How to start onlne marketing for your business

The first free digital platform many local businesses should establish before spending money on online advertising.

Starting online marketing can feel more complicated than it needs to be.

A business owner may hear about Facebook Ads, Instagram, TikTok, websites, SEO, influencers, email marketing and Google Ads and immediately face a difficult question:

Where do I actually start?

For many businesses that serve customers in a specific location, one of the best places to start is surprisingly simple: Google Business Profile.

Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows eligible businesses to manage how they appear on Google Search and Google Maps. A profile can display information such as the business name, location or service area, opening hours, phone number, website, photos, services and customer reviews.

It isn't a replacement for social media, a website or paid advertising. But for a local business, it can establish an important foundation before you spend money trying to generate attention elsewhere.

Key Takeaways

Google Business Profile is free for eligible businesses.

It can put your business information directly on Google Search and Google Maps.

It is particularly useful for businesses that have a physical location or serve customers in specific geographic areas.

Customers can use your profile to find information, visit your website, request directions, call your business and read reviews.

A complete and accurate profile can help your business appear more effectively in local search.

Google Business Profile is a foundation for online visibility, not a complete digital marketing strategy.

Where Should a Business Start Online Marketing?

The answer depends on the type of business.

But if you operate a shop, restaurant, clinic, salon, consultancy, repair service, professional service or another business that interacts with customers in person, Google Business Profile should be one of the first platforms you consider.

Why?

Because there is an important difference between creating attention and being found when someone is already looking.

Imagine someone in Accra searches:

"plumber near me"

or:

"appliance shop in Adenta"

or:

"accounting firm in Accra"

They aren't necessarily browsing for entertainment.

They have a problem, need or intention.

Google's local search results can show relevant businesses on Search and Maps, including information such as location, contact details, hours, websites, services and reviews.

That makes Google Business Profile fundamentally different from simply creating another social media page.

Why Businesses Often Start Online Marketing Backwards

A common sequence looks like this:

Create Instagram page → create Facebook page → boost posts → run ads → wonder why customers aren't converting.

The problem isn't necessarily the advertising.

The problem may be that the business hasn't established a reliable digital foundation.

A potential customer sees an advertisement and then asks:

Where are you located?

Are you actually open?

What services do you offer?

Can I call you?

Do other customers trust you?

Do you have a website?

Can I find you on Google Maps?

If the answers are difficult to find, the business has created attention without creating enough confidence.

This is why online marketing shouldn't begin with:

"Where can I advertise?"

A better first question is:

"Where are my customers already looking for businesses like mine?"

For local businesses, Google is often part of that answer.

What Is Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is Google's platform for managing how an eligible business appears on Google Search and Google Maps. Google provides it at no charge.

A verified profile can contain:

Business name

Primary business category

Address

Service area

Opening hours

Phone number

Website

Photos and videos

Products or services

Customer reviews

Business updates and other information

The exact features available can vary by business category.

Google describes the profile as a local storefront on Search and Maps.

That is a useful way to think about it.

Your physical storefront exists in the real world.

Your Business Profile becomes part of your digital storefront.

Who Should Use Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is primarily designed for businesses that make in-person contact with customers.

That includes businesses with:

Physical storefronts

Offices where customers visit

Service businesses that travel to customers

Hybrid businesses that serve customers both at their location and elsewhere

Examples include:

Restaurants

Retail shops

Salons

Clinics

Plumbers

Contractors

Accountants

Consultants

Repair businesses

Delivery businesses

Professional services

Google specifically distinguishes between storefront, service-area and hybrid businesses.

Important: online-only businesses generally aren't eligible for a Business Profile. Google says businesses must make in-person contact with customers during their stated hours to qualify.

Why Google Business Profile Should Be One of Your First Platforms

1. It Doesn't Require an Advertising Budget

Creating or claiming a Business Profile is free.

That matters for a small business.

You can establish your presence before committing money to paid advertising.

Free does not mean insignificant.

It means the barrier to entry is low.

2. It Places Your Business Where Search Happens

A social media post depends on someone encountering it in a feed.

