How a Google Business Profile helps your business get found

In the bustling business landscape standing out online can make all the difference; whether you're setting up business in your own workspace, an office or a serviced office, joining a co-working community, or opting to work flexibly, be a work nomad or going hybrid with a virtual office business address, getting discovered by potential clients is essential. That's where a Google Business Profile (GBP) comes in – a powerful tool from Google that boosts your visibility on Search and Maps. In this post, we'll explore why it's important and walk through the key steps from our comprehensive guide to setting one up, helping you drive more footfall and enquiries to your business profile.

Why a Google Business Profile Matters for Your Business

First things first: visibility is everything. With millions of searches happening daily for services, a well-optimised GBP ensures your business appears prominently when people look for terms like "PR agency in Nottingham" or "marketing services near me". It's not just about being found – it's about building trust. Customers see your address, photos, reviews, and contact details at a glance, making it easier for them to choose you over competitors.

For start up, newer or smaller businesses, especially if you're in a flexible workspace, a GBP offers tangible benefits. It improves local SEO, meaning higher rankings in search results without hefty marketing spends. It also integrates with Google Maps, guiding clients straight to you – perfect if you're based in or linked to one of our central Nottingham locations. Plus, in a world where remote and hybrid work is the norm, a professional online presence reassures partners that you're established and accessible. In short, it's a low-effort way to amplify your reach, attract leads, and grow your network in a competitive city like Nottingham.

Getting Started: Claiming and Verifying Your Profile

Our guide kicks off with the basics: claiming your business. Head to google.com/business and search for your company name. If it doesn't appear, create a new listing by entering key details like your business name, category (eg "Marketing Agency"), and physical address. For co-workers, hybrid or virtual office users, use a Nottingham business virtual address service to project a prime city-centre image, even if you're working remotely.

Verification is next and non-negotiable for security so if you have permanent premises, what Google calls a “store front”, then Google may sometimes send a postcard with a code to your address, though phone or email options might be available for some but they ask for more proof of an actual permanent presence by requesting that you take and submit not only photos but an actual video of your premises; this step usually takes 1-2 weeks, but can unlock more features.

However if you do not own actual permanent premises the “store front” option cannot be used, so if you are in shared space, co-working, or have a virtual address you must not click that you have a “store front” which is where you literally "serve customers" at your business address. So, don’t enter an address under the "Info" tab when setting yourself up in Business Profile Manager, leave the "business location" field blank and instead fix a Service Area - though check your eligibility with Google directly because their guidelines can change - but broadly your business needs to be a service area business which they say is:

• A business that visits or delivers a service to customers directly, but doesn't serve customers at your own physical business address

So if your business is not permanently based in premises with you or your people in attendance onsite plus doesn't have on it some permanent on-site signage that can be videoed to show it, then it is not eligible as a “store front” business and so should instead be listed as a Service Area business. This does not mean that Google can’t find you, or that you don’t need a business address, it simply means they put your business in a broader geographical category and they don’t try to send customers to an actual front door or shop front which would be an error and would harm their own credentials as a reliable source of information!

Top tip: if you set up your profile incorrectly it can take a few attempts and time to change things later as Google flags it as a problem entry so get it right first time!

Optimising Your Profile for Maximum Impact

Optimisation is where the magic happens. Start with your business description: keep it concise, around 750 characters, highlighting what sets you apart, like "flexible marketing solutions in Nottingham's creative heart, from a single promotion to a long term marketing campaign" and add high-quality photos of your work – what you’ve done before or letting people see your team at work and at play - visuals increase engagement by up to 42%.

Specify your services like (in this “marketing” example) specialising in print or digital or web design or social media strategy which help in filtered searches. List your services clearly, such as "printing”, "online marketing", “press enquiries and PR” then using the Google settings on their online pages portal to set accurate opening hours, including any holiday adjustments, to avoid frustrating potential enquiries.

Engaging with Customers: Reviews, Posts, and Insights

Interaction keeps your profile alive so encourage reviews – positive ones build credibility, and responding to all (even negative ones - but sensibly) shows professionalism. Use your regular posts for updates: share news like "New SEO tips for your website - get a review of it today!" with images and calls-to-action. These appear in search results, keeping you top-of-mind in searches.

Finally, dive into the Insights feature, track views, searches, and actions (like website clicks or calls) to refine your strategy. For example if "directions" requests spike, it might signal strong local interest in your location for what you do.

Common Pitfalls and Best Practices

Avoid mistakes like incomplete info or ignoring to do your updates – Google penalises stale profiles. For multi-location businesses, manage each separately. And remember, while GBP is free, investing time pays off. If you're unsure, contact some digital marketing specialists in Nottingham who offer help setting up your Google Business Profile and will optimise it to your business needs.

In conclusion, a Google Business Profile isn't just a listing; it's your digital storefront. By following our guide's steps – claiming, verifying, optimising, and engaging – you'll enhance discoverability, foster connections, and support growth. Whether you're in a traditional business with a workplace, with offices or shops or a salon, or you’ve a virtual address for presence and maybe using pay-as-you-go coworking, you still need a strong front face and this tool levels the playing field.

Final top tip: if you ignore managing your own storefront then the algorithms usually end up filling in the gap by finding an address online anyway and that might be something very old or embarrassing if it’s your home address or even worse your mum’s address - have you taken a look at any bloopers lately, if not do!

Legal Statement on working with Google: for the provision of any services NG1 Group provide, including workspace, office and virtual office and any other address service we work strictly subject to Google terms & conditions as they publish it online and no direct endorsement by Google of any of our services is suggested or implied; for you to work with Google when using our services you need to be aware of and follow their guidelines which are regularly updated so can change.