When someone searches "dentist near me", "plumber in Alicante" or "Japanese restaurant Valencia", the first thing they see is not a list of websites. They see a map with three highlighted businesses — and a list of results below. That block, known as the local pack or map pack, receives between 40% and 50% of all clicks on local searches.
If your business isn't appearing there, you're handing customers to your competitors every single day. And what makes this especially frustrating is that many businesses that do appear haven't spent thousands on advertising. They appear because they've properly set up something that is completely free: Google Business Profile.
This guide explains exactly how it works, how to create and optimise your profile, and which specific factors determine whether you appear in the pack of three or remain invisible.
What is Google Business Profile and why is it free and powerful
Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) is Google's free tool that allows businesses to control how they appear in Google Search and Google Maps.
When you search for a well-known business on Google, you see a panel on the right side of the screen with its name, address, phone number, opening hours, photos, reviews and action buttons (call, get directions, visit website). That's their Google Business Profile.
It's free because Google has a vested interest in having accurate data about local businesses. The more complete and up-to-date their database of local businesses is, the more useful their search results are and the longer users stay on Google. It's an exchange: you provide the information, Google displays it and sends you customers.
What many businesses don't realise is that Google Business Profile doesn't only control the side panel that appears when someone searches for you by name. It's also the primary lever for appearing in the local pack when someone searches for a category of business in a specific area. A well-optimised profile can put you in the top three positions on Maps for highly competitive searches in your city.
How to create your Google Business Profile step by step
If you don't yet have a profile, or you want to create one from scratch, here's exactly what to do.
Step 1: Go to business.google.com Sign in with a Google account. If you already have a Gmail account for your business, use it. If not, create one first.
Step 2: Search for an existing profile of your business Google sometimes creates automatic profiles from publicly available information. Search for your business name before creating a new one. If a profile already exists, you can claim it as the owner.
Step 3: Enter your business name Use your real business name exactly as it is — don't add keywords to it. Entering "Emergency Plumber Alicante 24h — García Plumbing" when your business is called "García Plumbing" violates Google's guidelines and can result in a profile suspension.
Step 4: Choose your primary category This is one of the most important steps. The category tells Google what type of business you are and which searches you should appear for. Choose the category that best describes your main activity. You can add secondary categories later.
Step 5: Indicate whether you have a physical location If customers visit you physically (shop, clinic, restaurant), add your address. If you're a service-area business (plumber, electrician, web designer), you can hide the address and indicate the areas you serve instead.
Step 6: Add phone number and website The phone number must be the same one that appears on your website and in all online directories. This is critical for local SEO (explained further in the NAP section below). The website URL should point to your main domain.
Step 7: Set your service area (if applicable) If you serve customers in multiple locations (for example, Alicante, Elche and Torrevieja), you can specify this. Google will show you in Maps for searches in those areas even without a physical address in each location.
How to verify your business on Google
Creating the profile is only the first step. For it to appear in Maps and in the local pack, you need to verify that the business actually exists. Google offers several methods:
Postcard verification The most traditional method. Google sends a letter with a verification code to your business address. It takes between 5 and 14 days. Once received, you enter the code in your profile and verification is complete. This is the most common method for businesses with a physical location.
Video verification Google asks you to record a video showing the outside of the premises, the interior and proof that you're the owner (for example, accessing the till or management system). It's faster than the postcard method and has become the default for many businesses.
Phone or email verification Only available for some businesses and regions. Google calls the registered phone number or sends a code by email. If available for your business, it's the fastest method.
Instant verification If your business already has a verified property in Google Search Console with the same domain, verification may be automatic.
Once verified, the profile begins appearing in Google Maps. Visibility increases progressively as you complete the profile and accumulate activity — reviews, posts, photos, questions and answers.
The 8 factors that determine your position on Google Maps
Not all businesses appear equally in Maps. Google uses a specific algorithm for the local pack that considers three main dimensions: relevance, proximity and prominence. Within these, there are eight specific factors you can actively control.
1. Business category (Relevance)
The primary category is the strongest relevance signal. If someone searches "veterinary clinic Alicante" and your primary category is "Veterinarian", Google understands you're relevant for that search. If your category is too generic or incorrect, you lose relevance automatically.
2. Keywords in description and posts (Relevance)
Your profile description (up to 750 characters) and the posts you publish carry weight in relevance calculations. The goal isn't to stuff them with repeated keywords — it's to accurately and naturally describe what you do, where you do it and for whom.
3. User proximity (Proximity)
Google always prioritises businesses closest to the user's location at the time of the search. You can't directly control this factor, but you can ensure your address and service area are configured correctly.
4. Number and average rating of reviews (Prominence)
This is probably the factor you have the most control over, and it has the highest impact. A business with 80 reviews and an average of 4.5 stars is significantly more likely to appear in the pack of three than one with 10 reviews and an average of 4.8 stars. Volume matters as much as quality.
5. Recency of reviews (Prominence)
Having many reviews from three years ago isn't enough. Google values recent reviews positively, as they indicate the business is still active and satisfying its customers. A consistent flow of new reviews is a strong positive signal.
