Google Business Profile: the first thing a Kampala business should fix

When someone searches for a business like yours, Google often shows a panel with a name, a map, opening hours, photographs and reviews. That panel is a Google Business Profile. It is free to create, and for many local businesses it is seen by more people than the website.

Why it comes first

• It appears in Google Search and Google Maps, where people look for nearby businesses.
• It gives customers a call button, directions and a link to your website.
• It carries your reviews, which many people read before making contact.

A checklist

1. Claim and verify the profile, using an account your business controls.
2. Use your real business name, exactly as it appears on your signage.
3. Choose the most accurate primary category.
4. Set your location or service area correctly, and check the map pin.
5. Enter opening hours, including public holidays.
6. Add your phone number and website.
7. Upload clear photographs of your premises, products and team.
8. Describe what you offer in plain language.
9. Ask satisfied customers for reviews, and reply to every review politely.
10. Update the profile whenever something changes.

Common mistakes

• A profile created on a former employee's account that nobody can access.
• Duplicate profiles for the same business.
• Old phone numbers and wrong hours.
• No photographs, or photographs that do not show the business.
• Reviews left unanswered.

How to tell it is working

Google reports how many people viewed your profile, called, asked for directions and visited your website. Check these monthly and compare them with the enquiries you actually receive.

If you would rather have it done for you, Google Business Profile setup is UGX 275,000.