Google Business Profile checklist for Dubai property businesses

Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing a potential client sees about your business, before your website, before your Instagram, before any conversation. For property businesses in Dubai, where buyers compare several options quickly on their phones, a complete and active profile can make the difference between a call and a scroll.

Use this checklist to review your profile. It applies to real estate agencies, property management companies, interior designers, architects, and renovation and fit-out firms. Work through it once properly, then revisit the "every month" section on a schedule.

Before you start

• Make sure you own the profile. Sign in at Google Business Profile with a company account (not a former employee's personal Gmail). If someone else controls it, request ownership.
• Check for duplicates. Search your business name on Google Maps. Old listings from previous offices or former staff should be merged or removed.
• Have your trade licence to hand. Your profile name and address should match your licence and your signage.

Section 1: The basics

• Business name: your real trading name only. No areas, no "best", no keywords. Keyword-stuffed names break Google's guidelines and put the profile at risk.
• Primary category: the single category that best describes your core business. Examples: "Real estate agency", "Property management company", "Interior designer", "Architect", "General contractor".
• Secondary categories: add only what's genuinely true. An interior design studio that also does fit-out might add "Interior fitting contractor".
• Address: the exact address where you receive clients, formatted the same way everywhere (building, office number, street, community, Dubai). If you don't receive visitors, set a service area instead and hide the address.
• Service areas: list the communities and emirates you actually serve, such as Dubai Marina, JVC, Business Bay, Palm Jumeirah or Abu Dhabi. Don't list the whole of the GCC.
• Phone number: a number that is answered during business hours. A local landline or a dedicated mobile both work. Use the same number on your website.
• Website link: your homepage, or a specific landing page if it's more relevant. Add UTM tags (for example ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gbp) so you can see profile visits separately in your analytics.
• Hours: regular hours plus special hours for Eid, National Day and other public holidays. Nothing frustrates a buyer more than calling a closed office that Google said was open.

Section 2: Describe what you do

• Description: up to 750 characters. Say who you help, what you do and where, in plain language. Mention your specialities (for example "off-plan and secondary villas in Dubai Hills and Arabian Ranches") and what makes you different. No links, no phone numbers, no ALL CAPS.
• Services: add each service with a short description: sales, leasing, off-plan advisory, property management, snagging, interior design, joinery, MEP, fit-out, and so on.
• Attributes: tick the attributes that apply, such as languages spoken, wheelchair-accessible entrance, or online appointments.
• Opening date: add the year you started. Experience matters to buyers.

Section 3: Photos that sell the visit

Profiles with real, recent photos look active and trustworthy. Aim for:

• Logo and a cover photo that represents your business well.
• Exterior: your building and entrance, so visitors can find you (helpful in large towers in Business Bay or JLT).
• Interior: your office or showroom.
• Team: real people. Buyers want to know who they'll be dealing with.
• Work: completed interiors, fit-outs, managed buildings or properties you've sold or let, with permission from owners where needed.

Use your own photos, not stock images. Name files sensibly before uploading, and add new photos regularly.

Section 4: Reviews

• Ask consistently. Build review requests into key moments: a handover, a completed project, a signed tenancy, a smooth sale.
• Make it easy. Share your direct review link (you'll find it in your profile under "Ask for reviews"). Send it by email, or by WhatsApp to clients who have agreed to hear from you there.
• Reply to every review. Thank people by name, mention the project or community where appropriate, and respond calmly and professionally to criticism. Never share a client's private details in a reply.
• Never buy reviews or offer rewards for positive ones. Google can remove reviews or suspend profiles that do.

Section 5: Make it easy to get in touch

• Calls: check that your phone number is correct and tap-to-call works.
• Website and booking links: if you take appointments or viewings, add a booking link.
• WhatsApp: many Dubai buyers prefer WhatsApp. Where Google offers a chat or WhatsApp contact option for your profile, add it and make sure someone monitors it. Put a WhatsApp button on your website as well.
• Response time: answer enquiries quickly. The first agency to reply often wins the viewing.

Section 6: Keep it active (every month)

• Posts: publish at least two updates a month: a new listing, a completed project, a market update, team news or an offer. Include a photo and a clear button like "Call now" or "Learn more". If you advertise properties, make sure your ads follow Dubai Land Department and RERA advertising rules.
• Photos: add a few new photos each month.
• Reviews: reply to all new reviews within a few days.
• Details: check that hours, phone and services are still correct. Google and other users can suggest edits, so review any changes Google has applied.
• Insights: note your monthly calls, website clicks and direction requests. They show whether your changes are helping.

Section 7: Connect your profile to your website

Your profile performs better when your website backs it up:

• Use the same name, address and phone number on your website as on your profile, ideally in the footer and on the contact page.
• Add LocalBusiness structured data (or a more specific type such as RealEstateAgent) with those same details.
• Create pages for your main services and the areas you serve, so Google can see you're relevant to searches like "property management JVC".
• Embed a map on your contact page and make sure the site loads quickly on mobile.

How long until you see a difference?

Some changes, like fixing your category or hours, can be picked up within days. Others, like growing your reviews and building local relevance, take consistent work over several months. Measure progress with your profile's own performance data and your website analytics rather than checking your position once a day. Results move around depending on where and when someone searches.

Want a second opinion?

If you've worked through this checklist and still aren't showing up where you expect, the problem is often on your website or in how your competitors are set up. Our free SEO audit compares your profile and website with the businesses currently winning your searches. You can also read why Dubai real estate agencies go missing from Google Maps, or see how our local SEO service works.