A Google Business Profile Guide for Architecture Firms

Your Google Business Profile is one of the simplest ways to improve your studio’s visibility in local search.

It can help your firm:

• Show up where potential clients are already searching
• Build trust with photos of your work and client reviews
• Get inquiries without people even having to visit your website first

Below are the steps we typically recommend architecture studios follow when setting up and maintaining their Google Business Profile.

How to Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Pre-Step Checklist

Before you can claim or create a Google Business Profile, you’ll first need a Google Account and relevant business information.

• The Google Account is ideally with a business domain; e.g., if your studio is THD Architects, [email protected] looks more professional than Gmail
  • If you don’t have a Google Account, you can create one at accounts.google.com
• For relevant business information, you’ll want to have your business name, address, phone number, and website at the ready

Once you have those, you can start with the steps below.

Step 1: Sign in to Google Business Profile

• Go to business.google.com and log in

Step 2: Create or Claim Your Profile

Search for your architecture firm’s name.

• If it’s there, claim it
• If not, create it by entering your business name

Important: Use your exact business name. If your firm’s name is “THD Architects,” write it exactly as that when creating your profile. Do not add extra keywords that aren’t part of your business name, such as “THD Architects – Architect in Manhattan.” This can get your profile suspended and you’ll need to go through an appeals process to get it verified and/or live again.

Step 3: Choose Your Business Type

Select Local Store if you have an office and clients can physically visit your office. This will display your business address in Google Maps.

Select Service Business if you don’t have an office, work solely at client sites, or work remotely. This will not display your business address on Google Maps, but you’ll still be able to select cities where you serve clients.

Generally, it’s been shown that Google Business Profiles that display a verified address rank better than service area businesses.

It’s important to select the correct option that applies to your business because you’ll need to verify your profile in Step 6.

Step 4: Select Your Business Category

These are the categories we recommend adding for architecture studios:

• Primary category: Architecture Firm
• Secondary categories: Architect, Architectural Designer, Interior Designer (if relevant).

Step 5: Add Your Business Details

Take a look at your pre-step checklist from earlier and enter your:

• Business address (or service area if you selected Service Business)
• Phone number (a local number is recommended over a toll-free number)
• Website URL

Step 6: Verify Your Business

As mentioned in Step 3, Google requires you to verify your business before your profile appears in Search or Maps.

Verification may be done by:

• Requesting a postcard with a PIN mailed to your address
• Receiving a phone call with a PIN
• Doing a video verification showing your location, signage, and workspace

If you selected Local Store earlier, it’s become increasingly likely that video verification will be required. Generally, in this video you’ll want to record your location from the street, the office’s exterior signage with your firm’s name, you walking up to your building or office, unlocking the space, and a brief tour inside showing where you meet with clients.

In short, Google wants to confirm that your business exists, that it is where you say it exists, that it has proper signage, and that customers and clients can actually visit your location.

If you get the PIN option, follow the on-screen steps once you have received your PIN.

How to Make Your Profile Stand Out

Once your Google Business Profile is set up, it’s important to keep it up to date regularly to improve your local ranking and make it stand out.

Here are some key editable parts of your profile:

• Reviews: Ask past clients to leave a review and reply to each one; increasing the number of reviews your profile gets and getting consistent reviews is arguably the most impactful way to improve your ranking in Google Maps within your area. Oftentimes, studios only need 10-30 reviews to rank competitively on Google Maps in their city.
• Photos: Upload team photos, finished projects, renderings, concept designs, under-construction or in-progress shots; try to aim for one new photo a week
• Description: Share who you are, where you’re based, the types of projects you specialize in, and the clients you work with
• Services: List offerings that match your ideal projects (e.g., custom home design, planning approvals, hospitality interiors) and include short descriptions for each. You can also add custom services if you’d like.
• Posts: Share updates regularly, such as new project commissions, groundbreakings, speaking engagements and events, awards, press mentions, or new hires; you can also link these posts back to your website.
• Business Hours: Keep them accurate year-round, including during holidays