--- title: "Google Business Profile for Realtors: Setup, Categories and Reviews" description: "Can a realtor have a Google Business Profile? Yes. Here is how to name it, pick a category, hide a home address, pass verification and get honest reviews." url: https://kihanmarketing.com/google-business-profile-for-realtors/ published: 2026-10-27 updated: 2026-10-27 author: "Atisam Elahi" --- # Google Business Profile for Realtors: Setup, Categories and Reviews By [Atisam Elahi](https://kihanmarketing.com/atisam/), SEO Strategist ![Hands holding a phone that shows a photo of a blue house with white steps, above a patterned rug](https://kihanmarketing.com/media/brand/re-phone-house-1900.webp) Yes, a real estate agent can have a [Google Business Profile](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/google-business-profile/) in their own name, even when the brokerage has one. Google counts agents as individual practitioners. To get verified and stay live, a Google Business Profile for realtors needs four things. Those are your real name, the right category, honest reviews and a hidden address if clients don't visit. Agents tend to hit the same walls: video checks, suspensions and missing reviews. This guide applies Google's own rules to each one, as of October 2026. **Sound familiar?** - Google support said I might qualify. Then the verification team said they [“aren't verifying eXp agents”](https://support.google.com/business/thread/434940082) and suspended the profile. - I put my name and my brokerage on the profile, and it was [suspended for “Deceptive content”](https://www.reddit.com/r/realtors/comments/1pq6scp/google_my_business_as_a_real_estate_agent/). I still don't know what that means. - Google wants a verification video, and [the guide says to show signage. I don't have any on my house.](https://www.reddit.com/r/realtors/comments/112c42c/verifying_my_re_business_on_google_requires_a/) - I sent my state real estate license as proof. Google [said it was not enough.](https://www.reddit.com/r/realtors/comments/15irydj/google_business_verification/) - Nearly all my clients are happy, yet [getting them to review me is a struggle.](https://www.reddit.com/r/realtors/comments/1p3ubeq/google_reviews/) **Key takeaway** Give your Google Business Profile your real name and nothing else. If clients don't come to your home, hide the address and list the towns you serve. Verify with a live, unedited video if Google offers one. Then ask every client for a review after closing, with no gifts and no picking only the happy ones. ## Can a Real Estate Agent Have a Google Business Profile? Yes. Google says real estate agents are individual practitioners, and each can have a profile. Google's [guidelines for representing your business](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=en) say: “Doctors, dentists, lawyers, financial planners, and insurance or real estate agents are all individual practitioners”. Google adds two conditions. You must work in a public-facing role. And clients must be able to reach you, in Google's words: “They can be contacted directly at the verified location during stated hours”. Three limits follow: - **Assistants don't get one.** Google says “Support staff should not create their own Business Profiles”. - **One profile per agent.** No second profile for luxury homes or first-time buyers. Google says “A practitioner shouldn't have multiple Business Profiles to cover all of their specializations”. - **Lead generation doesn't count.** Google's [eligibility rules](https://support.google.com/business/answer/13763036?hl=en) bar “Lead generation agents or companies”. The same page sets the base rule for every business. It must meet customers in person during its stated hours. Agents meet clients at showings and closings, so most qualify. ## Should You Use Your Own Profile, Your Team's or Your Brokerage's? Most agents should have their own profile in their own name. The answer turns on who else works from your office. Google's own example is an insurance agent, so the examples below apply the same rule to real estate agents. ### Several Agents at One Office This fits most brokerage offices. [Google's guidelines](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=en) say “The organization should create a Business Profile for this location, separate from that of the practitioner”. Your profile then carries your name alone. Google says it “shouldn't include the name of the organization”. So the brokerage gets one profile for the office. You get one named Jane Smith, not Jane Smith, Acme Realty. ### The Only Agent at a Branded Office Some agents run a small branded office alone. Here Google wants one shared profile. It gives the format as “[brand/company]: [practitioner name]”, with the example “Allstate: Joe Miller”. For an agent, that reads Acme Realty: Jane Smith. ### Solo Agent, Team or Brokerage at a Glance Here is how the rules play out for common setups. | Setup | Which profile | Profile name | Address setup | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Solo agent working from home | Your own | Your name | Address hidden, with service areas | | Agent at a brokerage office with other agents | Your own, plus the brokerage's office profile | Your name only | The office, only if clients reach you there during your hours. Otherwise hidden, with service areas. | | Only agent at a branded office | One shared profile | Brand: Your Name | The office, shown | | Team lead and team agents | One each for public-facing agents. None for assistants. | Each agent's own name | Same as a solo or office agent | | Brokerage | One per staffed office | The brokerage's real-world name | The office, shown | ### Four Worked Examples **Solo agent from home.** Maria works from a spare room and meets clients at listings. Her profile is named Maria Lopez. She hides her home address and lists the towns she really works. **Agent at a brokerage office.