What Google Business Profile is (in plain words)

• Google Business Profile (GBP) is your free, public business card on Google. It shows up on Search and Maps, so people can see who you are, what you offer, when you’re open, and how to reach you. It supports photos, posts, products/services, menus, booking options, and performance insights. (business.google.com)

• You manage it right inside Google Search and the Google Maps app—no extra software needed. That makes updates fast and keeps info accurate. (google.com)

• The best part: it’s free for businesses of all sizes in the U.S. and beyond. (business.google.com)

Why this matters to your Back Office

• It becomes your single source of truth for core facts (name, address, phone, hours, service area, categories). Keeping this accurate reduces support tickets, wrong‑number calls, and “are you open?” messages. (business.google.com)

• It fits neatly into SOPs: who updates hours and holiday hours, who responds to reviews, who approves photos, and who owns verification. Clear roles mean fewer mistakes and smoother handoffs.

• It feeds operational reporting. Performance metrics (search views, website clicks, calls, direction requests, bookings) are easy to review in a monthly cadence and roll up to leadership. (developers.google.com)

• It supports cross‑team workflows: Marketing runs posts and offers, Ops owns hours and attributes, CX handles review replies and Q&A, and IT/Store Ops keep verification current.

What customers can do on your profile

• Find key info at a glance: address or service area, phone, hours (including “more hours” like delivery/pickup), photos, and description. (business.google.com)

• See products, services, menus, and offers so they can decide faster. Restaurants and service businesses can show menus, price ranges, and service lists. (business.google.com)

• Book or order directly via eligible partners (for example, Reserve with Google for restaurants and experiences), which lowers friction and no‑shows. (google.com)