What Is Google My Business, and What Is It Called Now?
If a customer has ever found your hours, phone number or reviews in Google Maps without visiting your website, they used this listing. It costs nothing, it is often the first thing people see about you, and most businesses leave half of it empty.
Google My Business was the name of Google's free tool for managing how a business appears on Google Search and Maps. In 2021 Google renamed it Google Business Profile. The listing itself is unchanged in purpose: your name, address or service area, hours, phone number, website, photos and reviews, shown when people search for you or for what you sell nearby.
This guide is by Edward Pinela, MBA, who has 20+ years of experience in web and search and manages Business Profiles for Lightray Solutions clients. It explains what the profile does, who can have one, how to set it up properly and how to measure what it brings in.
If you would rather hand it over, the Local Authority Package is $849 per month, all-inclusive and month to month, and includes Business Profile management along with a website and local SEO. The first step is a free 30-minute strategy call.
“Lightray Solutions redesigned my website quickly and efficiently. They completed numerous revisions without any complaints and did everything I asked for. I highly recommend them.”
— Steven N., Google review
Is Google Business Profile free, and who can have one?
Yes, it is free. Google's Business Profile help page describes it as a way to manage how your business shows up on Maps and Search at no charge. Google Ads is a separate, paid product and is not required.
Eligibility has one firm rule: the business must serve customers at a physical location during its stated hours, either at its own premises or at the customer's. That includes storefronts, offices customers visit, and service-area businesses such as plumbers or cleaners that go to the customer. Online-only businesses are not eligible, and neither are properties listed for rent or sale.
What does a Business Profile actually control?
The panel that appears beside search results when someone searches your name, and your entry in the map pack of three businesses that shows for local searches such as 'accountant near me'. For many customers this is their first and sometimes only contact with your business before they call.
Because that panel is so visible, the details in it must match your website exactly. A different phone number or old hours on the profile cost calls and erode trust. The table below lists the fields that matter most and the mistakes we see most often.
| Field | Why it matters | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Business name | Shown everywhere; must match your signage and website | Adding keywords or a city to the name |
| Primary category | Largely decides which searches you appear for | Choosing a broad category when a specific one exists |
| Address or service area | Determines where you show on the map | Listing a home address when customers never visit |
| Hours | Customers rely on them before they travel or call | Forgetting holiday hours and seasonal changes |
| Website link | Sends searchers to more detail and your contact form | Linking to an outdated page or a broken URL |
| Photos | Give searchers a sense of the place and the people | Only a logo, or stock images |
| Reviews and replies | Influence both customers and rankings | Leaving reviews unanswered for months |
How do you set up and verify a Business Profile?
Sign in with a Google Account, search for your business name on Google Maps or in Business Profile, and claim the existing listing if one appears; otherwise create it. Choose the most specific primary category that fits, add your address or service area, hours, phone and website, then complete verification, which Google may handle by video, phone, email or other methods depending on the business.
- Use your real business name, without extra keywords added
- Pick the most specific primary category, then a few relevant secondary ones
- Show a service area instead of an address if customers do not visit you
- Add hours, including holiday hours, and keep them current
- Upload real photos of your premises, team and work
- Link to the matching page on your website, not just the homepage
How should a business handle Google reviews?
Ask every satisfied customer, reply to every review, and never manufacture them. The Federal Trade Commission's rule banning fake reviews and testimonials, announced in August 2024, prohibits buying or creating fake reviews, paying for reviews with a set sentiment, undisclosed insider reviews and suppressing negative reviews through threats.
A calm, specific reply to a critical review often impresses future customers more than a string of five-star ratings. Reviews that mention the service received also help Google understand what you do. For businesses dealing with a damaging review or a misleading search result, see our page on search engine reputation management.
Can you connect Google Business Profile data to Power BI?
Yes, with some setup. Google offers a Business Profile Performance API that, in its own documentation's words, allows merchants to fetch performance reports about their business profile, including daily metrics and monthly search keyword impressions. Access must be enabled and sometimes requested, and the data then needs a connector or a scheduled script to reach a report.
Once it arrives, Power BI can show profile views, calls, direction requests and website clicks beside your website analytics and sales, location by location. Lightray builds those reports through its Power BI consulting services, usually as part of a wider marketing dashboard.
Does a Business Profile replace a website or SEO?
No. The profile and the website reinforce each other. Google uses your website to understand your services, and the profile points searchers to it. A business with a complete profile and a thin website tends to show up for its name but not for the services people search for.
Local SEO ties the two together: consistent details, service pages that match your categories, and reviews that mention what you do. Our article on why powerful SEO is a must explains the wider picture, and our Orange County SEO company page lists what our monthly SEO work includes.
Further reading: FTC: Final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials.
Want your Google listing set up and managed for you?
Book a free 30-minute call with Edward Pinela, MBA. You get an honest read on what to fix first — and if we are not the right fit, you will hear that on the call.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google My Business the same as Google Business Profile?
Yes. Google renamed Google My Business to Google Business Profile in 2021. The listing, the features and the purpose are the same; only the name and some of the management screens changed.
How long does it take for a new profile to appear?
After verification, a profile usually appears within days, though it can take longer if Google asks for more evidence. Ranking well in the map results takes longer and depends on your category, location, reviews and website.
Can I have a profile if I work from home?
Yes, if you serve customers at their location or receive them at yours. Service-area businesses can hide their home address and show the area they serve instead. Online-only businesses are not eligible.
What does Lightray charge to manage a Business Profile?
Business Profile management is included in the Local Authority Package at $849 per month, all-inclusive and month to month, together with a website and local SEO. The free strategy call is the place to check whether that fits.
You Won’t Get Handed Off to Junior Staff.
At most consulting firms, the senior person who sold you shows up for the kickoff — then you get handed to a team of juniors learning on your dime. That’s not how we work.
When you hire Lightray Solutions, you work directly with Edward Pinela, MBA — a principal consultant with 20+ years of experience across Power BI, web development, SEO, and CRM systems. Edward architects every engagement personally, stays involved through delivery, and answers his own phone.
Read Edward’s Full Bio“Mid-market companies deserve senior-level expertise without paying enterprise-agency prices. That’s the gap Lightray fills.”
Simple. Transparent. Proven.
No black-box processes. No endless discovery phases. A straightforward three-step approach designed to deliver measurable results fast.
Discovery Call
Free 30-minute strategy session where we assess your data landscape, website, marketing — and where AI would genuinely pay off versus where it's hype.
Free · No ObligationCustom Roadmap
You receive a tailored plan with clear deliverables, realistic timelines, and expected ROI. You approve every detail before we start.
Fixed Scope · Clear PricingMeasurable Results
We execute, measure, and optimize. You get dashboards, regular check-ins, and full visibility — so you always know the impact.
Data-Driven · TransparentGet a clear plan in one free call.
Tell us what you are trying to fix. Your request goes to Edward Pinela, MBA — the principal consultant who would do the work — and you hear back within 4 business hours.
Prefer to call? +1 (714) 872-9606