SEOUpdated 17 October 2026

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Create a Google Business Profile: a guide for trades businesses in Austria

A Google Business Profile shows your business directly in Google Search and Maps. Customers can find details such as your phone number and the work you offer. Creating a profile is free; Google Business Profile is the current name for Google My Business. Google explains the name and costs. ^[1]

Setup starts with how your business actually works: is it eligible for a profile, is there already a listing and where do you serve your customers? A mobile installation business needs to display its location differently from a business that receives customers. If you only travel to customers, hide your business address from the public and enter your service area, meaning the places where you work. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Next come the business details and verification by Google. Verification provides evidence that the business exists and that you are authorised to manage it. Google decides which method is available. ^{[5] [6]}

Editorial process diagram: check eligibility and any existing listing before creating a new profile. The verification offered depends on your actual business.

Is your business eligible for a profile?

For a trades business, a profile requires in-person contact with customers, either at your premises or theirs. An online-only business without this contact is not eligible. Managing a profile also requires authorisation. Only the business owner or people expressly authorised to act on their behalf may claim and manage it. Google explains eligibility and ownership. ^[2]

How you display your location depends on how you work. Customers need to know whether they can visit you or whether you come to them. For service businesses, Google distinguishes between service-area and hybrid businesses. The differences are explained in Google's overview for service businesses. ^[3]

How your business works	How to display your location
You travel to customers and do not receive them at your business address.	Service-area business: hide the business address from the public.
Customers visit your suitable premises with signage; you also work at customers' premises.	Hybrid business: enter the actual customer-facing location and the service area.
You serve customers only at your suitable business premises.	Customer-facing location: display the actual address.

This classification depends on whether you actually receive customers at your premises. ^{[4] [7]}

A "service-area business" is one whose customers do not visit its business address. A mobile installation business, for example, can be run from home while carrying out work at customers' premises. ^{[3] [7]} Storage or an occasional meeting alone does not make it a location that is open to customers. ^[7]

The details you need

A short information sheet helps you prepare. It keeps together the details you need during setup and stays within the business as a working document. You can note open questions alongside them, such as your main activity or whether you receive customers at your premises. Later, enter only the information each profile field asks for. ^[b]

Business name: the name your business uses with customers.
Google Account responsible for the profile: an account the business owner can continue to access.
Existing listing: the search result for your business name and town, including the profile link if one already exists.
Business location: the real address, if Google needs it for setup or verification. Whether customers see it depends on whether you receive them there.
Main activity: a short sentence about the work your business mainly does, to help you choose a category.
Service area: the towns or postcodes where you actually take on work.
Contact details: a working business phone number and, if you have one, the correct business website.
Business hours: the actual opening hours, or a note that you work by appointment only.
Verification: the person responsible, who has access to the premises and work equipment.

You do not need a new Gmail address for the Google Account: an existing account, or a new one created with your preferred email address, is sufficient. ^[8]

Step 1: Search for an existing listing

Start by searching for your business name and town in Google and Google Maps to see whether a matching listing already exists. Check that the result really belongs to your business. Your next steps depend on what you find: ^[9]

No matching listing exists: You can create a new Business Profile.
A matching, unverified listing exists: Claim this profile so you can manage it.
A matching listing is already being managed: Resolve access to it and, if you are authorised, request ownership. Do not create a second listing for this.

The options for a new or existing profile are described in the guide to adding or claiming a Business Profile. The rule against duplicate profiles applies to the same business at the same location. ^{[9] [10]}

On an unverified profile, the options "Claim this business" and "Manage now" lead to the claim process. The view may look different depending on your device. ^{[9] [11]} To manage the profile, sign in with the intended Google Account. The business owner should control access themselves; other people can be given their own role later. Account guidance is also available in Google's help on verification. ^{[5] [2] [12]}

Step 2: Enter the business name

If no matching listing exists, start with Google's setup for a new business. After signing in, choose "Add your business to Google" and follow the steps shown. ^[9] The order of the steps and available features can differ between views. ^[11]

The profile name should match the name customers see on your business sign, stationery or website. Do not add extra search terms or advertising claims. A legal-form suffix is not required simply because it appears in official documents. What matters is the verifiable name you use publicly, as Google's business name guidelines explain. ^[7]