** Dev shares an office with several other agents, and the brokerage has its own profile there. Dev's profile is named Dev Patel. If clients can meet him at the office during his hours, he can show it. If not, he hides it and lists service areas. **Team lead.** Google's rules don't mention teams, so apply them person by person. Each agent on the team who works with clients may have a profile in their own name. The assistant does not. **Agent at a cloud brokerage.** Sam's brokerage has no local office for clients to visit. So Sam sets up as a service-area business, with his real address hidden. He uses his name only and expects a closer look at verification. Whether to build your personal brand or your brokerage's is a separate SEO choice. Our post on [SEO for your personal brand or your brokerage](https://kihanmarketing.com/real-estate-agent-seo-personal-brand-vs-brokerage/) covers it. [**Want buyers and sellers to find your name on Google?** Send us your website’s address and we send back what it actually ranks for today, from Search Console, with the gaps marked.](https://kihanmarketing.com/marketing-audit/) ## What Should a Real Estate Agent Name the Profile? Use your real name, or the Brand: Your Name format if you are the only agent at a branded office. [Google's guidelines](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=en) say “Your name should reflect your business's real-world name, as used consistently on your storefront, website, stationery, and as known to customers”. Google lists what a name must not include. The list covers marketing taglines, service or product information, location information, phone numbers and “Trademark/registered signs”. So each of these breaks the rules: - Jane Smith Austin Real Estate - Jane Smith, Homes for Sale - Jane Smith, Your Luxury Home Expert ### A Note on the REALTOR® Mark REALTOR® is a membership mark, not a job title. [NAR](https://www.nar.realtor/membership-marks-manual/definition-of-realtor) says “Only members of NAR can call themselves a REALTOR®”. NAR also says [“The term REALTOR® may not be used with descriptive words or phrases”](https://www.nar.realtor/logos-and-trademark-rules/trademark-logo-use-on-the-internet). Put that next to Google's ban on registered signs, and the answer is simple. Keep REALTOR® out of the profile name. If you are a member, you can mention it in your description. ### Brokerage Name and State License Law State license laws set their own advertising rules for agents. Google's rule pulls the other way in a shared office, because your profile name leaves the brokerage out. If your state wants the brokerage shown, put it outside the name: in the description, photos and website. Check with your state real estate commission and your broker first. This is not legal advice. ## Which Google Business Profile Category Should a Real Estate Agent Pick? Most agents pick Real estate agent as the primary category, because that is what they do. As of October 2026, it is one of the options agents see in the category picker. For a brokerage's office profile, look for Real estate agency in the picker. Google does not publish a full list of categories, so go by what the picker shows you. Google's [category help page](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7249669?hl=en) sets the ground rules. It says “You can't create your own category” and “The categories you select affect your local ranking on Google”. - **Add extras only for real services.** If you also manage rentals, look for a category in the picker that fits. - **Don't pad the list.** Google says “Do not select a category for every product or service”. - **Choose once, with care.** Google warns “If you add or edit an existing category, you might be asked to verify your business again”. ## Can You Hide Your Home Address and Use a Service Area? Yes, and if clients don't come to your home, you should. Google's [service area help page](https://support.google.com/business/answer/9157481?hl=en) says: “If you don't serve customers at your business address: Remove your address and only enter your service area”. Hiding the address only keeps it off your public profile. Google may still check it when you [verify](https://support.google.com/business/answer/14271705?hl=en). Service areas have limits, as of October 2026: - “You can set up to 20 service areas based on the cities, postal codes, or other areas you serve.” - The whole area “shouldn't be more than about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based”. - “Service-area businesses can only have one profile for the whole area that they serve.” So list the cities and ZIP codes you really work, not a whole state. Google says a service area “helps people find your Business Profile”. It does not say it lifts your ranking. ### If You Work From a Brokerage Office Google calls a business that serves customers at its address and also visits them a hybrid business. It says [“Hybrid businesses can show their storefront address, set their hours for when their staff is available, and also have a service area”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/9157481?hl=en). Use the office only if clients can reach you there during your stated hours. ### Addresses That Don't Qualify - **Virtual offices.** If you rent a mailing address but don't work there, [Google](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=en) says “that location isn't eligible for a Business Profile”. - **Co-working desks.** These count only if the office has clear signage, receives customers and is staffed during business hours. - **PO boxes.** Google says “P.O. boxes or mailboxes located at remote locations aren't acceptable”. ## How to Set Up a Google Business Profile for Realtors Set up the profile in nine steps, from your own Google account to your first reviews. These steps cover what is different for agents. For tips that apply to any business, see our guide on [how to optimize a Google Business Profile](https://kihanmarketing.com/how-to-optimize-google-business-profile/). 