Google Business Profile help for local businesses
Help customers find and understand your business on Google
Your Google Business Profile can show important information about your business when people find it on Google Search and Maps.
Ember Harbour can help you set up or improve that information so it is accurate, useful and easier for customers to act on.
Customers use it to check
What is a Google Business Profile?
A Google Business Profile is the business information that can appear on Google Search and Maps. Customers can see things like what you do, where you work, your opening hours, phone number, website, photos and reviews.
The profile itself is a Google product available at no extra cost. Ember Harbour is an independent business and is not part of Google. The service fee covers the time and work involved in reviewing, setting up or improving your profile and explaining what has been done.
Not every business is eligible. Google normally requires an eligible business to meet customers in person, either at a genuine customer-facing location or where the customer is located. Eligibility and verification remain Google’s decisions.
- Search nearbyA customer looks for a suitable local business
- Check the informationClear details help them understand the business
- Choose what to do nextThey can call, visit or continue to the website
What Ember Harbour can help with
The agreed work may include:
- Checking whether the business appears eligible for a profile
- Reviewing an existing profile or helping set up a new one
- Checking the public business name and core contact information
- Selecting a suitable primary category and a small number of relevant additional categories
- Adding or improving services and descriptions
- Setting accurate service areas for an eligible service-area business
- Checking regular and special hours
- Connecting the agreed phone, website and contact options
- Preparing the direct Google review link
- Providing basic recommendations for photos, updates and handover
Agreed before changes are made
The exact work depends on what is already in place and what Google makes available for the business type. Any changes are agreed with you before they are made.
What is not included automatically
Normal setup and optimisation does not automatically include:
- Suspension or restriction recovery
- Ownership disputes or unauthorised-access problems
- Difficult or repeated verification work
- Ongoing posts, photo production or review replies
- A website, wider directory work or broader work to improve local search visibility
- Guaranteed rankings, calls, enquiries or visibility in every service area
Google controls profile eligibility, verification methods, review publication, edits and search results. Categories and other material changes can sometimes lead to additional checks or reverification.
Local results are not based on profile completion alone. Google says they are mainly influenced by relevance, distance and prominence. No third party can buy or guarantee a better local position.
Selected recovery work may be considered after a separate review, but it is not part of the £225 starting service.
Your business keeps control
The business owner should remain the primary owner of the Google Business Profile. Ember Harbour should normally be invited as a manager using a separate Google Account, so passwords and security codes do not need to be shared.
Your business
Remains the primary owner, controls access and approves important changes.
Ember Harbour
Receives manager access for the agreed work without needing your password or security codes.
You will be told about the proposed changes and can remove Ember Harbour’s access when the agreed work is complete. Your profile is not held hostage as part of the service.
Google requires third-party providers to explain that Business Profile is available at no extra cost, be transparent about their fees and changes, obtain consent before managing a profile and let the client retain ownership or co-ownership.
What you will need to do
The best arrangement is for you to take control from the beginning. Ember Harbour can guide you through each step, but you will need to:
- Use or create a Google Account controlled by your business; this can use an existing business email address and does not have to be a Gmail address
- Retain primary ownership of the Business Profile and invite Ember Harbour as a manager where access is needed
- Provide accurate business details, service information, hours, service areas, contact details and genuine supporting evidence
- Review and approve important information and proposed changes
- Complete Google’s verification through your own account, device or business premises where required, with guidance from Ember Harbour where useful
- Keep your account recovery information and two-step verification under your control
If you need more help at the beginning, Ember Harbour can assist with setting up the profile and arranging access. Ownership will still be placed with your business and handed over as early as Google allows. Passwords, security codes and verification evidence should not be handed over for Ember Harbour to control on your behalf.
Want to get started yourself?
Google Business Profile is available at no extra cost, and you can set up or claim your profile without hiring Ember Harbour. These are the main steps:
1
Use a business-controlled Google Account. You can create one with an existing business email address; it does not have to use Gmail.
2
Add or claim the Business Profile. Check first whether a profile already exists, then enter accurate information about the real business.
3
Complete Google’s verification. Google decides which verification methods are available. Complete the requested checks through your own account, device or business premises.
4
Invite help without sharing your password. Open the profile’s People and access settings and invite the manager email supplied for the agreed work with the Manager role.
Google can change the names and positions of controls. If your screen looks different, use Google’s current instructions rather than sending a password or verification code.
Get started with Google Business ProfileManage owners and managers
What the work normally involves
1
Check the starting position
Review whether a profile already exists, who controls it and whether the business appears eligible.
2
Put the owner in control
Use a business-controlled Google Account and arrange manager access without sharing passwords.
3
Agree the work and permission
Confirm the useful work, fixed price and written consent before Ember Harbour manages the profile.
4
Review or set up the details
Work through the agreed categories, services, areas, hours, contact options and supporting information.
5
Complete owner-led verification
You complete Google’s required checks and supply genuine evidence directly, with guidance where useful.
6
Explain and hand over
Review what was changed, provide the agreed recommendations and remove Ember Harbour’s access when it is no longer needed.
Timings depend partly on access, the existing profile and Google’s review or verification process. Ember Harbour cannot control Google’s timescales.
Starting price and scope
From £225
The typical price is £225–£395. The final fixed price depends on whether the profile is new or existing, the quality of the current information, access and the amount of straightforward setup or improvement required.
Recovery, ownership disputes, difficult verification and work outside the accepted scope need a separate review and price.
Normal one-off projects require 50% before booking or starting, with the remaining 50% due before final handover. Any approved third-party cost is paid in advance.
Not sure whether the profile is the problem?
Your Google Business Profile may be only one part of the issue. Your website, business information, reviews or enquiry route may also need attention.
Start with a free online business check if you would like a useful first look at what customers can find. I call this a Local Visibility Snapshot. If you already know you need Google Business Profile help, tell me about the business and what you are trying to improve.