Google Business Profile: how to appear on Google Maps and in local search

When someone searches “web agency near me” or “beauty salon Tirana”, Google shows the map and a list of local businesses — before the normal search results.

Google Business Profile (GBP) is the free profile that puts you there: name, address, hours, phone, photos, reviews, and a link to your site.

For businesses with a physical location, or that serve an area (Tirana, Durrës, Vlorë), GBP is as important as the website — often more, because the customer calls directly from Google Maps.

The process starts at business.google.com or the Google Business app:

• 1. Sign in with the business Google account.
• 2. Add the business name — the same as on the site and on documents.
• 3. Choose the main category (for example “Web agency” or “Web designer”).
• 4. Add the address or the service area.
• 5. Verify ownership — usually by postcard, phone, or email.
• 6. Fill every field: hours, phone, website, description.

A complete profile ranks better. These are the priorities:

• A description of up to 750 characters with the main services and the city.
• A primary category plus extra categories (up to 10).
• Quality photos: logo, space, team, projects — at least 10 photos.
• Accurate hours — update them for holidays.
• Attributes such as “Online appointments” where they apply.
• Products or services with a name, description, and price where possible.
• A link to the website — with UTM for measurement (optional).

Businesses with good ratings and many reviews appear higher on Maps. The approach:

• Ask for a review from happy clients — after the project, without pressure.
• Reply to every review — thank the positive ones, handle the negative ones professionally.
• Do not buy fake reviews — Google detects them and penalizes them.
• Add a review link in the email after a service, or on the invoice.

Google Business Profile and your site should work together:

• Name, address, and phone (NAP) — identical on GBP and on the site.
• The website should load quickly and work on mobile.
• Service pages that match the categories on GBP.
• Publish GBP posts when you have a new project, an offer, or a blog article.

Avoid these:

• An unverified or incomplete profile.
• A name that differs from the real business (keyword stuffing).
• A fake address — a real penalty risk.
• No replies to reviews.
• Old or low-quality photos.
• Wrong hours — customers arrive when you are closed.

Google Business Profile is a free tool with a large impact for local businesses in Albania. Combined with a professional website and on-page SEO, it creates a presence that catches customers at the moment they search.

If you need a new site or a redesign that works together with your Google profile, Sakt Studio in Tirana helps with an integrated strategy — contact us.