1. **Use a Google account you will keep.** Sign in with your own account, not the brokerage's, so the profile stays yours if you move. 2. **Search for yourself first.** Look up your name on Google Maps. If a profile exists, claim it rather than making a second one. 3. **Enter your name.** Google's [help page](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3039617?hl=en) says to enter it “exactly as it appears on your real world business signage, stationery, and other branding”. 4. **Pick your primary category.** For most agents, Real estate agent. Add extras only for real services. 5. **Decide where clients meet you.** A staffed office they visit can be shown. If you meet them at homes and coffee shops, hide the address and add service areas. 6. **Add a phone and website you control.** Use a number you answer yourself. 7. **Verify.** Google picks the method. If it offers video, follow the rules in the next section. 8. **Fill in the rest.** Set hours for when you answer the phone, and add a headshot, photos and a description. Google says “Do not exceed 750 characters in the description field”. 9. **Ask for your first reviews.** Start with clients who closed recently. Before you press verify, run through this list. - I am signed in to my own Google account, not a brokerage one. - I searched Maps and found no older profile of mine. - The profile name is my name, spelled as on my card and website. - No city, service words, brokerage or REALTOR® in the name. - The address is a staffed office clients visit, or it is hidden with service areas. - The phone number rings me, and the hours are when I answer. - I have documents that show the same name and address, in case Google asks. - I know what I will film if Google asks for a video. ## How Does Verification Work, and What If It Fails? Google decides how you verify, and you can't change it. Its [verification page](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7107242?hl=en) says “Verification methods are automatically determined by Google and can't be changed”. As of October 2026, it may be a call or text, an email, a video, a live video call or a postcard. If video is offered, Google says “we recommend that you use this option”. The [video rules](https://support.google.com/business/answer/14271705?hl=en) are strict. The video must be “At least 30 seconds long”. It must be “An unedited, unique, and complete recording with no breaks”, filmed live. No signs on your house? Google has a line for home-based service businesses: “you can record landmarks and signs in your immediate neighborhood to verify the address”. For a service-area business, it also asks you to “Show the professional tools, equipment, or products you use for work”. Google gives no examples for agents. These ideas are ours, not Google's: - Street signs and your house number, in one steady shot. - Your yard signs, lockbox or branded folders in the car. - You logging in to your MLS or CRM, with client details off screen. Leave out what Google says not to show, such as “Other people's faces” and bank, tax or ID numbers. Google says the review “can take up to 5 business days”. **If verification fails** Don't start a new profile. Check the name, address and category against the rules above, fix what is off, and try again. If Google asks for proof, send documents that show the exact name and address on the profile. One agent says a state license alone [was turned down](https://www.reddit.com/r/realtors/comments/15irydj/google_business_verification/). So have a second document ready. ## Why Do Real Estate Agent Profiles Get Suspended? Real estate agent profiles are often suspended for one of three Google guideline problems: extra words in the name, an address that doesn't qualify, or a second profile for one person. Google's [suspension page](https://support.google.com/business/answer/4569145?hl=en) says “We may suspend or disable Business Profiles that don't follow our guidelines”. One new agent used their name plus the brokerage, and the profile [was suspended for deceptive content](https://www.reddit.com/r/realtors/comments/1pq6scp/google_my_business_as_a_real_estate_agent/). In a shared office, that is the exact pattern Google tells practitioners to avoid. ### What Agents at Cloud Brokerages Report Agents at cloud brokerages report refusals and suspensions. These are reports, not Google policy. In one Help Community thread, an agent said the verification team said they [“aren't verifying eXp agents”](https://support.google.com/business/thread/434940082) and then suspended the profile. [Sterling Sky reported the same pattern](https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-is-suspending-exp-realty-agents/) in May 2026. As of October 2026, no Google help page we read names cloud brokerages. Its rules do cover virtual offices, co-working spaces and service areas. So an agent with no office to show should set up as a service-area business and use their name only. ### How to Appeal Fix the cause first, then appeal once. Google says [“If you believe your profile should be reinstated, you can submit an appeal”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/4569145?hl=en), and “Appeals can only be submitted once”. It also says “Do not create a new Business Profile for the same business”. **Quick check: is your profile at risk of suspension?** 1. Does the profile name include anything besides your name, such as a city, a service or your brokerage? 2. Does it show a home address that clients never visit? 3. Is the address a virtual office, a PO box or an unstaffed co-working desk? 4. Do you have a second profile for yourself, a niche or another city? 5. Have you offered a gift or prize for reviews, or asked only happy clients? 6. Did you change the name, address or category recently without checking the rules? 