How to Set Up Google My Business for a Client

Setting up a Google Business Profile for a client is one of the most impactful things you can do for their local online presence. It’s what puts them on the map - literally - and serves as a digital storefront for customers looking for their products or services. This guide gives you the full playbook for setting up, verifying, and optimizing a new profile before handing the keys over to your client for a smooth transition.

Why a Google Business Profile is a Game-Changer for Local Businesses

Before jumping into the step-by-step, it's worth reminding your client (and yourself) why this is so important. A Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business or GMB) isn't just another social media account. It’s a powerful, free tool that directly influences how a business appears in Google Search and on Google Maps.

Think about it: when someone searches for "best coffee near me" or "plumber in Brooklyn," the first thing they see is the "map pack" - a trio of Business Profiles with reviews, hours, and photos. Being in that pack means discoverability, trust, and, most importantly, new customers. A well-optimized profile drives phone calls, website clicks, photo views, and in-person foot traffic. For any local business, it’s non-negotiable.

Phase 1: Pre-Setup Checklist - Gathering the Right Information

Success starts with preparation. Kicking off the process without all the necessary information from your client leads to delays and endless back-and-forth emails. Set yourself up for a smooth build by getting everything you need upfront.

Have a kickoff call with your client.

Start with a brief call to explain what a Google Business Profile is, why it matters, and what information you’ll need from them. When clients understand the "why," they are much quicker to provide the "what." Let them know to expect a verification step, especially the possibility of a postcard arriving in the mail, so they can keep an eye out for it.

Create a shared intake document.

Use a Google Doc, Notion page, or a simple spreadsheet to list out every piece of information you need. This gives the client a clear checklist and keeps all the details organized in one central place. It looks professional and makes your job much easier.

Essential information to collect:

• Exact Business Name: The official, legal name of the business as it appears on signage and legal documents. No keyword stuffing (e.g., "Joe's Pizza" not "Joe's Pizza - Best Italian Food in Miami").
• Primary Business Category: This is a critical field. Help your client choose from Google's list. Pick the *most specific* category that accurately describes their main business (e.g., "Landscaper" is better than "Home Services"). You can add secondary categories later.
• Location Details:
  • For storefronts: The full, accurate physical address customers can visit.
  • For service-area businesses (SABs): If they visit customers (like a plumber or cleaning service) but don't have a physical storefront, you'll need a list of the cities, postal codes, or general regions they serve.
• Phone Number: The main business phone line. Consistency across all online listings is a big plus for local SEO.
• Website URL: The link to their business website.
• Official Business Hours: Day-by-day hours of operation, including any breaks for lunch.
• Detailed Business Description: Don't let your client just write one sentence. You need a rich, 750-character description that explains who they are, what they do, what makes them unique, and who they serve. You can always help write or polish this later.
• Services or Products: A list of their main offerings, ideally with short descriptions and prices for each.
• Photos & Videos: Ask for high-quality images. A good starting list includes a logo, a cover photo, exterior shots (from different angles), interior photos, and team photos. The more, the better.

Phase 2: The Step-by-Step Setup Process

With all your information gathered, you’re ready to build the profile. If you manage multiple clients, it’s best to do this from a dedicated agency email address rather than your personal Gmail account.

1. Start the profile creation.

Head over to google.com/business and click "Manage now." You'll be prompted to find and manage your client's business. Type in the full business name.

2. Enter the business name and category.

If the business doesn't appear, you'll be able to create a new profile. Enter the exact business name you collected. After that, start typing the primary business category - Google will provide options to choose from. Pick the most accurate one.

3. Handle the business location.

This is where you’ll follow one of two paths based on your client’s business type:

• For Physical Storefronts: When Google asks, "Do you want to add a location customers can visit, like a store or office?" select "Yes." Enter the full address accurately. It’s important this matches their official mailing address exactly.
• For Service-Area Businesses (SABs): If they are a plumber, mobile dog groomer, or landscaper without a physical office for customers, select "No." Google will then prompt you to add the service areas you defined earlier (e.g., "Austin, TX", "Round Rock", "Zip Code 78704"). Note: Do not use a home address here unless it’s a registered business location where they accept clients.

4. Add contact information.

Enter the business phone number and website URL you gathered initially. This information will be prominently displayed on the profile.

