What Phone Number Should You Use on Your Google Business Profile?

By Bill Stilwell · Last reviewed October 16, 2026

The short answer

Use a local phone number that your business owns and controls, and that rings at your business. Google’s guidelines say to use a local number instead of a central call center line whenever possible, and the number “must be under the direct control of the business.” Use that same number on your website and every listing.

What this means

“Business controlled” means the phone account is in the business’s name, the business pays for it, and the owner can log in. If an employee leaves or you fire an agency, the number stays with you.

Say a roofer lists his office manager’s personal cell on Google. Two years later she quits and takes the number with her. Every Google call, every truck decal, and every directory listing now rings her phone. That’s the problem this page prevents.

A local number has your area code. Google prefers it over a central helpline. Google’s guidelines also say premium numbers, the kind that charge callers extra, aren’t acceptable no matter the rate.

On Google Business Profile (GBP), you add one primary number. Google says you can add up to 2 more, for 3 in total. Mobile and landline numbers work. Fax numbers don’t.

Why it matters

You can lose the number. If someone else owns the account, you can’t stop them from keeping it.
Missed jobs. A number nobody answers is a dead end. People call the next business on the list.
Profile problems. Google’s guidelines say phone numbers must not send callers to numbers that aren’t the business’s own.
Mixed signals. Your phone number is one of the main facts search engines use to match listings to one business. If it changes from site to site, they have a harder time.

Who this applies to

Every business that lists a phone number anywhere. That’s nearly everyone.

Pay extra attention if:

You still use your personal cell for the business
An agency set up your phone line or call tracking
You use more than one number, such as a main line and a tracking line
You’re about to change phone providers

How to do it

Pick one main business number (see 12.3.1 Main Business Phone Number). A local area code is best.
Make sure the phone account is in the business’s name and that you, the owner, can log in (see 12.3.4 Call Ownership).
Write down the provider, account number, and who has access. Store it in your password manager and your Master Business Record (see 5 Master Business Record).
Set a clear voicemail greeting with your business name (see 12.4 Voicemail and Call Routing).
Call the number from an outside phone. Make sure it rings the right person and the voicemail works (see 12.7 Testing Communication Channels).
In GBP, select Edit profile, then Contact. Next to Phone number, select Edit. Enter the number and save.
Add up to 2 more numbers only if you need them, such as a second line for a separate office.
Use the exact same main number on your website, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, Facebook, and directories.
If you use call tracking, keep the tracking account in the business’s name (see 12.3.3 Call Tracking). Google’s phone help page doesn’t cover call tracking, so keep your main number on the profile too, as one of the additional numbers or as the primary.
Every few months, call the number from each major listing to make sure it still rings through.

What proof to keep

Your phone service agreement in the business’s name
A recent phone bill
A list of everyone who can log in to the phone account
A screenshot of the numbers on your GBP
Your citation list showing the number on each listing (see 14.4.6 Citation Records)

Keep these in your communication records. If anyone ever disputes who owns the number, the account paperwork settles it.

Common mistakes

Using a personal cell. It mixes personal and business life, and it’s hard to hand off later.
Letting a marketing company own the number. If you leave them, you may lose the number tied to years of listings.
Changing numbers often. Every change means updating every listing, truck, and business card.
Listing a number that rings a call center for many businesses. Google wants a number that connects to your business.
Never testing it. Calls can go to a full voicemail box for weeks before anyone notices.
Forgetting old numbers. An old number on a directory from five years ago may now belong to someone else.

When to get help from a pro

Your phone provider: to move the account into the business’s name or move a number to a new carrier. Questions to ask:

What do I need to prove the business owns this number?
Can I move this number to another carrier later?

A GBP specialist: if you want call tracking and aren’t sure how to set it up without causing listing problems.

Attorney: only if someone refuses to hand over a number the business paid for.

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short story or lesson here. For example, a client who lost their main number when they left an agency, or the first thing you check when calls from Google suddenly drop.]

If you’d rather have this done for you, SiteSmarty handles Google Business Profile setup.

How I did this for SiteSmarty

[Date I did this:]
[What I actually did, step by step: which number I chose for SiteSmarty and how I confirmed the business owns it]
[What it cost and how long it took:]
[What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
[Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: the GBP Contact screen and the phone account owner page]
[Result so far:]

Questions people ask

Can I use a toll-free number on Google? Google’s guidelines ask for a local number instead of a central call center line whenever possible. A local number is the safer choice for your main number.

Can I use my cell phone number? Yes, if it’s a line the business controls. A business-owned cell works. An employee’s personal cell is a bad idea.

How many numbers can I add? One primary number plus up to 2 more. Fax numbers aren’t allowed.

Can I hide my phone number on Google? Yes. Google’s help page says you can hide it. Most local businesses want calls, so think twice before you do.

Is call tracking allowed? Google’s phone help page doesn’t address it. If you use it, keep the tracking account in the business’s name and keep your main number on the profile.

Audit check

Question: Is the main phone number on the Google Business Profile a local number the business owns and controls, and is it the same on every listing?
Pass looks like: A local number in the business’s name, answered or routed to voicemail with the business name. The same main number on GBP, the website, and other listings. Owner login on file.
Fail looks like: An employee’s personal cell. A number owned by an agency. Different numbers on different sites. A premium rate number. A number that rings a full voicemail box.
Evidence to collect: Screenshot of the GBP Contact screen, a recent phone bill in the business’s name, the access list, and the citation list showing each listing’s number.

Where this fits

Do this first: 12.3.1 Main Business Phone Number, 12.3.4 Call Ownership, 14.1.3 Service Area

Do this next: 14.1.5 Email

Sources

Google Business Profile Help, "Guidelines for representing your business on Google" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Add your phone number" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Edit your Business Profile" (checked October 16, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.