Google Business Profile: why every property should look after it

The Google Business Profile (once Google My Business) is the listing that appears on Google and on Google Maps when someone searches for your business or a property like yours. It shows the name, location, photos, opening times, contacts, website and reviews. For an accommodation business, it's often the real first contact with the guest: it comes before the website, before social media, sometimes even before the portals.

The problem: a shop window left half-done

Many properties have a Google profile, but an incomplete one: few photos, no description, the wrong category, opening times not updated, reviews with no reply. It's like having a shop on the high street with a dusty window and the door left ajar. People walk past, glance in and move on. The good thing is that putting all this right costs nothing in advertising terms: it just takes method and a little attention.

Why visibility on Google matters so much

When a potential guest searches for somewhere to stay in an area, Google shows a small map at the top with three featured properties. Making it into that selection means being seen at the very moment the person is deciding. A well-kept, complete profile is far more likely to appear there than a neglected one. And appearing means existing, in the eyes of whoever is searching.

Then there's the direct search: someone who has already heard of you searches for your name. At that moment, the Google listing is your calling card. If it's tidy, with good photos and positive reviews, the guest immediately forms a reassuring impression and takes the next step: visits the site or contacts you.

Reviews: your reputation, in plain sight

Reviews are probably the most influential element of the whole profile. Not only because guests read them, but because they weigh up the quantity, the average and, a detail often overlooked, the way you reply. A property that replies graciously to every review, even the critical ones, shows care and presence. One that ignores them seems distant.

How to handle reviews well

• Ask satisfied guests for a review, perhaps with a message after the stay.
• Always reply, thanking people for the positive ones and staying calm with the critical ones.
• Don't get rattled by a negative review: a measured reply is worth more than ten stars.
• Never buy fake reviews: they get noticed and they damage trust.

Photos: they sell the stay before the guest even arrives

On Google listings, photos are what catch the eye. A property with bright, genuine, well-chosen images conveys a sense of welcome straight away; one with two grainy, dark photos looks neglected. You don't need professional gear: natural light, tidiness and a few thoughtful shots are enough, the well-made bed, the breakfast, the view, the shared spaces, a detail that captures the character of the place.

Updating the photos with the seasons is a small gesture that makes a difference: the garden in bloom in spring, the fire lit in winter. It says the property is alive and cared for, not frozen three years in the past.

The map and the practical information

The exact location, directions, parking, check-in times: these are things the guest looks for and which, if they're missing, create uncertainty or, worse, emails you have to answer one by one. A complete profile works for you even at night, answering the most common questions without you lifting a finger. The correct location on the map, in particular, stops guests getting lost and arriving irritated.

From searches to direct enquiries

The final, and most important, benefit is that a well-made Google profile brings direct enquiries. From the listing the guest can call you, visit the site or ask for information with a single tap. These are contacts that don't go through a portal and on which you pay no commission. In other words: the more care you put into the listing, the more direct bookings you can get, at no cost.

The Google profile and the website aren't in competition: they reinforce each other. The profile catches whoever is searching, the site convinces them and guides them to the booking. If your site isn't quite up to scratch yet, you'll find useful ideas in the article on the most common B&B website mistakes, below among the related articles.

Practical tips to improve the profile today

1. 1Check that the property is listed and that you have control of it (a claimed profile).
2. 2Choose the most precise category (e.g. "Bed & breakfast", "Agriturismo").
3. 3Complete the description, opening times, contacts and link to the site.
4. 4Upload at least 10-15 real, bright, up-to-date photos.
5. 5Turn on enquiries and keep an eye on them, replying quickly.
6. 6Reply to all the reviews, one by one.

In conclusion

The Google Business Profile is one of the most powerful and underrated levers for an accommodation business. It's free, it reaches people at the exact moment they're searching, it builds trust with photos and reviews, and it brings direct enquiries. Looking after it doesn't require complex technical skills: it requires consistency and a few good choices. The time you give it comes back to you, in the form of bookings.