Search Console or Google Business Profile: where should you start?

Choose the tool for the question

Use Search Console to investigate your website: whether Google can find its pages and which searches bring visitors. Use Business Profile to check the business details customers see, such as its real name, location or service area and opening hours. Keep the website and profile details consistent.

Check the website you actually own

Sign in to Search Console with the account that has access to your website property. Select the property that covers the final website address. Review the indexing report and inspect an important public service page. A successful live test shows access at that moment; it is not a promise of indexing.

Check the sitemap report if a sitemap has been submitted. A sitemap helps discovery but does not guarantee that every page will be crawled or indexed. Record an unexpected exclusion before changing settings, and keep private pages private.

Check eligibility before changing a Business Profile

Read Google's eligibility guidance first. Use the business name customers know, accurate hours and the genuine location or service area. Follow the applicable address and verification rules rather than adding an address just to appear local.

Do not create a duplicate profile because access is missing. Find out who owns the existing profile and follow Google's access process. A website connection in Visibility Lab does not authorise changes to your Business Profile.

Write down a useful starting point

In Search Console, record the property, search type, date range and any filters alongside clicks and impressions. Save the queries and pages that need investigation. Compare matching periods when enough data exists. An unavailable report stays unavailable.

Keep enquiries in a separate record with their source where known. A page edit being checked is completed work; it does not establish that the edit caused more visitors or bookings.

Turn one observation into a clear next step

If a public service page is unexpectedly excluded, investigate that page before commissioning more articles. If customers cannot understand the service, improve its explanation using facts the business confirms. If profile hours are wrong, correct them through the authorised Business Profile account.

Visibility Lab can check public pages and prepare supported website improvements. It does not currently manage your Google Business Profile. Full Autopilot remains in development; completing this checklist does not guarantee rankings or AI recommendations.

Common questions