Google My Business vs Google Business Profile: Clearing Up the Confusion
Google My Business and Google Business Profile are the same product — Google renamed it in 2021 and folded most management directly into Google Search and Maps rather than a separate standalone app. If someone tells you to “check your Google My Business,” they mean your Google Business Profile; nothing was lost or replaced, just rebranded and restructured.
What actually changed beyond the name
The standalone Google My Business app was discontinued — profile management now happens by searching your own business name in Google directly and clicking “Edit profile,” or through the Google Business Profile Manager website for businesses managing multiple locations. Some advanced features moved or were simplified in the transition, which is where a lot of the lingering confusion among business owners comes from.
Where this trips people up
Old blog posts, agency proposals, and even some software still reference “Google My Business” by name, which can make business owners think they’re missing a tool that’s simply been renamed. If a “GMB audit” is offered, it’s the exact same thing as a Google Business Profile audit — just older terminology.
What to actually check on your profile today
Search your business name on Google, confirm the listing appears and is accurate, and click through to “Edit profile” to review hours, categories, photos, and attributes. If you can’t find an edit option, you may not have claimed or verified the listing yet, which is worth resolving quickly since an unclaimed listing can be edited by anyone.
If your listing hasn’t been properly claimed, verified, or optimised, our Google Business Profile service handles the whole setup correctly the first time.
Keep reading
- How to Write a Google Business Profile Description That Ranks and Reads Well
- Google Business Profile Attributes: The Small Checkboxes That Change Who Finds You
- Google Business Profile Categories: The Setting That Quietly Decides Your Ranking
Short on time to do this yourself? Our Google Business Profile optimisation takes care of it end to end.