Why your Google Business Profile matters more than your website

Why the map comes first

Search for 'hair salon Marbella' or 'removals Costa del Sol' and Google shows a map with three businesses underneath it, above the normal results. This is known as the map pack, and for local searches it gets a large share of the clicks and calls. Many people ring you or ask for directions straight from it without ever opening a website.

Your Google Business Profile is the free listing that feeds that map. It is where people see your hours, photos, reviews and phone number. If it is incomplete or out of date, a competitor with a better profile will often win the customer, even if your website is nicer.

Getting the basics right

Start with your primary category, which is the single most important setting on the profile. Choose the one that describes what you actually do, such as 'Beauty salon' or 'Real estate agency', then add a few secondary categories for your other services. Fill in every field: services, service area, opening hours, website, phone and a description written for real people.

Photos matter more than most owners expect. Add your shopfront so people can find you, plus the inside, your team and your work. Real photos taken on a phone in good light beat stock images every time. Add new ones every month or so.

Reviews, in both languages

Reviews affect both where you appear and whether people choose you. Ask every happy customer, and make it easy with a short link or a QR code at the till or in your follow-up WhatsApp message. Never buy reviews or offer discounts in exchange for them, as this breaks Google's rules.

Reply to every review, good and bad. On the coast you will get reviews in English, Spanish and often other languages, so reply in the language the customer used. A short, personal reply shows future customers that a real person runs the business. For a negative review, stay calm, thank them and offer to sort it out privately.

Keeping it accurate, with a weekly routine

Wrong opening hours are one of the quickest ways to lose trust. Set special hours for Semana Santa, August, local holidays such as the Feria, and Christmas. Google posts, which are short updates with a photo and a link, are a simple way to share offers, new work or events, and they show the profile is active.

You do not need to spend hours on this. Fifteen minutes a week is enough:

• Reply to any new reviews and questions.
• Add one or two new photos.
• Publish one short post, in English or Spanish depending on your customers.
• Check your hours and any holidays coming up.
• Look at the statistics to see how many calls and direction requests you received.