Google Business Profile: The Complete Guide for Riyadh
Here is what I see all the time with business owners in Riyadh: they set up their Google profile once, then leave it. Later they wonder why the competitor down the road shows up on the map and they don't. Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the most important thing you own on the map. This guide shows how to set it up from scratch, and what to do if you visit customers and have no shop.
What is a Google Business Profile?
It is the card customers see when they search for you or your service on Google or Maps: your name, category, phone, hours, photos and reviews. People decide from it before they ever open your website. Someone searches "dentist Al Olaya", sees three clinics, and calls the one with a clear profile, photos and recent reviews.
Google says local results depend on three things: relevance, distance and prominence. The profile feeds relevance directly, and feeds prominence through reviews. We explain all three in Local SEO: Why Competitors Outrank You on Google.
How do you create and verify it?
Go to business.google.com/add, choose "Add your business to Google" and fill in the details. Then verify it. Google says verification tells it you are authorised to represent the business, which makes it more likely to show in results. The methods depend on your business: a live video call, a phone call or text, email, or a postcard with a 5-digit code.
- If you choose the postcard, don't change your name, address or category while you wait, and don't request a new code. Codes expire after 30 days.
- Review can take up to 5 business days.
- If your business already has an unverified profile, claim it instead of creating a second one. Google does not allow duplicate profiles.
What is worth your time in the profile?
Name
Use your real business name, the one on your sign and website. Google does not allow taglines, hours, phone numbers, URLs or phrases like "near..." in the name. "Al Noor Dental - Best in Riyadh" is wrong and can get the profile suspended.
Category
The first category you pick is the primary one, and you can add up to 9 more. Google warns against using categories as keywords. Choose what describes your business, and if you are unsure, choose a general one.
Description
Up to 750 characters, shown in the "From the business" section. Say what you offer, what makes you different and how long you have been running. No links, no code, no offers or prices. Write for people, not like an ad.
Services, photos and reviews
List each service the way customers search for it, and add real photos of the front, the inside and the team. Google advises replying to reviews, since it shows customers you care. Review count and average rating help your ranking. For the full checklist see our Arabic checklist for a properly set-up profile.
What if you serve customers at their location?
Think of a plumber, a cleaning company or a consultant who visits clients. No shop for customers to visit, so how do you set it up? Google's guidance:
- Create one profile for your main base, not one per district.
- Hide your address from customers. Google says businesses serving customers at their location should hide it.
- Set your service areas accurately, with the cities or places you really reach.
- Don't use a fake address, virtual office or P.O. box. Google says virtual offices are not eligible and P.O. boxes are not acceptable.
To be straight with you: setting service areas does not guarantee you show up in every district. Distance still matters, and that is what our heatmap measures. That is also why we build district pages on the website to support the profile.
Common mistakes that hurt your profile
- Adding words to the name to rank higher.
- A non-real address, or more than one profile for one business.
- Many categories that don't describe you.
- Different details on the profile, website and directories. Make them match, and see our local citations service.
- Leaving the profile for years without updating hours or photos.
The profile is a source of information
The profile is public information about you: name, category, services, phone. It makes sense that search tools read business details from public sources, so the more accurate and consistent they are, the better. But nobody can guarantee you a place in AI answers, and we don't promise it.
FAQ
How many categories can I add?
One primary and up to 9 more. Pick what truly describes you, not keywords.
How long can the description be?
750 characters at most, with no links, offers or prices.
Can I put my website link in the description?
No. Google does not allow links there. Your website has its own field.
I visit customers and have no shop. What do I do?
One profile for your main base, set service areas, hide your address.
Can I use a virtual office or a P.O. box?
No. Google says virtual offices are not eligible and P.O. boxes are not acceptable.
How long does verification take?
Google says up to 5 business days, and the methods depend on your business.
Can I pay Google for a better ranking?
No. Google says there is no way to request or pay for one.
Can I add keywords to my business name?
No. The name must match your real one, and breaking this can get you suspended.
Want us to review your profile?
A tidy profile is the start, but ranking changes from district to district. Book your free assessment call and we'll show you where you appear and where you vanish, and tell you straight if we can help. More about what we do in our Google profile optimisation service.