Guide · Google Maps
What a Good English Google Business Profile Looks Like
Your Google Business Profile is the listing on Google Maps and in Google Search. For English-speaking customers in Tokyo, it is often the first and only thing they read before they call, book or walk in.
The Short Answer
Your profile is also one of the main sources AI assistants use when they answer questions about local businesses.
A good English profile is complete, correct and consistent:
- One real-world business name
- Accurate categories
- Hours that match reality (including holidays)
- The services you actually offer
- The facts international customers care about (languages, payment, booking)
- Recent photos with captions
- Replies to reviews
It matches your website and your other listings word for word where it counts.
Not sure where you stand? Get a free snapshot or see a sample snapshot.
Why the Profile Matters for AI Answers
- In Japanese-language local searches in Google's AI Mode, about 70% of answers referenced Google business cards. Source: GMO TECH, Japan study, August 2026 (Japanese-language queries; vendor study). English searches not measured.
- In a study outside Japan, Google profiles made up 67% of directory citations in Google's AI Overviews and 52.8% in AI Mode. Source: BrightLocal, study in the US, UK and Australia, August 2026.
- Google's Gemini grounds local answers in Google Maps data. Source: Google, official announcements, 2026.
- Ask Maps (マップに相談) answers questions in the Maps app. Google says Ask Maps draws on place information, reviews and real-time information. Source: Google, official announcements, 2026; Google Japan blog, 2026-08-07.
Key Takeaway
Google's own AI reads your profile, so a complete, correct profile comes first.
What a Good Profile Includes, and Why
Business Name
The name you use in the real world, in one script only.
WhyGoogle's rules do not allow the same name repeated in two scripts or languages. Google's own example of what is not acceptable is "Kafiex / カフィエクス". Breaking name rules can lead to suspension.
Categories
The primary category that describes the core of the business, plus accurate secondary ones.
WhyThe category label is what searchers see under your name, and it shapes which searches you can match.
Hours
Regular hours and holiday hours, kept current.
WhyHours are a fact AI answers quote directly, so a wrong entry is repeated to customers.
Services and Attributes
The services you really offer, and attributes such as accessibility and payment options.
WhyThese are facts AI can quote directly.
Description
One plain description that gives the key facts in English, followed by a short Japanese version in the same field.
WhyEnglish speakers read the English. The Japanese keeps the listing useful for Japanese searches.
Booking and Website Links
A link to a page where an English speaker can actually book or ask.
WhyA link that opens a Japanese-only page loses English customers.
Photos
Recent photos of the entrance, interior and team areas, with captions.
WhyPhotos help people recognize the place. Captions add facts in text.
Reviews and Replies
Replies to every review, in the reviewer's language.
WhyRecent, answered reviews show the business is active and cares.
Consistency
The same name, address, phone and hours on your website, Apple Maps, Bing, Yahoo!プレイス and directories.
WhyAssistants that use other sources get the same facts.
Key Takeaway
One real-world name, correct hours and clear English facts, the same everywhere.
Reviews: What Is Allowed
Asking every customer for honest feedback, with no reward, is the customer's own voluntary post.
Clinics and dentists: medical advertising rules go further. Ask for honest feedback only, and check the wording with your local health center (保健所) or a lawyer first. See the clinic guide.
What is not allowed:
- Discounts, gifts, points or drinks in exchange for reviews or stars.
- Japan's stealth-marketing rules (ステマ規制, in force since 2023-10-01) can apply too.
- Tokyo clinics have received orders for paid Google reviews in 2024 and 2025. Source: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan.
- Asking only happy customers ("review gating"), setting staff review quotas, or asking customers to name staff or use particular words.
- Google's review policy lists these as not allowed. Source: Google, official policy.
Key Takeaway
Ask every customer the same way for honest feedback, with no reward. Clinics: check the wording with your local health center (保健所) first.
What We Look at in Step 1
To check your own listing first, use the free English Google profile checklist.
In our Step 1 audit we check the whole profile against the points above, fix it in English with your approval, and give you before-and-after screenshots.
We never ask for your password. You add us as a Manager, and you can remove us at any time.
Common Questions
Should My Google Name Be in English or Japanese?
Use the name you use consistently in the real world, in one script.
Google's guidelines don't say which to pick when your sign shows both. Choose the one customers actually see and use, and keep it the same everywhere.
Can I Add "English-speaking" to My Business Name?
No. Extra words in the name field break Google's guidelines and can lead to suspension.
Put "English spoken" in the description, attributes, services and posts instead.
Is Google Business Profile Free?
Yes. The profile itself is free. Our fee is for the work: checking, writing, fixing, measuring and reporting.
Do I Lose Control of My Profile If Someone Helps Me?
You shouldn't. You stay the owner. A helper should only ever be a Manager, never the Primary Owner, and never needs your password.
See How Your Profile Reads in English
Send your business name and Google Maps link. We check your listing and ask ChatGPT and Google's AI two questions your customers would ask. Free, no obligation. More: Services, Who We Help, FAQ, and the full guide.