"Cheap bathroom renovation Vienna 24 hours" would therefore be an unsuitable addition to a different business name. This phrase could only appear as the name if your business actually used it publicly. ^[a]

Step 3: Choose the primary category

The primary category describes the type of business. ^[13] A short sentence about your main activity helps you choose: a plumbing installation business does different work from a provider that only offers planning, or a tiler. You can then compare this distinction with the categories in the selection field. ^[b]

Google provides the categories. You cannot create your own. If there is no exact match, choose the broader available category that best describes your business. Additional categories can cover other activities; a separate category is not intended for every individual service. The Google guide to business categories explains how to choose. ^[13]

You can add specific services later if your profile offers that feature. This keeps the primary category focused on your core business. ^[14]

Step 4: Enter the address and service area

Your business address is your actual location. Your service area describes where you take on work. An additional place within that area is not another branch. ^{[4] [7]}

Hide your address if you do not receive customers

If you only travel to customers, keep your business address hidden from the public. If Google requires it for setup or verification, it must still be your real address. The public profile displays your service area instead. ^{[15] [4]}

Go to "Edit profile", then "Location", and edit "Business location". Turn off "Show business address to customers" and save. The Google help page on business addresses describes the process. ^[15]

A mailbox address alone is not enough. A publicly displayed customer-facing location must actually be used for this purpose and have permanent signage. You must receive customers there, and your own staff must be on site during the stated business hours. These conditions are set out in Google's location guidelines. ^[7]

Choose the places in your service area

You can also edit the service area under "Edit profile" and "Location". Choose towns, postcodes or available regions where you actually work. You can select a maximum of 20 service areas. There is no option to draw your own radius. Google explains how to set up a service area. ^[4]

Google gives around two hours' driving time from your business premises to the boundaries of the entire area as a guideline. Larger areas may be appropriate for some businesses; the guidelines for displaying business locations note this. ^{[4] [7]}

Your choice also depends on the work you take on in each place. You may travel only locally for small jobs and further for larger projects. A good starting point is the area your business can reliably serve. ^[b]

Step 5: Add the remaining profile details

Phone number, website and business hours

Your business phone number should connect directly to your business. ^[7] Call your own number to check that customers can reach you. ^[b] If you list a website in your profile, enter its full URL, meaning its web address. ^[11] A quick test on a smartphone helps you check whether the link opens the correct website. ^[b]

Business hours must reflect how your business actually operates. Google says that businesses working by appointment only should not list regular opening hours. Being available by phone does not automatically mean you are open to customers. This is covered by Google's guidelines on business hours. ^[7]

The "Hours" section has an "Open with no main hours" option for this. Google explains how to edit business hours. ^[16]

Description, services and photos

The description gives you space to explain your business briefly. What work do you take on, for which customers and in which area? The field allows a maximum of 750 characters; links (URLs) and HTML code are not allowed. HTML code describes the structure of a web page. The Google guide to editing your profile sets out these requirements. ^[11] The information must be accurate and verifiable. ^[7]

If your profile offers service listings, you can add the services you actually provide. Google explains the services editor. ^[14] For a bathroom renovation business, these might include plumbing installations or tiling, depending on the services it offers. ^[a]

Your own photos can show the business or its work. To publish project photos you need permission; private customer details should not be visible. ^{[17] [18]} Google Maps has an additional restriction: photos of the interiors of private flats or houses must not be published there. Permission to use them on your own website does not override this Maps rule. ^[19] Google displays photos in the profile only after the business has been verified. Further requirements are set out in Google's help on photos and videos. ^[20]

Step 6: Verify the business

Verification connects the listing with your business and your authority to manage it. Google automatically determines the available methods. Depending on the business, these may be phone or text message, email, video recording, live video call or post. Sometimes several steps are needed. You cannot force a different method. ^[5]

The verification process starts in the profile and takes you through the method offered. Google reviews the information after submission. Allow for that review in your planning: submitting evidence does not mean verification is complete. The Google guide to verification explains the process and possible problems. ^[5]

Record a video for verification

If Google offers a video recording, prepare for it. Record the video live on a mobile device through your profile. It must be continuous, unedited and at least 30 seconds long. A previously recorded file is not sufficient. ^[6]

For a mobile trades business, three things must be clear:

Location: the recognisable surroundings of your actual business premises.
Proof that the business exists: professional tools, equipment, the workspace or other suitable work equipment.
Authority to manage the business: your right to manage the business, for example through access to business property, such as unlocking your company vehicle.

