How to Link Google My Business to AdWords

Want your business address, phone number, and stellar star rating to show up directly in your paid search ads? Linking your Google Business Profile to Google Ads is exactly how you do it, turning your standard text ads into powerful, information-rich local marketing tools. This article will show you why this connection is a non-negotiable for any local business and give you step-by-step instructions to get it done right.

The ‘Why’ Behind the Connection: Powerful Benefits for Your Ads

Connecting these two platforms isn't just a technical task, it's a strategic move that fundamentally improves your ad performance, especially if you serve customers at a physical location. When you link them, you enable what are called Location Extensions on your search ads. This automatically enhances your ads with valuable local signals, giving you a serious competitive advantage.

Here’s what that actually means for your bottom line:

• Better Visibility and Higher Click-Through Rates (CTR): Ads with location extensions are bigger and more visually appealing. They take up more screen real estate and immediately provide useful information like a map pin, business address, and distance from the user. This makes your ad stand out from the competition, naturally leading to more clicks.
• Improved Ad Credibility and Trust: Nothing says "real business" like a physical address and customer reviews. Location extensions pull your average star rating from your Google Business Profile and display it right in your ad. A visible 4.7-star rating with hundreds of reviews instantly builds trust and tells potential customers that you're a reputable choice before they even visit your website.
• High-Intent Local Traffic: When someone is searching for "emergency plumber near me" or "best tacos in Brooklyn," they are ready to act. By showing them your location upfront, you attract highly qualified clicks from people who are geographically able to become your customer. You’re not just getting a click, you're getting a potential visitor.
• Seamless User Experience: Instead of making users click a link, find your contact page, and copy your address into their maps app, you give them everything in one tap. A location extension can show your phone number (with a click-to-call button on mobile), your business hours, and a direct link to directions in Google Maps. Reducing friction like this is a tiny detail that makes a huge difference in conversions.
• Actionable Performance Data: This connection isn’t a one-way street. Google Ads will report back on how users interact with your location extension. You’ll see data on how many people clicked for directions, called your business directly from the ad, or visited your Business Profile page. This gives you clear insight into how your ads are driving real-world actions.

Getting Your Ducks in a Row: What You Need First

Before jumping into the setup process, let's make sure you have the basics in place. Having these things ready will make the linking process smooth and instant.

A Quick Note: Google My Business is Now Google Business Profile

You’ll often see "Google My Business" (GMB) and "Google Business Profile" (GBP) used interchangeably. To clear things up: Google rebranded the platform in 2021. The tool you're using today to manage your local listing is called Google Business Profile. Think of them as the same thing, but GBP is the current, correct term. The core function is the same, and the linking process works just as it always has.

The Prerequisites Checklist

Take a minute to confirm you have each of these things sorted out:

• An active Google Ads account: This one’s straightforward. You need a functioning Google Ads account to run ads from.
• An active and verified Google Business Profile: Your GBP must be fully set up and, most importantly, verified by Google. An unverified profile cannot be linked. If your profile is suspended or disabled for any reason, you'll need to resolve those issues first.
• Administrative access to BOTH accounts: You need to have administrative permissions on both the Google Ads account and the Google Business Profile you want to link.
• The Simplifier: Using the same email address. The easiest, fastest way to do this is to manage both your Google Ads and your Google Business Profile with the same Google account (email address). If they're under different emails, it's still possible - it just requires one extra step. We'll cover both methods below.

The Main Event: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Linking Your Accounts

There are two primary ways to set up the connection. The first is nearly automatic and takes just a few clicks, while the second involves sending an access request, which is perfect for agencies or teams where different people manage different platforms.

Method 1: The Automated Link (When You Use the Same Email Account)

This is the preferred method whenever possible. If the same Google account has admin-level access to both your Google Ads and your Google Business Profile, Google will pre-approve the connection, making your job incredibly simple.

Follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account. Go to ads.google.com and log in.
2. Navigate to your Extensions. In the main navigation menu on the left side of the screen, find and click on "Ads & extensions," and then from its drop-down menu, select "Extensions."
3. Add a new Location Extension. Click the big blue plus (+) button. A list of extension types will appear. Select "Location extension."
4. Select your Business Profile. Because you're logged in with the same email, Google Ads will often say, "I see you're managing this Business Profile..." It should automatically find and display the profiles associated with your account. Simply find the correct Business Profile (or Manager Account containing the profile) from the list presented.
5. Confirm and Save. Check the box next to your desired profile and click "Continue." You'll be asked to confirm, and once you hit "Save" or "Finish," you're done!

