When a traveller in Galle searches “restaurant near me” or “hotel in Unawatuna”, Google shows a map with a handful of businesses before any website. Those listings come from Google Business Profile. For hotels, villas, restaurants and tour companies, it is often the single most valuable free marketing tool available.
Use this checklist to make sure your profile is working as hard as it can.
The basics
- Claim and verify your profile. If you have not verified it, anyone can suggest changes to your listing.
- Use your real business name. Do not add keywords to your name. Google can suspend profiles that do.
- Choose the right primary category. “Hotel”, “Villa”, “Guest house”, “Seafood restaurant” and so on. Then add relevant secondary categories.
- Put the map pin in the right place. Guests use it to find you, and many roads in the south coast area are hard to navigate.
- Add your phone, WhatsApp and website. Link to your own website, not to a booking platform page.
- Set accurate opening hours, including special hours for holidays and the off-season.
Photos that sell
Profiles with plenty of good photos get more clicks. Add your exterior, every room type, the pool and garden, the view, your food and your team. Upload new photos regularly, especially when you renovate or change your menu.
Reviews
- Ask every happy guest. A simple card at checkout or a WhatsApp message with your review link works well.
- Reply to every review, good or bad, politely and quickly. Future guests read your replies.
- Never buy reviews. Google removes them and can penalise your profile.
Details most businesses miss
- Amenities and attributes: free Wi-Fi, pool, parking, vegetarian options, wheelchair access.
- A full description that explains what makes you different, in plain language.
- Menu or room links that go straight to the right page on your website.
- Posts and offers for events, seasonal deals and direct booking perks.
- Questions and answers: add the questions guests often ask, and answer them yourself.
Keep it consistent. Your name, address and phone number should be exactly the same on Google, your website, Booking.com, TripAdvisor and Facebook. Consistency helps Google trust your business information.
Need a hand?
We set up and manage Google Business Profiles for hotels, villas and restaurants across Sri Lanka as part of our digital marketing service. Contact us for a free review of your profile.