Google Business Profile Policy Changes: Local Business Guide

It can be hard to keep up with all of the changes happening in the digital world, but it’s especially important for local businesses who rely on their Google Business Profile to stay abreast of policy updates from Google. 

The last Google update was in July 2023, so we thought it would be useful to go over a full summary of the updated guidelines. This is because having an active, up-to-date business profile on Google is essential for success in today’s market. To help you make sure your small business or organisation isn’t left behind when it comes to these ever-evolving policies and features, here's a guide that covers everything you need to know about the latest changes to Google’s Business Profiles.

 Of course if you’d like to read the original you can view a complete list of Google Business Profile policies and guidelines here.

Can your local business have a Google Business Profile?

First and foremost, let’s briefly look at eligibility. To qualify for a Google Business Profile, businesses must have in-person contact with customers. This contact doesn’t need to be at your place of business, as those who visit their customers can also be eligible. There are a few exceptions such as ATMs, video-rental kiosks, express mail drop boxes and seasonal businesses.

Let’s look at which local businesses that cannot have a Google Business Profile. 

• Rental or for-sale properties

• Sales or leasing offices 

• Ongoing services, classes or meetings, such as coworking spaces. 

• Lead generation agents or companies

• Brands, organisations, artists and other online-only businesses.

Google will also disable any Google Business Profiles that are determined to not exist, or have a PO Box address. 

Stay up to date: The latest guidelines for your Google Business Profile

Google updated these guidelines in July 2023, to help local businesses showcase accurate and high-quality information on their platform.

To effectively manage your Business Profile and get optimal results, make sure to:

• Provide an accurate representation of your business

• Use a concise selection of categories

• Limit your profile to one per business

• Adopt a friendly and informative tone

Let’s go through the accurate representation of your business first and foremost. You must correctly input the following information:

• Business Description

• Name

• Address

• Website and phone number

Craft a captivating business description

Make your business stand out with a captivating description! Use the business description field to provide all the important details about your services, products, mission, and history. Be honest and upfront, and focus on content that will help your customers understand what your business is all about. Don't forget to take advantage of the full 750 characters allowance to really showcase your unique offerings and set yourself apart from the competition.

Likewise, an accountant could showcase their expertise in tax, auditing, accountancy, and business planning. They can establish credibility by mentioning their accreditation as Chartered Certified Accountants. By specifying the areas they serve, like Brighton and Hove, Lewes, and Gatwick, they can also target their desired clientele within that location. A local Italian restaurant could speak about their Italian family recipes and regional cuisine offered, and any awards the restaurant has won for example. 

Remember to avoid low-quality content, promotional messages, and irrelevant links. By following these guidelines, you'll ensure that your business stands out on Google and attracts the right audience. So go ahead, make your mark!

Use the correct name

Now this may sound obvious, but avoid including unnecessary information in your business name, and make sure your business name accurately represents your actual business. Additional details like address, service area, and hours should be included in separate sections of your business information. 

For instance, if you have a 24-hour coffee shop in Carshalton called Sarah's Coffee, enter the following information:

• Business name: Sarah’s Coffee

• Address: 37 Park Street, Carshalton, Surrey. SM5 4GQ

• Hours: Open 24 hours

• Category: Coffee shop

Please note that you cannot use:

• Taglines, 

• Shop codes 

• Trademark symbols

• Fully capitalised words like ARAS BAKERY

Easy to find

Make sure your business gives correct and comprehensive details about its physical address, including suite numbers and nearby landmarks when required. Virtual offices are not allowed for a Business Profile. If the provided address does not have a street number or cannot be located by the system, you can manually mark your business's location on the map. Keep in mind that Google decides how your business address appears based on the information you provide and data from other sources.

Service area businesses

Your service area boundaries should generally not exceed a two-hour driving time from your location, although there may be exceptions for larger service areas. To use a service area effectively, your business must fall into one of the following categories:

• Service-area businesses, like electricians or plumbers, can create a single profile to serve customers in their local area.

