How to Set Up a Google Business Profile in Australia

Before you create one, check if a listing already exists

Google often creates a basic Business Profile automatically when it detects that a business exists — from a mention in a directory, a website, or a map data source. Before you set up a new profile, search Google Maps for your business name and address. If a listing appears, it's yours to claim — not to create from scratch.

Claiming an existing listing is faster than building a new one, and it avoids creating a duplicate that you'll need to merge later. Merging duplicate profiles is possible but slow, and a duplicate listing can confuse customers and dilute your reviews in the meantime.

How to claim an existing listing

If your business appears in Google Maps, click on it and look for the 'Claim this business' or 'Own this business?' link. You'll be asked to sign in with a Google account — use one you control and will keep long-term. A Google Workspace account tied to your business domain is more appropriate than a personal Gmail.

If someone else has already claimed the listing — a previous owner, a franchisor, or an employee who's left — you'll need to go through a transfer request with Google. This can take a week or more, and Google may ask you to document your ownership: an ABN registration, a recent utility bill at the address, or a lease agreement.

Creating a new listing from scratch

If no listing exists, go to business.google.com and follow the prompts to add your business. You'll need a Google account, your business name, primary category, address or service area, and a phone number or website to proceed.

The category question matters more than it looks. It's one of the highest-weight signals Google uses to decide whether your profile is relevant to a search. Choose the primary category that most precisely describes what you do — a plumber should select 'Plumber', not 'Contractor'. You can add secondary categories for additional services once the profile is live.

Verification: what to expect in Australia

Google requires you to verify that you're a legitimate representative of the business before the profile goes fully live. The available methods vary by business type and location. Common options in Australia include:

• Postcard by mail — Google sends a physical card with a verification code to your business address, typically within five to fourteen business days. This is the most common method for new profiles.
• Phone or email — some accounts are eligible for a code sent to your business phone number or email address. This is faster but not available to all businesses.
• Video call — Google occasionally offers live video verification for certain business types, where a support agent confirms your premises.
• Instant verification — if you've already verified the same website in Google Search Console using the same Google account, you may qualify to skip the postcard step.

While you wait: fill in the profile

Your profile is editable before verification is complete, and edits take effect once you're verified. Use the waiting period to fill everything in so the profile is complete the moment it goes live.

The fields that carry the most weight early on:

• Business name — your actual trading name, nothing added. Google's guidelines prohibit inserting city names, keywords, or slogans into the business name field.
• Address or service area — if you work from home or visit customers on-site, you can hide your physical address and define a service area by postcode or suburb instead.
• Opening hours — including public holidays and any seasonal changes. Wrong hours frustrate customers and undermine trust.
• Business description — two or three sentences explaining what you do, who you serve, and what makes you different. Write for a person, not an algorithm.
• Services or products, with brief plain-language descriptions.
• Phone number and website URL.

After verification: the three things to do first

Once verified, your profile is live and eligible to appear in Google Search and Maps. Three things to do immediately:

Add photos. Profiles with real, current photos receive more engagement than those without. At minimum: your shopfront or signage, and a couple of images of your work or team. Refresh these periodically — a profile whose newest photo is years old signals uncertainty about whether the business is still active.

Get your direct review link. Google provides a short URL that takes customers straight to the review submission box — find it under 'Get more reviews' in your Business Profile dashboard. This is the link to share in follow-up messages, on receipts, and on your website.

Seed the Q&A section. Anyone can post questions on your profile, and anyone can answer them. Add the questions your customers most commonly ask, and answer them yourself — before a well-meaning stranger does it with outdated information.