In plain words
Google Business Profile
It’s the free business listing Google shows on Maps and beside search results, with your name, phone, reviews, hours and photos.
The map pack is the map and the three businesses Google shows first for a local search like “realtor near me”.
Why it matters for an agent
Picture someone moving to your town. They type “realtor near me” and see a map with three agents under it. Google picks those three by relevance (how well a profile matches the search), distance (how far it is from the searcher) and prominence (how well known it is). A brokerage profile sends calls to the brokerage, but a profile in your name sends them to you, and its reviews stay with you.
Google’s own figures make the case for finishing the job, since customers are 2.7 times more likely to consider a business reputable when they find a complete Business Profile on Google Search and Maps (Google), and 70% more likely to visit a business with a complete Business Profile (Google).
Step by step
Each step links to the guide that covers it in full, so work through them in order.
Google gives a practitioner a dedicated profile when they work in a public-facing role and can be reached directly at the verified location during stated hours. The only public-facing agent at a branded office shares one profile named Brand: Your Name. An agent who meets clients at their homes or at listings is a service-area business.
What good looks like
You can say in one sentence which of the three cases you fall into.
Time
10 minutes
Search for your name first, since a former brokerage or an old attempt of yours may have already made one. Claim it instead of starting a second, and use your real-world name with nothing added. The NAP consistency guide covers name, address and phone.
What good looks like
One profile in your name, owned by you.
Time
15 minutes
Only show an address if clients visit you there. Otherwise, hide it and set a service area. Google allows up to 20 and says the whole area should stay within about 2 hours’ drive of your base.
Where to click
Edit profile › Location › Service area
What good looks like
No home address on show, and areas that match where you sell.
Time
10 minutes
Google chooses the method, such as phone or text, email, a video recording, a live video call or a postcard, and says its review takes up to 5 business days. The verification guide covers each method, and if Google ever suspends the profile, the suspended profile guide has the appeal.
What good looks like
The profile reads verified.
Time
Minutes, then up to 5 business days
Categories tell Google what the business is, so they decide which searches you can appear for. Google asks for the fewest that describe the core business, and the categories guide lists the ones agents use. Then add services, a plain description, hours and photos, and keep a weekly rhythm with the photos and posts guide.
What good looks like
A true main category, and no empty section in the editor.
Time
About an hour
Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking, and the reviews guide has the wording. Read the guide to ranking higher on Google Maps, check the five numbers to track each month, and when it outgrows your time, decide on help.
What good looks like
A monthly sheet that shows calls rising, or tells you why not.
Time
Weekly, then monthly
Client result
Carmella Morrison had more than ten years in real estate in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her case study says her online presence didn’t reflect her offline credibility, because her profile lacked optimization, geotagged content and local authority.
Ashford added weekly geotagged posts (updates whose photos carry location data for the area she serves), monthly performance reports and citation building, tailored to how Hudson Valley buyers and sellers search. Now she’s found on Google, and one closing in her first months covered the membership.
Hand created by a team of professionals, the report goes over monthly wins, notes on the algorithm, and areas of improvement.
From Carmella Morrison’s client story
covered the membership, in her first months
Results are each client’s own and are not a guarantee of similar outcomes.
Common mistakes
01
One profile per town or specialty
Google says a practitioner shouldn’t keep several profiles to cover specialties, so keep one profile and use service areas.
02
Your home address on show
If clients don’t visit you there, hide it and set a service area.
03
The brokerage switchboard as your number
Use a number you control that reaches you directly.
04
A virtual office
Google says a rented mailing address you don’t work from isn’t eligible.
05
Starting over when you change brokerages
Update the details on the profile you already have, because Google allows one profile per business.
Do it yourself or get help
Do it yourself if
–
You’re setting up a new profile with no history.
–
Verification goes through the first time.
–
You’ll keep up posts and review replies each week.
Get help if
–
Verification keeps failing, or the profile is suspended.
–
Old profiles exist from past brokerages.
–
You run a team or several offices.
What Ashford does here
We set up, verify and run Google Business Profiles for agents. Here’s how Ashford does this for you.
Questions agents ask
Can I have my own profile if my brokerage already has one?
Yes. Google names real estate agents as individual practitioners. If you work in a public-facing role and clients can reach you directly, you can have a profile in your own name.
Can I hide my home address?
Yes. If you don’t serve clients at your address, Google says to hide it and set service areas instead, up to 20 of them.
Can I use a virtual office or a co-working desk?
Not a virtual office. A co-working space qualifies only if your office there has clear signage, is staffed by you during business hours and receives clients.
Do I need a website for my profile?
It’s optional. If you add one, Google asks for a site that represents your business and doesn’t redirect elsewhere, and either your own site or your brokerage page works.
How long until I show up in the map pack?
There’s no set time, because Google decides rankings, but a verified, complete and active profile gives Google the most to work with.
Sources: Guidelines for representing your business on Google; Manage your service areas; Verify your business on Google; Tips to improve your local ranking on Google; Complete your Business Profile on Google. All read live on Oct 25, 2026.
