How to Add Products and Services to Google Business Profile

Adding your products and services to your Google Business Profile (GBP) is like setting up a shop window that never closes. In a city like Brisbane, where local competition is fierce—from the boutiques in James St to the tradies servicing the Northside—showing exactly what you offer before a customer even clicks your website is a massive competitive advantage.

Think about it: when someone searches for "emergency plumber Chermside" or "best coffee beans West End," Google wants to show the most relevant result. By detailing your offerings, you aren't just helping customers; you're feeding Google the data it needs to rank you higher.

Prerequisites: What You’ll Need Before We Start

Before we dive into the dashboard, grab a coffee and gather these items. It will make the process much smoother:

• Verified Google Business Profile: You must have claimed and verified your business. If you’re still waiting on that postcard from Google, you might need to wait for it to arrive before these changes go live.
• Product Images: High-quality photos (1200 x 900 pixels is the sweet spot). Avoid using stock photos if you can; Google's AI is getting scarily good at spotting them, and Brisbane locals prefer seeing the real deal.
• Pricing Strategy: Decide if you want to show fixed prices, price ranges, or no price at all (we’ll discuss which is best for your industry).
• Service Descriptions: A clear 300-word (max) summary for each service.
• Your ABN (Optional but helpful): Sometimes Google asks for business verification details if you make significant changes.

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Part 1: Adding Your Services

Services are generally for "intangible" offerings—things like consulting, hair styling, plumbing, or legal advice. Google displays these differently than products, often grouping them under your business name in search results.

Step 1: Access Your Business Dashboard

Log into the Google account associated with your business. The easiest way to find your profile now is to simply type "my business" into the Google Search bar.

Step 2: Open the 'Edit Services' Menu

Click on the Edit services icon (it usually looks like a small trolley or a list icon).

Google often "helpfully" suggests services based on your category. You might see a list of things Google thinks you do.

Step 3: Select or Add a Service Category

Your services are grouped under your primary business category (e.g., "Beauty Salon"). If you offer something that doesn't fit the main category, you can click + Add another service.

Step 4: Add Custom Services

If the pre-defined list doesn't cover your specific offering—for example, "Brisbane River Sunset Cruises" instead of just "Boat Tours"—click on + Add custom service.

Type the name of the service clearly. Keep it under 80 characters.

Step 5: Fill in the Service Details (The 'Selling' Part)

This is where most people get lazy, and honestly, the interface doesn't help because the "Price" and "Description" fields are often hidden until you click on the service name again after adding it.

• Click the service name you just created.
• Service Price: You can choose 'Free', 'Fixed', or 'Starting at'. For many Aussie tradies, 'Starting at' is the safest bet to avoid awkward conversations later.
• Service Description: You have 300 characters. Use them! Mention your local expertise. Instead of "We fix leaks," try "Expert leak detection and repair for Brisbane homes, including 24/7 emergency call-outs in the CBD and suburbs."

Step 6: Save and Review

Hit Save. It might take a few minutes (or sometimes up to 24 hours) for these to appear publicly. Don't panic if they don't show up instantly; Google’s bots are just doing their rounds.

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Part 2: Adding Your Products

The Product Editor is one of the most underutilised tools in the Google Business Profile kit. It creates a visual "Product Showroom" that appears on both mobile and desktop searches.

Step 7: Open the 'Edit Products' Menu

Back on your main dashboard, click Edit products. If you’ve never added a product before, you’ll see a splash screen saying "Showcase your products to customers."

Click Get Started.

Step 8: Upload Your Product Photo

This is the most important part of the product listing.

• The Golden Rule: Use a square or 4:3 aspect ratio.
• Lighting: If you're a local retailer in Indooroopilly, take your products outside into the natural Queensland light (avoiding the midday glare) for the best shot.
• Avoid Text: Don't put too much text on the image. Google might reject it if it looks like a spammy banner ad.

Step 9: Enter Product Name and Category

Step 10: Set the Price

You can enter a single price or a price range. In Australia, remember that prices must be GST inclusive if you're targeting the general public.

Step 11: Write the Product Description

You have 1,000 characters here—much more than services!

• Focus on benefits: Why should a Brisbane local buy this from you?
• Keywords: Include local keywords naturally. "Available for click-and-collect from our Milton warehouse."
• Specifications: Include sizes, colours, or materials.

Step 12: Add a Call to Action (CTA) Button

This is the "fiddly" part that makes a huge difference to your bottom line. Google gives you several options:

• Order online
• Buy
• Learn more
• Get offer

Select the one that fits. If you have an e-commerce site, link directly to the specific product page. If you don't have a website, use the "Learn more" button and link it to your contact page: https://lmgroup.au/contact.

Step 13: Publish

Click Publish. Your product will now undergo a brief review. Usually, it’s live within an hour.

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Strategic Tips for Australian Businesses

• The 'Local' Edge: Mentioning things like "Free delivery within 10km of Brisbane CBD" or "Designed for the Queensland climate" builds immediate trust with local searchers.
• Keep it Fresh: If you're a seasonal business (like a garden centre), make sure you update your products. Nothing kills a lead faster than a customer calling about a fruit tree you haven't had in stock since 2022.
• Inventory Management: Don't list every single nut and bolt. List your top 10-20 'hero' products that draw people into the store.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using Watermarked Images: Google hates watermarks. It makes your profile look cheap and can lead to the product being rejected.
• Pricing Discrepancies: If your Google price says $50 but your website says $70, you’ll lose the customer's trust instantly (and potentially violate Australian Consumer Law regarding bait advertising).
• Ignoring the 'Services' Suggested by Google: As mentioned earlier, Google will often add services to your profile automatically. Check these once a month to ensure you aren't being listed as a "Pet Groomer" when you actually run a "Dog Training" school.
• All-Caps Titles: DON'T DO THIS. It looks like you're shouting and Google's spam filters often flag it.

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

Now that your shop window is looking sharp, why not take it further?

• Monitor the 'Insights' tab: See how many people are clicking on your products compared to your website link.
• Add an Update: Use the "Add Update" feature to post a photo of a happy customer using one of those products or services.
• Ask for Reviews: Specifically ask customers to mention the product or service they bought. When a review says "The brake service was excellent," it reinforces your service list to Google's algorithm.

If you find this all a bit too time-consuming or the Google interface is giving you a headache, we’re here to help. At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in getting Brisbane businesses noticed.