business.google.com

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free platform from Google for businesses to create and manage online profiles. It's designed for local businesses, startups, and service providers with physical locations or service areas, helping them appear in Google Search, Maps, and the local 3-pack results. Users can add details like address, hours, photos, services, and posts, making it an essential tool for visibility when customers search for nearby options.

For SEO, it's invaluable for local search rankings and trust-building, driving high traffic potential from Google's dominant market share. Optimized profiles boost visibility in location-based queries, with 86% of views from category searches, and can generate calls, directions (66 users/month on average), and conversions—businesses in the local pack see up to 50% higher conversion rates. It provides a functional backlink to your website, supports NAP consistency for better rankings, and integrates with Google services for analytics and ads, though link type (dofollow/nofollow) isn't specified and Domain Rating is unknown. Active management enhances entity recognition, foot traffic, and credibility via reviews.

To get listed, visit business.google.com, click to start the form, and verify your business via postcard, phone, or email. Best practices: Keep info consistent across web and profile, add high-quality photos, encourage reviews, post regular updates/promotions, select accurate categories, and monitor Insights for performance. Follow Google's guidelines to avoid suspensions, and update for holidays or changes promptly.