Why Local Businesses need a Google Business Profile

Posted on 20th February 2026

Google Business Profiles remain one of the most powerful free tools available to local businesses. If you want your business to be visible, trusted, and chosen by customers searching nearby, a Google Business Profile is no longer optional — it’s essential.

Over 90% of consumers use Google to find local businesses

Nearly 80% of local searches lead to contact or a visit within 24 hours

Businesses with complete profiles are significantly more likely to appear in map results

Businesses with complete Google Business Profiles are 2.7 times more likely to be trusted

For trades, services, charities, and small businesses in and around Windsor, this visibility directly affects enquiries.

What is a Google Business Profile?

Your Google Business Profile is the listing people see when your business appears in Google Search or Google Maps.

For many potential customers, it’s their first glimpse of your business — often before they ever reach your website. It plays a vital role in how your business appears across:

Google Search

Google Maps

The Local Map Pack

For local businesses, this listing often plays a part in whether someone chooses to contact you or keep scrolling.

How Google Business Profiles get created

Many business owners are surprised to discover that a Google Business Profile for their company already exists. Google can automatically create listings using:

Information published on your website

Online directories and other websites

Third-party platforms (such as Facebook pages and check-ins)

Information added by Google users

How to check:

Search your business name on Google

Look for a profile on the right-hand side or on Maps

If you see your Business listed, you need to claim it

If no listing appears:

Head to google.com/business and create your Google Business Profile.

How to Claim Your Google Business Profile

If a Google Business Profile for your business already exists, claiming it allows you to take control of the information shown to potential customers.

Go to Google and search for your business name

Select “Own this business?” or “Claim this business”

Follow the verification process:

Postcard sent to your business address

Phone or email verification

Video verificationteps (postcard, phone, email, or video)

Once verified, you’re in control of your Profile.

How to optimise your Google Business Profile

This is where many businesses stop - and where opportunities are missed.

Complete Your Basic Information:

Fill in your business name, address, phone number, website, and business hours. Ensure NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) is consistent across all online directories.

Choose Your Category:

Select a primary category that best describes your business (e.g., "Web Designer" or "Plumber"). You can also add secondary categories. However, choosing the right primary category is key - 86% of Google Business Profile views come from category-based searches, and incorrect information will hurt your visibility.

Write a Compelling Business Description:

You have up to 750 characters to tell potential customers what makes your business special. Include relevant keywords naturally, and include what you offer and what sets you apart.

High-Quality Photos:

Upload photos of your premises, your work, your team, and anything else that represents your business. Avoid using stock photos. Businesses with photos receive more engagement and appear more trustworthy.

Services or Products:

Add information about what you offer, including descriptions and pricing where appropriate. When adding products add a relevant image and also link back to the relevant page on your website.

FAQ's

Adding frequently asked questions allows you to address common customer questions, clarify key details, and improve the overall usefulness of your listing.

Enable Messaging:

Set up the messaging feature so customers can ask questions directly through your profile. Quick responses can significantly impact whether someone chooses your business.

Social & Review Profiles:

Adding links to your social & review profiles gives potential customers additional ways to learn more about your business, and connect with you.

Booking links:

Add direct booking or appointment scheduling links so customers can book your services without leaving Google.

Add Attributes:

If applciable, select relevant attributes for your business (e.g., "wheelchair accessible," "free Wi-Fi," "women-led"). These details help customers make informed decisions.

Why keep your Google Business Updated?

Having an optimised Google Business Profile profile is a great start, but to truly maximise its potential for local reach it's important to be active on your profile:

Post Regularly: Create Google Posts to share updates, offers, events, which you can link to your website. It's also great for visibility and shows Google you're an active business.

Request Reviews: Actively ask your customers for reviews. The more positive reviews you build, the more potential customers can see the quality of your services and decide to hire you. Reviews improve trust and Google rankings.

Respond to Reviews: Every review deserves a response, positive or negative. This shows you value customer feedback and helps build trust with future customers.

Adding images: Update or add more photos regularly. Profiles with fresh images get more engagement. If your business services multiple areas, use real photos from each location. They build trust, add authenticity, and support your local SEO strategy.

Keep Information up to date: Update your opening hours whenever they change, particularly around holidays. Keeping this information accurate helps avoid confusion and keeps things clear for customers.

Adding FAQ's: Updating and adding new FAQs helps keep your Google Business Profile accurate and useful for potential customers

Monitor Your Insights: Check your profile's performance regularly. Understanding how customers find and interact with your listing helps you refine your approach.

Build on your Google Business Profile with Bing Places

With your Google Business Profile set up, Bing Places becomes a logical next step.

This is becoming increasingly relevant as tools like ChatGPT influence how users discover information online, highlighting the importance of visibility across other search engines, including Bing.

The good news is that setting up Bing Places is relatively straightforward. Since your Google Business Profile is already live, you can import your existing details instead of starting from scratch.

How to set up a Bing Places Profile

Go to bingplaces.com

Click "Import from Google Business Profile"

Grant Bing permission to access your Google Business information

Select which business location(s) to import

Review and verify your information

The import takes about 10-14 days to go live on Bing. Once it's active, you can even enable automatic syncing, so updates you make to your Google Business Profile automatically flow through to Bing Places

Summary

A Google Business Profile is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost marketing tools available to local businesses.

Set up properly, optimised consistently, and supported by reviews, it can:

Improve visibility

Build credibility

Drive real enquiries

Google accounts for around 90% of global search activity, making it the clear starting point for online visibility. However, as search behaviour continues to evolve, particularly with AI-powered tools like ChatGPT playing a growing role - platforms such as Bing Places also contribute to how businesses are discovered online.

At it'seeze Windsor, we help local businesses maximize their online presence through professional websites and strategic digital marketing. If you're not sure whether your Google Business Profile is working as hard as it could be, or if you'd like help setting up and optimizing your listing, we're here to help.