Google Business Profile
The Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a company’s free listing in Google Search and Google Maps with address, opening hours, photos, services and reviews.
For searches with a regional focus — such as “advertising agency Ingolstadt” — Google often shows a map with three businesses, even before the normal results. Who appears there depends heavily on the business profile.
What matters are complete and correct details, the right category, current photos, regular posts and above all genuine customer reviews — including the business’s replies.
The details should match the website, legal notice and business directories exactly; discrepancies in name, address or phone number weaken local visibility.
What to look out for
- Claim and verify the profile, choose the primary category carefully.
- Enter name, address and phone number exactly as in the legal notice.
- Fill in services, opening hours, photos and description completely.
- Actively ask satisfied customers for a review — for example with a link after project completion.
- Reply to every review, including critical ones — factually and promptly.
Common mistakes
- Keywords are stuffed into the business name, which does not match the real name.
- Reviews remain unanswered.
- Several profiles for the same business.
Frequently asked questions
No, the profile itself is free.
By asking satisfied customers directly and at the right moment, for example after project completion, with a direct review link. Google prohibits bought or fake reviews and they damage trust.