When someone in Obuasi searches “tailor near me” or “phone repairs Adum”, Google shows a map with a few businesses at the top. Those listings come from Google Business Profile, a free tool. If your business is not there, those customers go to someone else.
What a Business Profile gives you
- A pin on Google Maps so people can get directions to you.
- Your phone number, opening hours and website or WhatsApp link.
- Photos of your shop and products.
- Customer reviews, which build trust with new buyers.
How to set it up
- Use a Google account you will keep for the business. A Gmail address is fine.
- Go to google.com/business and choose to add your business.
- Enter your business name exactly as customers see it on your sign.
- Choose the right category, such as “Bakery” or “Car repair”. This affects which searches you appear in.
- Add your location. Place the pin precisely. If you only deliver and have no shop customers can visit, you can choose to show a service area instead of an address.
- Add contact details: phone number and website or WhatsApp link.
- Verify your business. Google asks you to confirm you are the owner. The method varies; follow the steps it shows you. Your profile only appears fully once verified.
Make your profile stand out
- Add good photos: the shop front so people recognise it, the inside, your products and your team.
- Set accurate opening hours, including holidays. Few things annoy customers more than arriving at a closed shop.
- Write a clear description of what you sell and who you serve, in plain words.
- List your products or services with prices where possible.
Reviews: the part that brings customers
People trust what other customers say. After a good sale, politely ask the customer to leave a short review, and send them the review link from your profile. Reply to every review, thank people for the good ones, and answer complaints calmly. Our guide on handling complaints and bad reviews shows how. Never buy fake reviews; they break Google’s rules and customers can usually tell.
Keep it fresh
Add new photos every month, post updates about offers or new stock, and correct anything that changes, such as a new phone number. Active profiles tend to perform better than forgotten ones.
Want help setting up your profile, or getting found online generally? That is part of what EDOKAN Digital does.
