Part 14: Local Listings and Reputation

This part of the guide has 48 pages so far. Each page answers one question, shows what to do, and ends with an audit check you can use on your own business.

14.1 Confirm Public Business Facts

• 14.1.1 Business Name: Use your real business name on Google, exactly as it appears on your sign and website. Here’s what Google allows, what gets profiles suspended, and why.
• 14.1.2 Address: Use the real street address where your business operates. Learn when to show or hide it on Google, what addresses get rejected, and how to keep it consistent.
• 14.1.3 Service Area: List only the towns and ZIP codes you really serve. Learn Google’s service area limits, the 2-hour driving guideline, and how to keep your claims honest.
• 14.1.4 Phone: Use a local number your business owns and controls. Learn Google’s phone rules, how many numbers you can add, and how to keep the same number everywhere.
• 14.1.5 Email: Use a business-owned email on your own domain that someone checks daily. Learn which email to publish, which to use for logins, and how to avoid lockouts.
• 14.1.6 Hours: Post the hours customers can really reach you. Learn how to set regular, holiday, and special hours on Google, and when to use temporarily closed instead.
• 14.1.7 Services: List the services you sell today, in the words customers use. Learn how Google’s services list works, what gets rejected, and how to keep it current.
• 14.1.8 Categories: Pick the one category that says what your business is, then add only a few more. Learn how Google categories work, why they matter, and the mistakes to skip.
• 14.1.9 Photos: Use real, recent photos you took or have permission to use. Learn which photos to add to Google, the file sizes it accepts, and how to avoid copyright trouble.
• 14.1.10 Credentials: Show only licenses, insurance, and memberships you hold today and can prove. Learn how to list credentials honestly on Google, your website, and directories.

14.2 Determine Listing Eligibility

• 14.2.1 In-Person Contact Requirement: Google requires face-to-face contact with customers during your posted hours. Learn who qualifies for a Business Profile and what to do if you don’t.
• 14.2.2 Storefront Eligibility: A storefront listing needs a staffed place customers can visit during your hours, with a permanent sign. Learn what Google requires and how to check yours.
• 14.2.3 Service-Area Eligibility: A service-area business travels to customers or delivers to them. Learn when Google treats you as one, which businesses can’t be, and how to set it up right.
• 14.2.4 Online-Only Businesses: Google doesn’t allow Business Profiles for online-only businesses. Learn why, what counts as online only, and where to build your presence instead.
• 14.2.5 Virtual Offices and Shared Spaces: A virtual office address doesn’t qualify for Google Business Profile. A co-working space can, if it meets three rules. Learn how to check yours.
• 14.2.6 Duplicate Profiles: Google allows one Business Profile per business. Learn how duplicates happen, how to find them, and how to remove, merge, or claim them without losing reviews.

14.3 Set Up the Business Profile

• 14.3.8 Profile Ownership: Your business should own its Google Business Profile and every listing account, with backup owners and recovery details it controls. Learn how to set that up.

14.4 Maintain Business Listings

• 14.4.5 Listing Monitoring: Google and the public can change your listing. Learn how to watch for edits, suggested changes, suspensions, and duplicates, and how often to check.
• 14.4.6 Citation Records: A citation record is one list of every place your business is listed online, with logins and the details shown. Learn what to track and how to keep it current.

14.6 Establish Review Procedures

• 14.6.1 Review Request Timing: Ask for a review after a real customer interaction, soon after the job is done. Learn who to ask, when to ask, and the Google and FTC rules that apply.
• 14.6.2 Neutral Review Requests: Ask for an honest review, not a five-star one, and send people to real review sites. Learn neutral wording, sample messages, and what Google and the FTC ban.
• 14.6.3 Review Responses: Reply to every review in a calm, short, professional way, and never reveal customer details. Learn how to reply on Google, what to say, and what to leave out.
• 14.6.4 Negative Review Escalation: Send serious bad reviews to the right owner fast, fix the real problem, and stay within FTC rules. Learn who handles what, what counts as serious, and what to avoid.
• 14.6.6 Review Monitoring: Turn on review alerts, check each review site on a set schedule, and log requests and repeat complaints so you can fix real problems. A simple system for owners.

