Your Google Business Profile is what puts you in the Google Maps local pack. It is completely free. This guide shows you exactly how to set it up properly.
When someone in Ghana searches Google for a service near them — a salon, a plumber, a restaurant, a lawyer — the first thing they see is not a list of websites. It is a map with three business listings pinned on it.
That three-pack, known as the Google Maps local pack, is the most valuable real estate in local search. Your Google Business Profile is what puts you in that map pack. It is completely free.
What Is a Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is Google's free tool that allows you to manage how your business appears in Google Search and Google Maps. It shows your business name, category, address, phone number, website, opening hours, customer reviews, photos, services, and posts.
Step 1 — Claim or Create Your Profile
Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account. Search for your business name. If a listing already exists, claim it. If not, click "Add your business to Google" and create it from scratch.
Step 2 — Verify Your Profile
Google requires verification to confirm your business is real. For most businesses in Ghana, verification is done by postcard — typically within 5–14 days. Do not try to skip verification. An unverified profile has almost no ranking power.
Step 3 — Complete Every Single Field
Business Description: Write 250–750 words describing what you do, who you serve, and where you are located. Naturally include keywords your customers search for.
Category: Your primary category is the single most important ranking signal. Choose the most specific, accurate category available.
Services: Add every service you offer with a name and description.
Photos: Add at minimum a profile photo, a cover photo, and 5–10 photos of your business. Profiles with photos receive significantly more calls.
Hours: Keep these accurate and update them for public holidays.
Website: Link to your actual website — not your Facebook page.
Step 4 — Collect Genuine Google Reviews
Reviews are one of the strongest local ranking signals. The simplest way to get reviews is to ask satisfied customers directly. Send them your Google review link via WhatsApp after completing a job.
- Never pay for reviews
- Never ask friends or family to leave fake reviews
- Always respond to every review — positive and negative — professionally
Step 5 — Post Regularly
Post at least once per week. Ideas: a completed project, a service highlight, a team update, a seasonal offer, or an answer to a commonly asked question.
What to Avoid
Fake address: Will get your profile suspended. Keyword stuffing in your business name: Google prohibits this. Ignoring your profile after setup: An inactive profile loses ranking over time.