A potential customer searches "hairdresser Ghent" on their phone. Three businesses appear in a highlighted block at the top of the results — with photos, hours, and a star rating. Below that, a list of websites. Somewhere further down, maybe, a business with no profile, no photos, no reviews.
That last one is invisible. And in Belgium right now, a lot of small businesses are in that position — not because they're doing anything wrong, but because nobody told them there's a free tool that fixes it.
Key Takeaways
- 64% of consumers use Google Business Profile to find contact details before calling a local business (BrightLocal, 2024)
- Businesses with complete GBP listings are 70% more likely to attract location visits than those with incomplete profiles (Google, 2023)
- 46% of all Google searches have local intent — meaning almost half of all searches are people looking for something near them (Think with Google)
- Setting up and claiming your GBP listing takes under 30 minutes and costs nothing
What is Google Business Profile and why does it matter?
64% of consumers use Google Business Profile to find a business's contact details before picking up the phone (BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey, 2024). That's not a small number. It means more than half your potential customers are checking your Google listing before they call, visit, or click through to your website. Google Business Profile (GBP) is the free card that appears when someone searches for your business or a business like yours in Google Search and Maps. It shows your name, address, opening hours, phone number, photos, and reviews — all before anyone leaves the search results page.
The thing most Belgian small business owners don't realise: Google may have already created a listing for you. It pulls data from public directories, map databases, and user suggestions. If you haven't claimed it, that listing shows whatever Google found — which might be outdated, incomplete, or just wrong.
Why this is a bigger opportunity in Belgium than you'd think
Only 65% of Belgian micro-enterprises (businesses with 2 to 9 employees) have a website at all (Statbel ICT and E-commerce Survey, 2025). That means a significant chunk of Belgian small businesses are competing with almost no digital footprint. The local 3-pack — that highlighted block of three businesses at the top of Google's local results — often has open slots in smaller Belgian towns and cities, simply because nobody has done the work to claim them.
46% of all Google searches have local intent (Think with Google). In Belgium, with 96.3% of the population online (DataReportal Digital 2026: Belgium, 2026), that translates to millions of searches every day for businesses in specific cities and neighbourhoods. The competition for those clicks isn't as fierce as you might think — especially at the local level.
The five quick wins from a properly set up GBP
Businesses with complete Google Business Profile listings are 70% more likely to receive location visits, and those with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more website clicks than those without (Google Business Profile Help, 2023; Google Support, 2023). Here's what "complete" looks like in practice.
1. Claim and verify your listing. Go to business.google.com, search for your business name, and follow the steps to claim it. Verification usually happens via a code sent by postcard, phone, or email. This takes a few days but is the most important step — it gives you control over everything that appears.
2. Fill in every field. Category (be specific — "hair salon" beats "beauty"), business description up to 750 characters, address or service area, and hours including public holidays. Incomplete profiles rank lower. Google rewards businesses that answer its questions fully.
3. Upload at least 10 photos. Your shopfront, workspace, team, and a few product or service shots. They don't need to be professionally shot. They need to be real. Google's own data shows businesses with photos get significantly more engagement than those without.
4. Ask your best clients for a review. GBP has a direct review link you can share by text or WhatsApp. Five genuine reviews already puts you ahead of most competitors in Belgian small towns. Respond to every review — including the negative ones. Responding signals to Google that the business is active and well-managed.
5. Post an update once a week. GBP's Posts feature works like a mini social feed attached to your listing. A weekly post — a promotion, a new service, an event — takes five minutes and tells Google your business is active. Active listings rank better than dormant ones.
How GBP connects to your website
A Google Business Profile is the hook. It gets someone's attention in search results and shows them the basics. But most customers click through. They want to see what you actually offer, understand your pricing, and decide whether to trust you before picking up the phone.
According to Google, 76% of people who perform a local search on their phone visit a physical location within 24 hours — and 28% complete a purchase that same day (Think with Google). A GBP with no website to link to leaves that traffic with nowhere to land. The searcher has a question. Without a website, you can't answer it.
Your GBP profile and your website are a team. The profile catches the local search. The website closes the deal. One without the other leaves money on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Business Profile really free?
Yes, completely. There's no cost to claim, verify, or manage your listing. Google offers optional paid features like Local Services Ads that appear separately from organic local results, but your GBP listing itself — the card that shows up in Search and Maps — costs nothing and has no subscription.
Do I need a physical address to appear in local results?
Not necessarily. Service-area businesses — plumbers, house cleaners, catering companies, mobile hairdressers — can hide their home or office address and set a service area (e.g., "Antwerp and surrounding municipalities") instead. Google will still show you in relevant local searches within that area.
How long before my changes show up on Google?
Most updates go live within a few hours. If you're verifying a new listing by postcard, the code arrives within 5 to 14 days. Profile edits made after verification — adding photos, updating hours, writing posts — typically appear within 24 hours.
What if I get a fake or unfair review?
You can respond to every review from your GBP dashboard, which you should always do — even for negative reviews. For reviews that violate Google's policies (spam, fake accounts, off-topic content), you can flag them for removal. The process can take a few weeks but does work for clear policy violations.
Should I bother with GBP if I don't have a website yet?
Yes — claim and complete your GBP now, even without a website. It's still better than having nothing. But the two work best together: a complete GBP gets you found, and a clean website turns that visit into a customer. If you're ready to add the website piece, let's talk.
Your GBP listing is free and it's waiting. Claiming it takes under an hour. If you want help taking the next step — a simple, mobile-first website that works alongside your listing to turn searches into customers — get in touch. No complicated packages, no long-term contracts.