Keep confidential numbers, private information and other people's faces out of the video. Even if you work at customers' premises, the evidence concerns your real location and work equipment. An invented showroom will not help. The Google requirements for verification videos differ by business type. ^[6]

The verification video serves as evidence for Google. A public video on the profile has its own requirements. ^{[20] [6]} If the video is rejected, the reason given will show what was missing. Your next attempt should include the missing information. ^[6] Creating a second business listing is not the intended way to resolve this. ^[10]

Step 7: Give employees access

Where possible, the business owner should remain the primary owner, meaning the main owner of the profile. ^[b] Employees or an agency can help manage the profile through their own Google Account. There can be several owners, but only one primary owner. The role determines which tasks someone is allowed to carry out. ^[12]

Role	Edit profile information	Manage users and delete the profile
Owner	Yes	Generally yes, subject to the applicable role conditions
Manager	Yes	Cannot add or remove users, or delete the profile

The differences are defined in Google's role conditions. ^[12]

To invite someone, open the three-dot menu and go to "Business Profile settings", then "People and access". Add the person using their email address and choose the appropriate role. Separate accounts let others help without you sharing your password. ^[12]

New owners and managers must wait seven days to use certain features, such as transferring primary ownership. This waiting period concerns access permissions, not how long business verification takes. The Google help page on owners and managers explains the conditions. ^[12]

Example: a mobile bathroom renovation business

"Muster Badtechnik" is an entirely fictional business. It organises its work from business premises but does not receive customers there. It takes on jobs in selected Vienna districts and in Mödling. ^[a]

The profile would use the name "Muster Badtechnik", provided that this is how the business actually presents itself. Its business address would remain hidden from the public. Its service area would include only the districts and Mödling where it actually works. Its category would depend on its main activity and Google's current selection. ^[a]

Before setup, the owner would have checked the business phone number and, if applicable, the business website. For verification, they would prepare themselves and the work equipment at the real location for the method Google offers. There would be no need for a showroom that does not exist in the day-to-day business. ^[a]

For your own business, preparation starts with your real contact and location details. These determine which information customers should see in the profile. ^[b]

Final step: check the profile yourself

After verification, check the profile from the customer's perspective. You can check the public view in Google Search and Maps while signed out or in incognito mode, meaning a private browser window. Google recommends checking this public view. ^[8]

Keep your information sheet beside you for the final check: ^[b]

The displayed name matches your actual business name.
There is no duplicate listing for the same business at the same location.
The primary category fits your core business.
For a business that only travels to customers, the business address is hidden from the public.
The service area includes the places you actually serve.
The phone number and any website link work.
Business hours, description and services reflect the actual business.
The business owner has their own access; other users' roles have been chosen deliberately.
Google shows verification as complete.

Alongside the visual check, call the number and open the website link. If this reveals an unclear or outdated website, it can be improved independently of Google verification. ^[b] BrandHoop helps you improve your website through SEO, website creation and ongoing website support. SEO means search engine optimisation.

Google help pages checked as of 16 October 2026. Features and verification requirements can change; follow the current guidance in your profile when setting it up.

Sources

Sources for the previous version were current as of 16 October 2026; editorially revised on 17 October 2026. Numbers lead to sources; letters explain editorial examples or recommendations. Each source note states what the source supports.

[b] Practical recommendations. The suggested processes and decision aids are editorial applications of the guidance cited. Their specific effect on enquiries or jobs has not been measured here.

[a] Editorial examples. Content labelled as a sample or fictional illustrates possible situations. It does not represent real client cases or evidence of a measured effect.