5. Complete the verification process.

No profile goes live until it’s verified. This proves to Google that the business is legitimate and located where you say it is. The verification options can vary, but here are the most common:

• Postcard by Mail: This is the default method. Google will mail a physical postcard with a verification code to the business address. It usually arrives in 5-7 business days. Triple-check that you’ve warned your client this postcard is coming and is not junk mail. Once it arrives, you or your client will log in and enter the code.
• Phone Call or Text: Some businesses are eligible to receive an automated call or text to their business number with a code.
• Email Verification: A less common option, where a code is sent to a business email address associated with the website's domain (e.g., info@clientwebsite.com).
• Video Verification: This is becoming more frequent. It involves a live video upload or call with a Google representative where you (or your client) must show proof of the business location, signage, equipment, and sometimes a business license. Always have your client ready for this possibility.

Phase 3: Optimizing the Profile for A+ Performance

A verified profile is just the beginning. The real value comes from making it a rich, helpful resource for potential customers. Google rewards businesses that fill out their profiles completely.

Flesh out every single section.

Go through the dashboard and fill out anything that's empty. Add your services with detailed descriptions, list products with photos and prices, and check off all relevant attributes. Attributes are quick tags that give customers at-a-glance info, like "Women-led," "Free Wi-Fi," or "Wheelchair accessible."

Craft an engaging business description.

Use the full 750 characters. The first 250 are the most important as they show up before the "view more" cut-off. Focus on what makes the business unique. Tell their story. Use keywords naturally, but write for humans first and foremost.

Upload high-quality media.

Visuals build trust. Upload all the photos your client sent you and organize them into the proper categories (cover, logo, interior, exterior, at work). Encourage your client to continually add new, fresh photos. The more recent and high-quality your images are, the better.

Enable the messaging feature.

This allows customers to send a direct message to the business right from the profile. It's a fantastic conversion tool, but with one major caveat: responsiveness is critical. If your client agrees to turn it on, they need to commit to responding quickly. Google actually tracks and displays your average response time.

Make frequent use of Google Posts.

Think of Google Posts as a mini-blog or social media feed right on the search results page. You can create four types of posts: Updates, Offers, Events, and What's New. Use them to announce sales, showcase new products, promote an event, or share a company update. Posts expire, so it's a great reason to keep the profile fresh with new content each week.

Pre-fill the Q&A section.

Don't wait for customers to ask questions. Seed the "Questions & Answers" section yourself by posting common queries your client gets and then answering them factually. This preempts confusion and positions your client as a helpful expert.

Phase 4: Handing Off Ownership to Your Client

Once the profile is set up, verified, and optimized, it’s time to transition ownership in a professional and clear way. The client should always be the ultimate owner of their business listing.

1. Understand the access levels.

Google offers a few roles:

• Primary Owner: There can only be one. They have full control and cannot be removed by anyone but themselves.
• Owner: Can do everything a primary owner can, including adding and removing users, but can be removed by the primary owner.
• Manager: Can manage the day-to-day aspects of the profile (like posts, photos, and review replies) but can't add or remove users or delete the profile.

Your client should at least be an Owner, but ideally the Primary Owner. That way, they have full control long-term, no matter what happens with your business relationship.

2. Add your client as an owner.

Inside the Business Profile Manager, go to "Users," click "Add users," and enter your client's Google-associated email address. Assign them the role of "Owner." They will receive an invitation they need to accept.

3. Transfer primary ownership.

If you created the profile, you are the Primary Owner by default. After your client has accepted their "Owner" invitation, you can promote them. Go back to the "Users" settings, find their name, click the dropdown next to their role, and select "Primary Owner." Note that you can only do this after they've been an owner for seven days.

4. Change your role to manager.

If you plan to continue managing the profile on behalf of your client, have them change your role from "Owner" to "Manager." This maintains proper ownership lines while giving you the access you need to do your work.

5. Provide quick training.

Don't just hand over the keys and walk away. Offer a 15-minute screen-share call or send a simple PDF guide showing the client how to check basics, like responding to reviews or updating their hours. This extra step adds tremendous value and reinforces their trust in you.

Final Thoughts

Building and refining a Google Business Profile is a foundational task that pays dividends for months and years to come. By following these organized steps, you can set your clients up with a detailed, high-performing asset that directly contributes to their bottom line by connecting them with customers ready to buy.

While Google Business Profile is its own mini-universe, creating consistent Google Posts is often part of a client's broader content plan. This is where having your tools in sync makes a big difference. With Postbase, we designed a simple visual calendar so you can plan out all of your client’s content in one spot - from their Instagram Reels to those timely Google Post updates. It’s all about streamlining the workflow so you can stop jumping between platforms and focus on what you do best: growing your client's brand.