That's it. Your location extension is now active. It may take a little while for it to be approved and start showing up with your ads, but the technical T's have been crossed.

Method 2: Linking From a Different Account (When Emails Don’t Match)

This method is used when, for example, a marketing agency manages the Google Ads account, but the business owner manages the Google Business Profile. In this case, you simply request access.

Here’s how the Google Ads account manager initiates the process:

1. Follow steps 1-3 from Method 1. Sign into Google Ads, navigate to "Ads & extensions" >, "Extensions," and click the blue + button to add a "Location extension."
2. Link to a different account. Since Google Ads won't find a matching profile under your email, you’ll want to select the option to "Link to a Business Profile account I know."
3. Enter the GBP manager's email. You'll be prompted to enter the email address of the person who manages the Google Business Profile. Type in their email and click "Send request."

Now, the ball is in the other court. The person who manages the Google Business Profile will receive an email notification about the linking request. To approve it, they need to:

4. Log into their Google Business Profile. They can do this by searching for "my business" on Google while logged into their account or by going to business.google.com.
5. Find the Linked Accounts section. Inside their GBP dashboard, they should look for a "Linked accounts" menu option.
6. Approve the request. Inside "Linked accounts," they will see a pending request from your Google Ads account (identified by its 10-digit customer ID). All they have to do is click "Approve."

Once approved, the connection is complete, and your location extensions will be eligible to run.

Beyond the Link: Troubleshooting and Best Practices

Linking the accounts is usually the easy part. The real work is maximizing the value of your location extensions and knowing what to do if things don't go as planned.

Is It Working? And Why Isn't My Extension Showing?

You can confirm the link status by going back to the "Extensions" section in Google Ads. Beside your Location extension, you should see a green "Enabled" status. However, just because it’s enabled doesn't guarantee it will show 100% of the time. Ad extensions are shown at Google's discretion, based on a few factors:

• Ad Rank: Your ad needs a high enough Ad Rank (a score based on your bid, ad quality, and expected click-through rate) to be eligible for extensions.
• User's Location & Intent: Google is more likely to show a location extension to a user who is physically close to your business or who uses location-specific terms in their search (e.g., "near me," "in [city name]").
• Device: Extensions show differently across mobile and desktop. A mobile search is more likely to show prominent click-to-call and directions buttons.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• "My Business Profile isn't appearing as an option." In 99% of cases, this is an access issue. Go back to the prerequisites: verify that the email address you're using in Google Ads has administrative access (not just manager access) to the GBP. Also, confirm the profile is fully verified and not suspended.
• "The account owner never received the linking request email." First, have them check their spam folder. Second, triple-check that you typed their email address correctly in the request. If all else fails, cancel the pending request in your Google Ads dashboard and send a new one.
• "My extension shows the wrong information." The ad extension simply pulls data from your Google Business Profile. If your address, phone number, or hours are wrong in the ad, it's because they're wrong on your GBP. Log into your profile and update it immediately. The changes will sync with a little time.

Best Practices for Better Results

To really make your location extensions sing, treat your Google Business Profile like a second home page.

• Keep it Fresh and Accurate: Your business hours, address, and phone number should always be 100% accurate. Use Google Posts to share updates, upload new high-quality photos regularly, and answer questions in the Q&A section.
• Obsess Over Reviews: The star rating is the most eye-catching part of your location extension. Actively ask happy customers for reviews. Respond professionally to all reviews - both positive and negative - to show you're an engaged business owner.
• Choose the Right Level: You can apply location extensions at the account, campaign, or ad group level. For most local businesses, applying it at the account level is the smartest default. This makes the extension eligible for all your campaigns. Only switch to the campaign or ad group level if you have multiple locations and different campaigns targeted around each one.

Final Thoughts

Connecting your Google Business Profile to Google Ads is a simple setup that unlocks a massive advantage for any business that relies on local traffic. It makes your ads far more useful and trustworthy, bridging the gap between an online search and a real-world purchase directly from the ad itself.

While a great local ad strategy brings new customers in, a strong social media presence builds the community that keeps them coming back. We built Postbase with the simple goal of removing the daily chaos of social media management. By combining a beautiful visual content calendar, rock-solid scheduling across all platforms (including Reels and Shorts), a unified inbox for all your comments and DMs, and clear analytics, we give you a central hub to manage every aspect of your brand's social presence and save you hours every week.