Sources and context (20 sources)

Support and customer service for Google marketing tools: present your business on Google — Google
Confirms free creation, display in Search and Maps, and the replacement of Google My Business. The general FAQ on verification methods is not used as the authoritative source for the procedure. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Guidelines for business eligibility and ownership — Google
Confirms in-person customer contact as a relevant requirement for trades businesses, the exclusion of online-only businesses, and the authority of owners and representatives. Exceptions for specific industries are not applied to trades businesses. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Business Profiles for service businesses: overview — Google
Defines service-area and hybrid businesses according to whether they actually receive customers at their premises. The mobile installation business illustrates this definition and is not a real client case. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Manage service areas for service-area and hybrid businesses — Google
Supports selection by town, postcode or region, a maximum of 20 areas, no radius option, and around two hours' driving time as a guideline. A service area is not an additional business location. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Verify your business on Google — Google
Supports a Google Account without requiring Gmail, automatically selected methods, possible multiple verification steps and a review after submission. No particular method or fixed processing time is promised to the reader. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Verify your business with a video recording — Google
Supports live recording on a mobile device through the profile, a minimum of 30 seconds, no interruptions or editing, and the three types of evidence for mobile businesses. Confidential details and faces must be excluded. The sample images do not guarantee acceptance; the specific verification method remains Google's decision. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Guidelines for representing your business on Google — Google
Supports accurate business representation, additions to names, location, signage, staffing when receiving customers, a direct phone number and opening hours. Two hours' driving time is a guideline with expressly stated exceptions. The statement about storage or an occasional appointment applies the conditions for customer-facing locations; it is not an additional Google ban. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Get started with Google Business Profile — Google
Supports using any email address for an account and Google's recommendation to check the profile in incognito mode. The final checklist brings together the rules explained in this article; it is not a certificate issued by Google. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Add or claim your Business Profile — Google
Supports searching, creating a new profile and claiming an unverified one, as well as the access process for profiles that are already verified. The registration form at business.google.com/add was not completed. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Resolve duplicate profiles & ownership issues — Google
Supports resolving an existing listing through access or a claim, rather than creating a second profile for the same business. Separate eligible businesses at the same address are a different case. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Edit your Business Profile — Google
Supports different management views, the full website URL, and a maximum of 750 characters with no URLs or HTML code in the description. The brief explanation of HTML is an editorial definition, not a programming guide. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Manage your Business Profile owners and managers — Google
Supports separate Google Accounts, one primary owner, the role comparison table, the invitation process and a seven-day waiting period only for certain features for new owners and managers. The time taken for business verification is a separate matter. The original hl=de request returned 429; the full official de-GB and English versions were read. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Manage your business category — Google
Confirms the primary category, a suitable broader alternative, no custom categories and a small number of additional categories. No claim is made that an exact category is currently available for the sample business. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Manage your services on your Business Profile — Google
Confirms that service listings are available only in certain circumstances for particular categories, and describes the services editor. Plumbing and tiling are marked as examples that depend on the services actually offered. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Manage your business address — Google
Supports using the real address for verification and the documented process for hiding it. The original hl=de request was inaccessible in the web tool; the full official German de-GB version and the English version were read. The visible interface labels were not tested in a real profile. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Edit your business hours — Google
Supports the Open with no main hours option. The rule for appointment-only businesses comes from the representation guidelines. The original URL with the ref_topic parameter failed; the full German page without that parameter was readable. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Google Terms of Service: permission to use your content — Google
Supports the platform requirement to upload or share only content for which you hold the necessary rights. The German-language US country version was read; the URL with the AT parameter was inaccessible. Used solely for this general upload requirement, not as Austrian legal advice or permission to publish customer photos. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Prohibited and restricted content: personal information — Google
Supports the limits on private and personal information in Maps content. The editorial recommendation to keep customer details out of images is more cautious than the detailed exceptions and does not make a claim about every situation in which publication may be lawful. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Privacy: Maps user-generated content policy — Google
Supports the Maps ban on public photos or videos of the interiors of private flats or houses. The English version expressly limits this to the interior of private residences. Permission for your own website is not treated as permission for Maps. This is not extended to all private property or private verification recordings. Checked: 2026-10-16.
Manage photos and videos for your Business Profile — Google
Confirms that public profile media require business verification and that public videos have their own requirements. No promise is made of immediate display or automatic approval in the content review. The verification video's minimum of 30 seconds is kept separate from the maximum length for public videos. Checked: 2026-10-16.