14.7 Build Local Partnerships

• 14.7.1 Referral Partners: Find businesses that serve your customers before or after you do, and build referrals both ways. Learn how to pick partners, start the talk, and avoid fee rules.
• 14.7.2 Community Relationships: Pick one or two local groups that match your customers, like a chamber, trade association, nonprofit, or event, and show up regularly. How to choose and what to track.
• 14.7.3 Partner Terms and Tracking: Put referral, sponsorship, payment, disclosure, and data-sharing terms in writing, then track every referral and result. What to include and what records to keep.
• 14.7.4 Co-Marketing: Before you publish a joint promotion, confirm who owns the content, get permission for names, logos, and photos, check every claim, and get written approval.

14.8 Manage Your Google Business Profile

• 14.8.1 Google Business Profile Verification: Google picks how you verify: phone, text, email, video, or postcard. Learn what each method needs, how long review takes, and the mistakes that delay approval.
• 14.8.2 Owners and Managers: Learn the difference between primary owner, owner, and manager on Google Business Profile, how to add or remove people, and who should hold each role.
• 14.8.3 Transferring Profile Ownership: Move primary ownership of a Google Business Profile to the right account, or request access when someone else controls it. Steps, waiting periods, and pitfalls.
• 14.8.4 Suspensions and Reinstatement: Find out why Google suspended your Business Profile, fix every guideline problem first, then file one appeal with matching proof. Steps, evidence, and what to avoid.
• 14.8.5 Suggested Edits from the Public: Google and the public can change your Business Profile. Learn where Google updates show, the 4-day window to accept or reject them, and how to keep your info right.
• 14.8.6 Reporting Spam and Fake Profiles: Report fake listings, keyword-stuffed names, and review incentives on Google Maps with Suggest an edit or the Business Redressal Complaint Form. What to gather first.

14.9 Complete Your Google Business Profile

• 14.9.1 Business Description: Write up to 750 characters about what you do, who you serve, and where. No links, prices, or promotions. Here’s what Google allows and a simple way to write it.
• 14.9.2 Products on Your Profile: Retail shops can show products on Google with the product editor or the Local Inventory app. Learn who qualifies, what’s banned, and when to use services instead.
• 14.9.3 Posts and Updates: Google Business Profile posts come in three types: updates, offers, and events. Learn how to create them, what gets rejected, and when old posts get archived.
• 14.9.4 Attributes: Attributes are the extra facts on your Google profile, like accessibility, payments, and women-owned. Learn which ones you control and how to keep them accurate.
• 14.9.5 Booking and Appointment Links: Add your own booking link to Google, or connect a booking provider. Learn where the link shows, how to pick a preferred link, and how to remove unwanted ones.
• 14.9.6 Calls and Messaging: Google ended Business Profile chat in July 2024. Learn how calls work now, how to add a WhatsApp or text message chat link, and how to track calls from Google.
• 14.9.7 Videos on Your Profile: Google Business Profile videos can be up to 30 seconds and 75 MB at 720p or higher. Learn how to upload them, why they get rejected, and what to film.
• 14.9.8 Performance Data: Google’s Performance report shows views, searches, calls, directions, website clicks, and bookings. Learn what each number means and how to download it monthly.

14.10 Follow Google’s Review Rules

• 14.10.1 Google Review Policies: Google bans fake reviews, conflict-of-interest reviews, paid reviews, and review gating. Learn the main rules and what Google can do to a profile that breaks them.
• 14.10.2 Flagging Reviews That Break the Rules: Google removes reviews that break its policy, not reviews you disagree with. Learn how to report one, check its status in the Reviews Management Tool, and appeal.
• 14.10.3 Review Gating and Incentives: Google bans review incentives and review gating. The FTC bans buying positive reviews and fake reviews. Learn what each rule says and how to ask for reviews safely.

14.11 Other Map and Listing Platforms

• 14.11.1 Bing Places for Business: Bing Places for Business puts your business on Bing search and Bing Maps. Learn how to sign up, import from Google, verify your listing, and keep it accurate.
• 14.11.2 Apple Business Connect: Apple Business Connect is now part of Apple Business. Learn how to verify your organization, claim your Apple Maps location, and fill in your place card for free.
• 14.11.3 Key Directories and Data Sources: Beyond Google, Bing, and Apple, a few directories and data providers feed business facts to other sites. Learn which ones to claim first and what each one costs.