0 yesThese common causes don't apply. Keep the profile matching real life.1 to 2 yesFix each yes now, before Google flags it.3 to 6 yesHigh risk. Clean up the name, address and reviews first, then check every field against the sections above. ## How Do Real Estate Agents Get More Google Reviews? Ask every client right after closing, and make it one tap. Google's [review tips](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122?hl=en) say “To leave reviews, you can ask customers to visit a Google link or scan a QR code”. Reviews help ranking too. [Google](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=en) says “More reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking”. Happy clients still forget. So ask more than once, in more than one way: - At the closing table, with a QR code on a card. - In a thank-you text that night, with the link. - In one reminder a week later. Then stop. Our guide on [how to get more Google reviews](https://kihanmarketing.com/how-to-get-more-google-reviews/) has message ideas and timing. ### What Google Prohibits Google's [prohibited content policy](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114?hl=en) bans reviews that have been “paid for, directly or in kind”. It also bans three things agents can slip into: - **Gifts for reviews.** Google's review tips call incentives [“strictly prohibited”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122?hl=en). A closing gift raffle tied to reviews counts. - **Asking only happy clients.** Google bars merchants who “selectively solicit positive reviews from customers”. Ask everyone the same way. - **Reviews from insiders.** Google bans content based on a conflict of interest, such as “current or former employment”. So no reviews from your team, your family or rival agents. ### What the FTC Says The FTC's rule on consumer reviews [“went into effect on October 21, 2024”](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/consumer-reviews-testimonials-rule-questions-answers). It covers reviews by someone [“who did not have actual experience with the business or its products or services”](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/federal-trade-commission-announces-final-rule-banning-fake-reviews-testimonials). The FTC rule is narrower than Google's on rewards. It bans rewards that depend on a review being good or bad. Google bans all rewards for reviews, so follow Google on your profile. The [FTC Q&A](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/consumer-reviews-testimonials-rule-questions-answers) also says part of the rule exempts “generalized solicitations to purchasers”. So a general ask to all past buyers is not the problem the rule targets. ### Replying to Reviews Reply to each review in a sentence or two. Google says [“A prompt response shows that you value your customers' feedback and are committed to high-quality service”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122?hl=en). Google's [local ranking tips](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=en) also list replying to reviews. Google does not say replies raise your ranking. Keep replies personal, and leave out prices, deal terms and anything private. ## What Happens to Your Google Business Profile When You Switch Brokerages? Keep the same profile. That is our advice, because Google's guidelines don't cover a brokerage switch, as of October 2026. What Google does say is that some edits mean verifying again. Its [help page](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3039617?hl=en) says “If you change your business name after it's verified, you might need to verify your business again”. It adds “If you move your business to a new address after it's verified, you must verify your business again”. **Our advice, not Google's** If your profile uses only your name and service areas, a move may change little. Update the brokerage in your description, photos and website link. Plan as if reviews on the old brokerage's profile stay with the brokerage. If you shared a Brand: Your Name profile, agree with your broker on who keeps it before you leave. That is the case for owning a profile under your own Google account from day one. ## Can You List Homes for Sale or Rent on Your Profile? No. Google's [eligibility guidelines](https://support.google.com/business/answer/13763036?hl=en) say homes for sale or rent are not eligible. Its examples are “vacation homes, model homes, or vacant apartments”. So there is no profile for a listing, an open house or a model home. But Google adds “Sales or leasing offices, however, are eligible for verification”. Property managers follow the same rule. The office can have a profile. A vacant unit can't. You can still share listings through posts. Google's [posts page](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7342169?hl=en) lists updates, offers and events. An open house fits the event type, though that is our idea. Two rules apply, as of October 2026. Google says “Posts older than 6 months are archived unless a date range is set”. It also says “Posts that include a phone number in the post description might get rejected”. ## How Do Fair Housing Rules Apply to Your Profile? Your description, posts, photos and review replies can all count as ads. The Fair Housing Act covers any notice, statement or ad for a home for sale or rent. It bans one that [“indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination”](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/3604) based on traits such as race, religion, sex or familial status. HUD's rule goes beyond words. It covers [“words, phrases, photographs, illustrations, symbols or forms”](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/24/100.75) that signal a home is or is not open to a group. Describe the home and the area, not the buyer you picture: - Not “perfect for young couples,” but “two bedrooms near the light rail.” - Not “great Christian neighborhood,” but “three blocks from a park.” - Not “ideal for singles,” but “low-upkeep condo with a gym.” This is not legal advice. For questions about your wording, check with your broker or your state real estate commission. ## How Can You Tell If Your Profile Is Working? A Google Business Profile is working when it brings calls, direction requests and website clicks, and when new leads say they found you on Google. Watch what people do, not how many saw you. Add a UTM tag to your website link. A UTM tag is a short label on the end of a link, such as ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp. Your analytics then shows which visits came from the profile. Check these once a month: - **Calls** from the profile. - **Direction requests.