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How to get found on Google as a one-person business

Most of getting found is being clear, accurate and consistent, then letting real clients say good things about you.

4 min read · Last checked 22 October 2026 · Sources at the end

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Google's rules and screens change, so check its own help pages when you set things up.

Start with a Google Business Profile

A Business Profile is how you appear on Google Search and Maps. Google says you need to add or claim your business and then verify it, and that some changes are not possible until you have. Once verified, you can edit your name, hours, contact details, website, photos, description, categories and service area.

Be honest about how you work, because Google's guidelines are specific:

  • Your name should reflect your real-world name, as used consistently on your website, stationery and with clients. Google says not to add marketing taglines, phone numbers or web addresses to it.
  • One profile per business. Do not create duplicates.
  • Working from home or travelling to clients? Google's advice is that if you do not serve customers at your business address, you should remove the address from your profile and set service areas instead. It suggests cities or postcodes rather than a radius, and allows up to 20 areas. It also says a service area should not stretch much beyond about two hours of driving time from where you are based.

If you serve clients wholly online across the UK, your website has to do most of the work, because Google's profile guidance is written around businesses that serve customers in a place. Say clearly on your website that you work online and who you work with.

Reviews: ask fairly, reply well

Google says reviews count towards how prominent you appear locally, and that there is no way to pay for a better ranking.

  • You can ask clients for a review by sending them a Google link or QR code. They need a Google account to leave one.
  • Do not offer discounts, freebies or anything else in exchange for reviews. Google prohibits it.
  • Do not ask only your happiest clients, and do not discourage negative feedback. Google's policy covers this too.
  • Reply to reviews. Google suggests short, personal, professional replies, and for a negative review, acknowledging the problem honestly and inviting the person to contact you privately.

A website that says what you do

Google's starter guide says that creating content people find compelling and useful will likely influence your website's presence in search results. For you, that means:

  • Say what you do, where you work or whom you serve, and how to book, in plain words, near the top of the home page.
  • Give each service its own page, with its own clear title and a short description written for people, not search engines. Google advises unique titles and descriptions for each page.
  • Use good photos with descriptive alt text, placed near the words about them.

Speed, mobile and security

Google asks whether your pages have good Core Web Vitals (its measures of loading and responsiveness), whether the content displays well on mobile, and whether pages are served securely. Most of your clients will arrive on a phone, so test your own site on one. Google adds that good scores do not guarantee a top ranking, so treat speed as kindness to visitors.

Keep your details consistent

Use the same business name, phone number, service area and opening hours on your website, your profile and your social accounts. Google says that if you change your business name after verification you might need to verify again, and that if you move to a new address you must verify again.

Photos, with permission

Google asks for photos that are in focus, well lit and without heavy filters, in JPG or PNG format. A practical suggestion: use your own work and your own space. If a client is recognisable in a photo, or you are showing their nails, hair, skin or tattoo, ask first, and keep a note of their agreement. Anything that could identify a client's health or home should stay out.

What not to do

  • Do not buy reviews, swap them or write your own.
  • Do not add locations or service descriptions to your business name. Google says unnecessary information is not permitted in it.
  • Do not list a home address you do not want clients turning up at.

Do this next

  1. Claim and verify your Business Profile, or check that the one you have is correct.
  2. Make sure the business name, phone, hours and service areas match your website exactly.
  3. Write one page per service, each saying what it is, who it suits and how to book.
  4. Send your review link to every client after their visit, not just the ones you expect to be happy, and reply to every review you already have.
  5. Ask your next client's permission before posting any photo of them, and record it.

Want a website, booking and review set-up that is built to do all of this and stays yours? See how it works for your craft: our page for your craft

Sources

Last checked 22 October 2026. General guidance, not legal or tax advice.

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