• Service-area and hybrid businesses can list a designated service area on Google to inform customers about where they can provide their products and services.

Service-area businesses should have one central profile with a designated service area based on their main office or location. However, if a business has multiple locations with separate service areas and staff, they are allowed to have one profile for each location.

Hybrid service-area businesses, such as hairdressers who have a physical salon but also offer mobile services, can display both their shopfront address and service area on their Business Profile.

Here are a few important things to remember:

• The maximum service area radius for businesses is two hours from their base.

• Each business can have up to 20 service areas.

• If you change your business type, be aware of any relevant changes in tone of voice.

• If you don't serve customers at your business address, make sure to remove the address from your Business Profile and only input your service area.

• If you do serve customers at your business address, provide both the address and service area.

For example, if you are a private tutor and operate your business from your home address but also travel to students' homes for classes, it's important to remove your address from your Business Profile.

Individual Practitioners

Are you a doctor, dentist, lawyer, financial planner, or insurance/real estate agent? Then you are an individual practitioner, a public-facing professional with your own customer base.  If you can be contacted directly and don't represent a corporation, you should create your own Business Profile. It's a great way to showcase your qualifications, such as your title or degree certification (e.g. Dr., MD, JD, Esq., CFA). 

But what if you're one of multiple practitioners at the same location? If you belong to a branded organisation, you can create a single Business Profile that includes both the brand/company and your name. This way, clients can easily find you. Just use the company's name along with your own. 

Make it easy for customers to connect

When listing your business, it's important to provide a local phone number or website that connects directly to your specific location. Avoid using premium-rate telephone numbers to ensure accessibility for all customers.

Keep your customers up to date with opening hours

Be sure to include your regular customer-facing hours of operation, as well as any special hours for particular days. However, businesses with varied hours, like schools or hotels, should list their department-specific hours instead of their overall business hours.

Use the correct categories

Categories play a vital role in helping customers find the services they're looking for, but how exactly can you choose the correct categories for your business? Choose as few categories as possible that best describe your core business. When selecting categories, think about how your business can be described holistically rather than simply listing all the services or amenities it offers. 

Select categories that complete the statement: 'This business IS a' rather than 'this business HAS a'. The goal is to describe your business holistically rather than a list of all the services it offers, products it sells or amenities it features.

Here are some examples: 'Italia' offers pizza takeaway and delivery but doesn't offer on-premises dining. Correct categories would include:

• Pizza delivery

• Pizza takeaway

NOT

• Delivery restaurant

• Takeaway restaurant

  
  'Boutique' is a hotel with an onsite swimming pool and gym. Correct categories would include: 

• Hotel

NOT

• Motel

• Swimming pool

• 24-hour fitness

'Chiphams' is an accountant that also offers some financial legal advice.

Correct categories would include: 

• Accountants

NOT

• Legal services

Google can help you find the most specific categories for your business, and will detect additional category information from your website and online mentions. By following these guidelines, you can ensure your business is easily discoverable and accurately described for your customers.

Don’t get left in the dark

Your business listing on Google is the first way potential customers can find and learn about your business. With this guide, you now have all the advice you need to effectively manage and display your business profile on Google. Investing some time into optimising your business profile will make it easier for potential customers to find you - increasing visits, enquiries and sales. 

Who are you and what is this?

This post is one of many aimed at helping to support owners, managers and franchisees with growing their local business. It's been lovingly researched and written by the expert team behind LocalMark, a London UK-based local SEO service that helps connect UK trade, service & retail businesses with nearby customers. If you found this helpful and could benefit from more of the same, be sure to share, follow us on social media (links below) and sign up for our newsletter.

For more information on making the most of your Google Business Profile, check out how we can help you here. 

Meet the author

From a long line of small business owners, local marketing expert James understands more than most the unique challenges they face every day. He’s been advising local business owners and their agencies on digital marketing since 2000, and established our local SEO service in 2021.