How to make changes to your Business Profile on Google
Key take-aways
Whether it's your first time using Business Profile on Google or you’ve had a Business Profile for a while and want to enhance it, updating your details is quick and easy. Learn how to make changes to your business listing and improve your online presence.
1. Adjusting your opening hours
2. Writing your description
3. Choosing attributes
4. Adding photos
5. Handling user reviews
6. Sharing posts
It's not possible to have a review removed just because it is negative or you don't agree with it. Instead, Business Profile on Google offers businesses the chance to publicly respond to reviews so that potential customers can see both sides of the story.
1. Adjusting your opening hours
To change your opening hours, sign in to Business Profile on Google, choose 'Info' from the menu and select 'Hours'. Use the drop-down arrows to set the 'Opens at' and 'Closes at' times for each day. To put a break in your opening hours, if you close for lunch, for example, you can create two entries for the same day.
After adding normal hours, you can schedule 'Special Hours' that will display your opening hours on public holidays or for special events. Sign into Business Profile on Google and click 'Special Hours'. Choose a holiday from the list or use 'Add new date' to enter your own. Click 'Closed' or choose new opening times, then click 'Apply'. If it is a public holiday and you don't select 'Special Hours', Google will automatically warn users that your hours may differ from the ones displayed.
You can also show late-night opening for special occasions, such as a toy shop in the run-up to Christmas. Updating your opening hours keeps potential customers informed, helping them avoid a wasted journey if your business is closed.
Knowledge Panel:
When people search for a business on Google, they may see information about that business in a box that appears to the right of their search results. The information in the box, called the knowledge panel, can help customers discover and contact your business.
Find out more2. Writing your description
To add a description of your business or update an existing one, sign into Business Profile on Google, choose 'Info' and click on the pencil icon next to 'Add business description'.
Put the most important information first and don't waste characters on information that already appears in your listing, like your address or website. Focus on interesting details about your business that are genuinely informative and help distinguish you from the competition such as "family-owned business" for a restaurant or "25 state-of-the-art treadmills" for a gym.
Your business description brings your business to life, offering users more detail and helping to entice them in. Double-check spelling and grammar before publishing, avoid slang to ensure the description is understood and avoid over-promoting. Make your business sound as inviting as possible but avoid including statements like 'Super sale!' as this contravenes Google's business description guidelines.
3. Choosing attributes
Attributes are a chance to show off key features that your business has to offer. To add or edit an attribute, sign in to Business Profile on Google, select 'Info' from the menu and click the pencil next to 'Attributes'. Scroll through the ones available for your business, then select 'Apply'.
Business Profile on Google automatically suggests the attributes that are most appropriate to your business. A cafe may choose from "Free WiFi" and "Outdoor Seating", while a grocer might mention "Free Delivery". Check the accessibility attributes to see if you can click "Yes" against the criteria for wheelchair-accessible entrances, toilets, seating, parking and lifts to add these attributes to your business listing too.
4. Adding photos
Your business listing features a logo, photos and videos. To upload photos and videos, sign in to Business Profile on Google, select 'Photos' and the type of photo or video you want then click 'Choose photo' and upload. Select a range of business-specific photos to show off all your company's features from exteriors to products, and then set your preferred cover photo.
According to Think with Google research, photos can make or break a potential customer’s decision to visit your business, so make sure they’re the best they can be. A good quality photo is between 10kb and 5MB in size with a 720x720 pixel resolution. Videos should also be 720 pixels or higher, up to 100mb in size and a maximum of 30 seconds long. Images and videos should be in focus and well lit. Your visuals will be most effective if they are a true and accurate representation of what potential customers will see when they visit you.
If you’ve filled out your core information (phone number, hours, etc) you can also have your logo displayed at the top right-hand side of your profile. This gives your business a further branding opportunity and instantly shows your user what your official logo and branding is.
5. Handling user reviews
Occasionally, someone may leave a review that violates Google's policy, because it is offensive, off-topic or even illegal. It’s not possible for businesses to remove reviews themselves, so if you identify one that breaks the rules, you’ll need to flag it up for Google. Sign in to Business Profile on Google and visit 'Reviews' on the menu, find the inappropriate review and click the three-dot menu to select 'Flag as inappropriate'.
It’s not possible to have a review removed just because it is negative or you don’t agree with it. Instead, Business Profile on Google offers businesses the chance to publicly respond to reviews so that potential customers can see both sides of the story. This gives you the opportunity to apologise and assure others this was a one-off situation, for example, or invite the unhappy customer to get in touch to discuss the issue further. Some negative ratings aren't always a bad thing, as Think With Google research shows consumers trust honest reviews.
6. Sharing posts
Posts give businesses like yours the space to share with their audience. You can use a post to tell customers about:
- Events like a seasonal brunch or in-store event
- Special offers like sales and discounts
- Product/stock updates like the arrival of new merchandise
- Announcements such as late opening hours or a new store location
To make a post, sign in to Business Profile on Google and click 'Create post' on the menu. On the next screen, choose a type of post such as offers or events, then click on the fields to add photos, videos, text and a button. Choose 'Preview' to review your post and 'Back' to make changes or 'Publish' if you are ready to share it on your profile.
You could write up to 1,500 characters for each post but short — between 150 and 300 characters — tends to be more effective. While you don't need to include things like your business name, make sure you don't forget any important details like how long an event lasts. Posts can be featured on your Business Profile for seven days. After that, they’ll only appear in the "posts" tab of your listing on mobile.
Making the most of your profile is simple. Keep your ideal customers in mind with every edit, and you’ll start seeing the benefits in no time.