"Accountant near me", "cafe in Baku", "website development" — for searches like these, people often see results on Google Maps. The main tool for making sure your business appears there correctly and with complete information is Google Business Profile. In this article, based on Google's official help pages, we explain what the profile offers and what local results depend on.
What is Google Business Profile?
With Google Business Profile you can manage how your business shows up on Google Maps and Search. Google does not charge for this profile. You can add the following to the profile:
- opening hours;
- website and phone number;
- address;
- photos and videos.
You can also reply to reviews written by customers. Once the profile is verified, you can make changes to it.
What does local ranking on Google Maps depend on?
According to Google, local results are mainly based on three factors:
| Factor | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Relevance | How well the profile matches the user's search |
| Distance | How close the searcher is to the business |
| Prominence | How well known the business is |
Why is it important to complete your profile fully?
The "relevance" factor is directly tied to the content of your profile. The more complete and accurate the information, the better Google understands which searches your business matches. In practice:
- Enter your real address, phone number and opening hours, and update them when they change.
- Add your website address.
- Upload good-quality photos of your premises and your work.
- Reply to reviews politely.
Structured data on your website
In addition to Google Business Profile, your website itself can give Google clear information about your business. Structured data is a standardised format for providing information about a page and classifying its content. If your site's setup allows it, Google recommends using the JSON-LD format.
For example, marking up your company name, address and contact details in this format helps Google understand the page more accurately.
Summary
- Google Business Profile lets you manage how your business appears on Google Maps and Search.
- You can add opening hours, website, phone, address, photos and videos, and reply to reviews.
- Local results are based on relevance, distance and prominence.
- There is no way to pay for a better local ranking on Google.
- For structured data on your website, Google recommends the JSON-LD format.
If you would like to set up your website and how it appears on Google together, message us on WhatsApp: +994 77 768 10 12
📚 Sources
🌐 The original article is in Azerbaijani; the official sources are available in Azerbaijani.
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