A Google search begins with a person actively looking for something.

That distinction matters.

Google Business Profile can help eligible businesses appear when customers search relevant businesses or categories in their local area.

It doesn't guarantee first-place rankings.

It doesn't guarantee customers.

But it gives Google structured information about your business and creates a place where customers can learn about you.

3. It Connects Search With Maps

For location-based businesses, this is particularly valuable.

Someone may not know your brand name.

They may simply search for the type of business they need.

If your business is relevant and eligible, your profile can appear in Google Maps and local Search results.

This makes location part of the marketing experience.

4. It Answers Basic Customer Questions

A good profile can answer important questions before the customer contacts you:

Where are you?

When are you open?

What do you offer?

How can I contact you?

What do other customers say?

Where can I learn more?

Google allows businesses to provide information such as hours, website, phone number, location, photos and reviews.

That reduces friction.

Google Business Profile vs Social Media

These platforms are not really competing for the same job.

Google Business Profile Social Media

Search-driven Feed-driven

Captures existing intent Creates and distributes attention

Strong for local discovery Strong for awareness and engagement

Maps visibility Community building

Reviews and business information Content and conversation

Helps people find your business Helps people follow your brand

A restaurant, for example, can use Instagram to show beautiful meals and Google Business Profile to help someone searching for a restaurant nearby discover its location, hours, website and reviews.

You don't necessarily choose one.

You give each platform a job.

How to Start: Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

Before creating a profile, determine whether your business qualifies.

If customers visit your business location or you travel to customers in person, you may qualify. Online-only businesses generally do not.

Step 2: Search for Your Business

Search Google and Google Maps for your business name.

A profile may already exist.

If it does, you may need to claim it rather than create another listing.

Google provides an add-or-claim process for businesses.

Step 3: Enter Accurate Business Information

Your information should be accurate and consistent.

Pay particular attention to:

Business name

Category

Address

Phone number

Website

Opening hours

Google's guidelines require businesses to represent their actual real-world locations accurately.

Don't stuff keywords into your business name.

If your actual business name is "Edumoh Appliances," don't turn it into:

"Best Affordable Appliances Shop in Adenta Ghana – Edumoh Appliances"

just to manipulate search visibility.

Accuracy comes first.

What If You Don't Have a Storefront?

This is where service-area businesses need to be careful.

A plumber, cleaner, consultant or technician may travel to customers rather than receive them at a storefront.

Google allows eligible service-area businesses to define the areas they serve.

If you don't serve customers at your business address, Google says you should remove the address from the profile rather than presenting a virtual office as your location.

Your service area can be specified using places such as cities or postal codes, subject to Google's guidelines.

Complete the Profile

Creating the profile is only the beginning.

A weak profile says:

"We exist."

A useful profile says:

"Here is everything you need to know before deciding whether to contact us."

Add relevant:

Photos

Videos

Services

Products

Website

Opening hours

Business description

Customer reviews

Google specifically recommends keeping business information complete and accurate because this can help your business appear in relevant local searches.

Reviews Are Part of the Digital Experience

Reviews are not simply decoration.

They give prospective customers another source of information when evaluating your business.

Encourage genuine customers to leave honest reviews and respond appropriately to reviews you receive.

Do not manufacture reviews or manipulate your business name and information to influence rankings.

Google's Business Profile policies and guidelines govern how businesses can represent themselves on the platform.

What Should You Do After Google Business Profile?

This is where the broader digital marketing strategy begins.

A sensible foundation might look like:

Google Business Profile

↓

Website

↓

Social Media

↓

Content

↓

Email / WhatsApp / Customer Relationship Channels

↓

Paid Advertising

But don't treat this as a universal formula.

A restaurant, B2B consultancy, ecommerce company and construction firm will require different digital systems.

The important principle is:

Build the foundation around how customers discover, evaluate and contact your business.

Then add channels that strengthen that journey.

When Should You Start Paid Advertising?

Paid advertising becomes much more useful when the destination is ready.

Before spending money, ask:

Is my business information accurate?