** With a hidden address, expect few or none. - **Website visits** that carry your UTM tag. - **Leads who name Google** when you ask how they found you. - **Your place in the [local pack](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/local-pack/)** when you search from the towns you serve. Keep your name, phone and website the same on Zillow, your brokerage roster and other sites. SEOs call that [NAP consistency](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/nap-consistency/), and those listings are [local citations](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/local-citations/). Our guide to [building local citations](https://kihanmarketing.com/local-citations/) explains how to check them. **Why take this from us** This guide is by Atisam Elahi, SEO Strategist at Kihan Marketing. He does hands-on SEO for roofing and other local businesses. He is not a real estate agent, so every rule here comes from the Google, FTC, NAR and fair housing law pages linked in the text. Google Business Profile work is part of the real estate SEO we offer agents and brokerages. No one can promise a map pack spot. Google says [“There's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=en). [Real Estate SEOSearch work for agents and brokerages, from website pages to map results](https://kihanmarketing.com/real-estate-marketing/real-estate-seo/) ## What Should You Do First? 1. **Search Maps for your name.** Claim any profile that exists, under your own Google account. 2. **Fix the name and address.** Use your name only, and hide a home address clients never visit. 3. **Send your review link.** Text it to every client who closed in the past year. ## FAQ: Google Business Profile for Real Estate Agents Is a Google Business Profile free for real estate agents?Yes. [Google says “creating a Business Profile and listing your business on Google is free”](https://business.google.com/us/business-profile/). No one can pay Google for a better local ranking either. Do I need a Google Business Profile if I already have a website?Yes, because they do different jobs. The profile is what can show in Google Maps and the map pack. Your website is where people learn more and get in touch. Our guide to [local SEO](https://kihanmarketing.com/what-is-local-seo/) shows how they fit together. Can my broker or assistant manage my profile?Yes. Add them as a manager under Business Profile settings, then People and access. Google says managers [“have mostly the same access to the profile as owners”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3403100?hl=en). They can't add or remove users or remove the profile, so stay the owner yourself. Can I have a separate profile for each city I serve?No, not as one agent. Google says [“Service-area businesses can only have one profile for the whole area that they serve”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/9157481?hl=en). Use your service areas for the cities you cover, and build city pages on your website. Can I get a false or unfair review removed?Only if it breaks Google's rules. Google says [“You can report any review, but only those that violate Google policies are eligible for removal”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/4596773?hl=en). A review from a current or former coworker can fall under the conflict of interest rule, so report it. Never threaten a client over a review. The FTC rule bars [“unfounded or groundless legal threats”](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/federal-trade-commission-announces-final-rule-banning-fake-reviews-testimonials) to remove one. How long does verification take?A video check [“can take up to 5 business days”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/14271705?hl=en), as of October 2026. Other methods vary, and Google picks the one you get. Ranking in the map pack takes longer, and Google gives no timeline. Can clients still message me through the profile?Only by text or WhatsApp, and only on some accounts, as of October 2026. Google says [“For eligible accounts, customers can contact you from your Business Profile through text messages or WhatsApp”](https://support.google.com/business/answer/14919056?hl=en). The old chat feature ended on July 31, 2024. Does my profile show up in AI Overviews?Google doesn't say exactly how profiles feed [AI Overviews](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/ai-overviews/). As of October 2026, Google Maps lets people [“ask questions and get an AI-powered response”](https://support.google.com/maps/answer/16842041?hl=en), and Google warns those answers “can sometimes be incorrect”. The Q&A section on profiles is also limited now. Google's [help page](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3039617?hl=en) says of Q&A: “This feature is available only for select business categories and regions”, as of October 2026. Keep your profile, website and reviews correct and in line with each other. [**Want your name to show up when local buyers and sellers search?** Send us your website’s address and we send back what it actually ranks for today, from Search Console, with the gaps marked.](https://kihanmarketing.com/marketing-audit/)