questions and answers. Think: "Do you offer free quotes?" "What areas do you service?" "Do you accept EFTPOS?" Pre-populating this section with accurate answers means you control the information.
Keep Your Hours Updated
Outdated business hours are one of the most common complaints Australian customers have about local listings. Update your hours for public holidays, Christmas, Easter, and any unexpected closures. Google allows you to set "special hours" for specific dates.
Use the Messaging Feature
GBP includes a messaging function so customers can contact you directly from your listing. If you enable it, respond promptly — Google monitors response times and may disable the feature if you're consistently slow.
Getting Google Reviews (and Responding to Them)
Reviews are a direct ranking factor in Google's local algorithm. More reviews, higher average ratings, and recent reviews all push your listing higher in Maps results.
How to ask for reviews:
- Find your Google review link — it's in your GBP dashboard under "Get more reviews"
- Share it with customers right after completing a job or sale, while the experience is fresh
- A simple message works: "If you were happy with the work, we'd really appreciate a Google review — here's the link."
- Add the link to your email signature, invoices, and receipts
How to respond to reviews:
Always respond — to every review, good or bad. Thank positive reviewers by name and mention a specific detail from their review. For negative reviews, stay calm, acknowledge their experience, and offer to resolve it offline. How you respond is visible to every future customer reading that review.
For a deeper dive into building your review count, see our guide: How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Australian Business.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Keyword-stuffing your business name. Adding search terms to your listing name (e.g. "Joe's Café — Best Coffee Melbourne CBD") violates Google's guidelines and can get your listing suspended. Your business name should be your actual business name.
Using a personal Gmail account to manage the listing. If you're the only person who can access it and you leave the business, access is lost. Use a business Google account.
Setting the wrong business category. Your primary category is the biggest factor in which searches you appear for. Choose carefully and review it every 6–12 months.
Ignoring the listing after setup. Google rewards active profiles. Regular posts, updated photos, prompt review responses, and accurate information all contribute to ranking.
Inconsistent NAP details. Your name, address, and phone number on GBP should be identical to what appears on your website and other directories. Even small differences ("St" vs "Street") can dilute your local SEO signal.
Not adding a service area if you're mobile. If you work at customers' locations, set your service area — otherwise Google doesn't know where to show you.
Want This Handled for You?
Setting up and optimising a Google Business Profile properly takes time — and most business owners have plenty of other things demanding their attention.
CodeQy's Business Pack includes full Google Business Profile setup and optimisation as part of the package. We handle the category selection, description writing, photo uploads, service listings, and initial configuration — so your listing is working hard from day one.
The Business Pack also covers your website, professional email, hosting, and ongoing maintenance, all from $50/month.
If you're still getting your head around what a full online presence involves, start with our complete guide: Getting Your Small Business Online in Australia.
Ready to be found on Google Maps? Talk to the CodeQy team about our Business Pack →