Can people find my location?

Can they understand what I offer?

Can they contact me easily?

Do I have credible proof?

Is my website or landing page ready?

Do I know what action I want the customer to take?

Advertising can generate attention.

It cannot fix every weakness underneath it.

Google itself treats Business Profile and Google Ads as complementary: businesses can use their Business Profile for their organic presence and then use Google Ads to reach a larger audience.

Measure What Happens

One advantage of establishing a Business Profile is that you can measure how customers interact with it.

Google's Business Profile performance reporting can show metrics including:

Searches

Views

Directions

Calls

Website clicks

Other interactions

The available metrics depend on the business.

This turns the profile from a static listing into something you can actually monitor.

Instead of asking:

"Is my business online?"

you can begin asking:

"How are people discovering and interacting with my business?"

That is a much more useful question.

Common Mistakes Businesses Make

Creating the profile and abandoning it

A profile should remain accurate as the business changes.

Choosing the wrong category

Your category helps Google understand what type of business you operate. Don't treat categories simply as keyword fields.

Using inaccurate locations

Don't create virtual locations or misleading addresses simply to appear in more places.

Ignoring reviews

Reviews are part of how prospective customers evaluate your business.

Thinking Google Business Profile is SEO

It contributes to your local search presence, but it isn't a replacement for a broader SEO strategy.

Thinking it replaces advertising

It doesn't.

A Business Profile establishes discoverability and information. Paid advertising buys additional reach.

They solve different problems.

The Bigger Lesson

The first step in online marketing isn't necessarily creating content.

It isn't necessarily running an advertisement.

And it certainly isn't being everywhere at once.

The first step is understanding how your customer finds you.

For a local business, that may begin with a Google search.

If someone is already searching for:

"restaurant near me"

"accountant in Accra"

"plumber in Tema"

"appliance shop in Adenta"

then your first job isn't necessarily to interrupt them with an advertisement.

Your first job is to be discoverable, credible and useful when they are looking.

That is why Google Business Profile deserves a place near the beginning of the online marketing journey for many Ghanaian businesses.

Conclusion

Online marketing can become complicated very quickly.

There are platforms to manage, content to create, advertisements to run, websites to build and metrics to monitor.

But complexity shouldn't determine where you begin.

For an eligible local business, Google Business Profile is one of the simplest foundations you can establish. It is free, connects your business to Google Search and Maps, and gives potential customers access to important information about your business.

The deeper lesson is bigger than Google.

Don't begin by asking where you can advertise. Begin by asking where your customers are already looking.

Then build your digital presence around that behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best platform to start online marketing for a business in Ghana?

For many local businesses, Google Business Profile is one of the first platforms worth establishing because it is free and can make the business discoverable through Google Search and Maps. The right starting platform ultimately depends on the business model and how customers discover it.

Is Google Business Profile free?

Yes. Google allows eligible businesses to add or claim a Business Profile at no charge.

Do I need a website to create a Google Business Profile?

A website is not required to create a Business Profile. However, adding a website can give customers another way to learn about your business and can complement your profile.

Can a small business in Ghana use Google Business Profile?

Yes, if the business meets Google's eligibility requirements. Businesses generally need to make in-person contact with customers, either at a physical location or through a service-area model.

Can a service business without a shop use Google Business Profile?

Yes, eligible service-area businesses can use a Business Profile and specify the areas they serve. If customers don't visit the business address, the address should not be presented as a storefront location.

Is Google Business Profile better than Facebook for business?

Neither is universally better. Google Business Profile is particularly useful for local search and discovery, while Facebook and other social platforms can be useful for content distribution, awareness and community building.

Does Google Business Profile guarantee that my business will rank first?

No. Google says complete and accurate business information can help a business appear in relevant local search results, but a Business Profile does not guarantee a particular ranking position.

What should I do after creating my Google Business Profile?

Complete and verify the profile, keep the information accurate, add relevant photos and services, encourage genuine customer reviews, and then build other channels—such as your website, social media and paid advertising—according to how your customers discover and evaluate your business.

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