Google Maps for holiday letting: requirements and alternatives
Before you continue: Google Business Profile, formerly Google My Business, does not allow profiles for individual holiday rental homes. A letting office may qualify if it meets the requirements. The registration steps in this guide apply only to eligible businesses.
If you are planning a holiday in an apartment, where do you search? Many travellers start with Google.
People use both general searches and specific queries about destinations, locations or facilities. Before investing in visibility, identify which queries relate to your business and what information the searcher needs.
Ranking well in Google searches can give your accommodation considerable visibility.
Visibility may bring visits, but turning them into enquiries or bookings also depends on the product, price, availability, trust and ease of contact. Ranking does not guarantee customers.
For businesses that qualify, Google My Business can support visibility. If you operate an eligible letting office or accommodation establishment, you can create a Business Profile to introduce the business.
The team at Alehost explains how to create a profile for an eligible business and how to make use of Google Maps.
First, what is Google My Business?
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free Google tool that lets you create a business profile to support online visibility. You can include a short description of the business, what it does, photographs, contact information, services and customer reviews.
A letting office may use the tool if it meets Google’s requirements. A profile lets customers find an eligible business by searching directly on Google or by searching near its location.
The business may also appear in Google Maps.
So who can create a profile, and what are the requirements?
Requirements for a Google Business Profile
The guidance from Google is clear: for an eligible business to have a Google Business Profile, someone must be available to serve customers during its stated business hours.
However, Google excludes certain businesses, including properties for rent or sale, such as holiday homes, show homes or apartments.
An individual holiday rental home is not eligible for a Business Profile. A sign or 24-hour reception does not create an exception to Google’s requirements.
For an accommodation establishment, check its actual category and the corresponding requirements.
A Business Profile lets eligible businesses manage their presence on Google Maps.
What are the steps for registering a business profile?
How to create a Google Business Profile
To create a Google Business Profile, the business must meet Google’s requirements and you need a Google account. If it qualifies, follow these steps:
- Visit the Google Business Profile website and select “Manage now”.
- Sign in to Google.
- Select “Add your business to Google”.
- Complete these fields:
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- Business name
- Business category. Choose from the available options. For an eligible business, select the category that describes its actual activity. Do not use a hotel or bed-and-breakfast category to register an ineligible holiday home.
- Add the services you provide, such as cleaning.
- Configure the address or service area according to the actual customer-service model and Google’s requirements. Do not publish an address that does not belong to the eligible business.
- Add contact details, including website and phone numbers.
- Complete verification using an option Google enables for your profile. Google determines the methods available and may require more than one.
How, then, can your business make the most of Google Maps? The team at Alehost explains below.
How to add your business to Google Maps
If you manage an eligible letting office or accommodation establishment, appearing on Google Maps may offer several advantages.
It can help more people find you and provide useful information to customers.
But why should your business appear on Google Maps?
Adding a business to Google Maps means more than placing an address and photograph on a map. Google Business Profile connects Maps and search results, expanding the ways customers can discover you.
People can find you on the map and access business information easily, including your website, opening hours and telephone number, through Google Search.
Business information is also presented for different devices. For example, someone finding you on a mobile phone may be able to call with a tap if you have supplied a number.
The main advantages of adding an eligible business to Google Maps include:
- If you publish its address, people can locate the exact office or establishment and see basic information on Google Maps.
- A search for the business may show a prominent profile with photographs and opening hours.
- When people explore similar businesses nearby, yours may appear in a relevant list.
- With a presence on Google Maps, customers can get directions, call or book from different devices.
- Customers can leave reviews describing their experience.
- You have an opportunity to build a community and answer questions.
What steps are needed to register on Google Maps?
Steps to register a business on Google Maps
- Create a Google account. A Gmail account is sufficient.
- Open Google Business Profile. Sign in with your Google account and follow the process to add or claim your business.
- Add or claim the business if it is eligible. First search its name and city on Google Maps. If a profile exists, claim it or request access from the current owner. Otherwise, go to business.google.com/add and follow the instructions.
- Complete the registration form. Enter the business and contact details.
- Verify the business. Follow the method offered by Google for your profile, which may include video, phone or SMS, email or other options. Postal verification is available only to some businesses. If offered and selected, request the code and enter it as instructed; codes sent by post expire after 30 days. Google then reviews the verification.
- Configure the profile. With the business-linked account, open the profile in Google Search or Maps and choose “Edit profile”. Review contact details, address, hours, description and photographs, then save. Available features may differ between Search and Maps.
- Manage and analyse. Useful areas to understand include:
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- Reviews: read, analyse and respond to customer comments.
- Insights: use statistics to understand discovery, website clicks, direction requests and other available interaction data.
- Devices: manage the business profile from Android or iOS phones and tablets.
One particularly important aspect of managing a Google Business Profile is reviews.
Customer feedback on Google can benefit the business by adding credibility and helping prospective customers choose. It also lets you understand guests’ experiences and learn from them.
For an eligible business, a profile can support visibility, while reviews can make a difference.
Google reviews use a one-to-five-star scale. Look at both scores and comments to identify what works well and what needs attention.
Local ranking does not depend only on ratings: Google considers relevance, distance and prominence. Reply respectfully without personal data. Do not offer incentives or ask only satisfied customers for reviews.
What to measure after registration
For an eligible business, review useful contacts and visits to service pages as well as profile views. Check that the telephone works, links lead to the right service and hours are current. A management company’s profile does not replace listings for its properties.
If you want to promote an individual holiday home, work on suitable platform listings and its website presence. Do not create a Business Profile under an inaccurate category to evade eligibility restrictions.