6. Profile completeness (Relevance)
A profile with all fields completed — opening hours, photos, services, prices, attributes — gives Google more signals to show you for relevant searches. Incomplete profiles compete at a disadvantage.
7. Recent profile activity (Prominence)
Regular posts (offers, news, events), responses to reviews and frequent updates to information signal to Google that the profile is active and well managed. Google favours businesses that use the platform actively.
8. Website authority and local backlinks (Prominence)
The website linked to your profile also counts. If your site has good speed, is SEO-optimised and receives links from relevant local directories (the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, the City Council portal, local media outlets), that authority transfers to your Maps presence.
How to optimise your profile to rank higher
Having a created and verified profile is just the starting point. The difference between appearing in the pack of three and sitting at position twelve lies in active optimisation.
Quality photos in quantity: Profiles with more than 10 photos receive significantly more clicks than those with one or none. Upload photos of the exterior of the premises (so customers can recognise you), the interior, the team, and your work or products. Update photos regularly.
Weekly posts: Google allows you to publish updates directly on your profile — offers, news, events. These posts appear on your profile and tell Google the business is active. Publishing once a week is sufficient to make a real difference.
Respond to all reviews: Both positive and negative. Responding to reviews is a signal of both activity and professionalism. A calm, constructive response to a negative review can reverse the negative impression for everyone else who reads it.
Activate and manage the Q&A section: Anyone can ask questions about your business in this section. If you don't manage it, others can answer on your behalf with incorrect information. Add your own most frequently asked questions with accurate answers.
Complete all attributes: Do you accept cards? Is there parking? Is there wheelchair access? Do you offer home service? These attributes appear on your profile and can be filtering criteria when someone searches with those requirements.
The role of your website in your Maps position
Many businesses make the mistake of treating Google Business Profile and their website as entirely separate things. In reality, they're deeply connected.
NAP consistency: NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone. Google checks that this information is consistent across your Maps profile, your website and all the directories where you appear. If your phone number on the website is different from the one on Maps, or if your address is written differently in different places, it creates confusion for Google and can negatively affect your position.
Local business schema markup: This is code that tells Google in a structured way who you are, where you are and what you do. Correctly implemented on your website, it reinforces the signals Google needs to show you in local searches.
Page loading speed: A slow website is a negative quality signal. Google considers the experience offered by the website you link to from your profile.
Local content on your website: Pages that mention the areas you serve, blog articles on local topics, or service pages specific to each city (if you operate in multiple) all reinforce your geographic relevance.
Common mistakes that keep your business out of the local pack
These are the most frequent errors we see when auditing business profiles in Alicante and Valencia:
Business name stuffed with keywords: "Emergency Plumber Alicante 24h Urgent García" violates Google's guidelines. If Google detects it — and it's increasingly good at doing so — it may suspend the profile.
Wrong or overly generic category: Choosing "Services Company" when you could choose "Digital Marketing Consultancy" is a missed relevance opportunity.
Unclaimed profile: Surprisingly common. Google creates automatic profiles from public data that no one has claimed. These profiles have incorrect information, no photos and no activity, but they still compete (poorly) on Maps.
Data inconsistency: The phone number on the website has the +34 prefix but Maps doesn't. The address in one directory says "Calle Mayor 5" and in another "C/ Mayor, 5". These inconsistencies seem minor but have real impact.
Not actively requesting reviews: Satisfied customers rarely leave reviews on their own initiative. Unsatisfied ones do. Without a system for asking happy customers for reviews, your profile will accumulate a disproportionate number of negative ones.
Not updating hours during holidays: A profile that shows "open" when you're actually closed generates a frustrating experience that can directly translate into negative reviews.
How long does it take to work
This is the question we hear most often. The honest answer: it depends on your starting point and the level of competition in your sector and area.
If your business has no profile or a very incomplete one, you'll see significant improvements in the first 4–8 weeks after creating and correctly optimising the profile.
If you already have a profile but it's been neglected, improvements are more gradual: expect 2–4 months to notice a clear rise in rankings.
If you operate in a highly competitive sector (lawyers, dentists, physiotherapy clinics in large cities), reaching the pack of three may take 6–12 months of consistent work.
What remains constant across all cases: every positive action — a new review, a new post, a photo added, a review responded to — moves you in the right direction. It's not a linear process, but it is cumulative.
Conclusion
Google Business Profile is arguably the most cost-effective marketing tool available to a local business in Spain. It's free, it has a direct and measurable impact on new customer acquisition, and the majority of your competitors have it poorly configured.
If you have a business in Alicante, Valencia or anywhere else in Spain and want to appear in the local pack, the first step is to audit your current profile or create a new one correctly from the start.
At Corexia, we offer free Google Business Profile audits for local businesses. If you want to know exactly where your profile stands and what specific steps you should take next, get in touch with us — no commitment required.
Do you want your business to appear on Google?
We discuss your business, your competition, and what you really need. No technical jargon, no obligation. We'll respond in less than 48 hours with clear guidance and a transparent quote.
Schedule Free Consultation
