Google Business Profile setup for Irish businesses (2026)

Google Business Profile (GBP — formerly Google My Business) is the most valuable free marketing tool an Irish small business has. It powers the Map Pack at the top of local searches, feeds Google Maps, and surfaces in voice search. Done right, it can outperform a paid Google Ads budget. Here's the 2026 setup.

Step 1: Create or claim your profile

Go to business.google.com and sign in with the email you want to control the profile from (use a business email, not a personal Gmail). Search for your business — if it already exists (Google often auto-creates profiles), claim it. Otherwise create it.

Step 2: Verification

Verification is the step that trips people up. Google decides which methods you're offered — video recording, live video call, phone, email or a postcard by mail. Most postcards arrive within 14 days and the code expires after 30. Video (you record a short walk-through of your premises) is usually faster. Choose video if it appears.

Step 3: Categories

Pick one primary category that's as specific as possible ("Italian restaurant" beats "restaurant"). Then add any secondary categories that genuinely apply. Categories are the strongest ranking signal in the profile — get them right.

Step 4: Services and products

Fill in the Services section in detail. Each service can have a description — write 1–2 sentences each. This is content Google reads and matches against searches.

Step 5: Photos

• Logo and cover photo — branded, high quality.
• Exterior — recognisable from the street.
• Interior — bright, current.
• Team — real people, not stock photos.
• Products or work — at least 10 examples.

Add a new photo or two every month.

Step 6: Opening hours (and special hours)

Set normal hours, then add special hours for every Irish public holiday — New Year's Day, St Brigid's Day, St Patrick's Day, Easter Monday, the May, June, August and October bank holidays, Christmas Day and Stephen's Day. Customers see them in search results; wrong hours kill trust fast.

Step 7: Posts

Post weekly. Updates, offers, new products, behind-the-scenes. Posts no longer disappear after 7 days, and the activity signal compounds.

Step 8: Q&A has gone — keep your details accurate

Google removed public Q&A from Business Profiles in November 2025. Questions are now answered by AI drawing on your profile, website and reviews, so keep your services, hours and website accurate.

Step 9: Reviews — request them properly

In your GBP dashboard, get the short review link (it's under "Get more reviews"). Send it to customers via email or text after every job. Reply to every review, positive and negative, within a few days.

What to skip

• The "Description" field — Google barely uses it for ranking.
• Booking integrations unless you use a supported partner.
• Multiple profiles for one location — gets you suspended.

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