Google My Business
Google Business Profile: we set it up, verify it and keep it active
The service many people in Colombia still call Google Mi Negocio: setup, verification help, optimization, weekly posts, review replies and a monthly report.
Google Business Profile, formerly Google My Business, is the free listing that shows your business on Google Maps and in search. We set it up, help verify it, optimize it and keep it active with posts, review replies and reports.
Short answer
What is a Google Business Profile and what do we do with it?
Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows your business on Google Maps and in search: address, hours, photos, reviews and buttons to call, message or get directions. It used to be called Google My Business, and in Colombia many people still search for it as "Google Mi Negocio." We create or claim it, help you verify it, optimize it and keep it active every week.
Google changed the name in late 2021, but the Keyword Planner data we use still shows thousands of searches a month for "Google Mi Negocio" in Colombia. That's normal: the old name stuck. What matters is that, whatever it's called, for many businesses in Bogotá this listing is the first impression customers get, often even before the website.
The service
What our Google My Business service includes
Setup or claim
If you don't have a profile, we create it. If one already exists (sometimes Google creates it automatically, or a former employee opened it), we help you claim it and regain access.
Verification help
We explain the method Google assigns you and guide you through it so the process doesn't stall.
Full optimization
Primary and secondary categories, services or products, description, hours (including holidays), attributes, a link to WhatsApp or your website, and real photos.
Weekly posts
Every week we publish news, offers, events or recent work. You send us photos on WhatsApp when you have them; we write the copy.
Review replies
We reply to every Google review respectfully, the good ones and the tough ones, in your business's voice. Sensitive ones we review with you before posting.
Questions and answers
We prepare your business's frequently asked questions and monitor the ones users leave, so strangers' wrong answers don't stand.
Every month you also get a plain-language report with the searches you appeared in, views on Maps and search, calls, direction requests, website clicks and new reviews.
Verification
How Google Business Profile verification works
Verification is the step that confuses people most. Here's what Google's official help (support.google.com/business) says, in plain words.
| Method | How it works | What you should know |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or SMS | Google sends a code to the business number | Keep that phone handy |
| Google sends a code by email | Check your spam folder too | |
| Live or recorded video | You show the business on camera | You must be at the business during open hours, showing signage, equipment and proof that you manage it |
| Postcard | A card with a code arrives at the address | Usually arrives within 14 days; the code expires after 30 |
Google chooses the method, not you and not us. Reviews can take up to 5 business days. And while you wait, don't edit the name, address or category: that can restart or complicate the process.
Before and after
An abandoned profile versus a well-kept one
According to the Telefónica Movistar study presented at Andicom, 8 in 10 Colombians use WhatsApp to communicate. That's why, when Google allows it, we connect your profile to WhatsApp: a customer who finds you on Maps can message you with a single tap.
Google reviews
Real reviews, answered with respect
- We give you a short link to ask happy customers for reviews on WhatsApp
- We reply to every review, positive or negative, in your business's voice
- We review sensitive replies with you before they go live
- We help you report reviews that violate Google's policies (Google decides whether to remove them)
- We never buy, invent or trade reviews: it's against Google's policies and puts your profile at risk
Example
A set-lunch restaurant in Chapinero gets a review saying the delivery arrived cold. A good reply thanks the customer, apologizes without excuses, explains what will improve and offers a way to make it right. Future customers read that reply as closely as the review.
No profile yet, or not sure who manages it?
Message us and we'll check the status of your Google Business Profile at no cost.
Message us on WhatsApp Request a quoteGetting started
What we need from you to get started
We want this process to take work off your plate, not add to it. To start we only need the basics, and almost all of it can be sent on WhatsApp.
- Your business's exact name, as it appears on your sign and with the Chamber of Commerce
- Your location's address, or the areas you serve if you work at customers' locations
- Your hours, including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
- Real photos of the premises, the team, your products or finished work
- Access to the email used to create the profile, if one already exists
- Availability for verification, if Google asks for a video at the business
Your data is handled carefully and in line with Colombia's Law 1581 of 2012 on personal data protection. We never publish anything on your profile that you haven't approved in general terms, and you always keep ownership of the listing.
Next steps
The profile is one piece; the complete plan is stronger
Google Business Profile is the heart of local SEO in Bogotá, and it works best alongside solid Bogotá SEO and a clear website that converts; see our web design in Bogotá. If you'd rather do it yourself, start with our Google Business Profile guide or how to put your business on Google Maps.
A well-kept profile also helps AI tools understand your business; we explain that in AI search visibility. And if you get lots of messages, our AI agents for business can send first replies with human review. Not sure where to start? Request the free SEO audit, see how it works or go back to the home page.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Are Google My Business and Google Business Profile the same thing?
Yes. Google renamed Google My Business, known in Colombia as Google Mi Negocio, to Google Business Profile in late 2021. It's the free listing that shows your business on Google Maps and in search, with your address, hours, photos, reviews and buttons to call or get directions.
How long does profile verification take?
It depends on the method Google assigns you. According to Google's official help, reviews can take up to 5 business days, and if they send you a postcard, the code usually arrives within 14 days and expires after 30. While you wait, avoid changing the name, address or category.
Can you verify the profile for me?
We help with the whole process, but Google decides on verification and some methods require you to be there. For example, video verification means recording at the business during open hours, showing your signage, equipment and proof that you manage it. We explain step by step what to record.
How often should I post on my Business Profile?
We recommend posting every week: news, offers, photos of real work or events. Posts show the business is active and give customers reasons to reach out. In our service we prepare them, and you just send us photos or ideas when you have them.
What should I do about a negative Google review?
Reply calmly, respectfully and promptly, without arguing or revealing customer details. Acknowledge the problem, offer a solution and a way to get in touch. If the review violates Google's policies it can be reported, but Google decides whether to remove it. We write the replies with you.
Does having a profile guarantee I'll show up first on Google Maps?
No. A complete, active profile greatly improves your chances, but Google ranks results by relevance, distance and prominence, and nobody controls that order. What we do guarantee is a well-built profile, maintained every week and measured every month.
Ready for Bogotá to find your business?
Tell us what you sell and to whom. Stephany will help you see where to start, free and with no obligation.
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