Google Business Profile - A Complete Guide for Serbian Businesses

A search like 'hairdresser Novi Sad' or 'lawyer Belgrade' on Google does not return ten plain blue links. The first thing a user sees is a map with three businesses, their ratings and opening hours - the so-called local pack. Those businesses take most of the clicks from the first page. The ones outside the pack effectively do not exist for a local buyer. The only way into that pack is through Google Business Profile - a free tool that most local businesses in Serbia either do not use at all, or use badly. In this post we lay out what Google Business Profile actually does, how to set it up step by step, and the specific mistakes nine out of ten Serbian businesses make.

What Google Business Profile is and why it matters

Google Business Profile (called Google My Business until 2022) is a free account through which you control how your business appears on Google Search and Google Maps. The profile decides whether you show up in the local pack above regular results, which reviews users see, how your opening hours, phone, address and photos look.

In practice, a business without a GBP is invisible on Google Maps, missing from the local pack, has no reviews under the company name, and a competitor with twenty reviews takes the click that should have gone to you. Estimates for Serbia suggest that over 60% of searches that end in a call or visit start from the local pack, not from the regular blue links. For a local business - a hairdresser, dentist, restaurant, auto shop - GBP is the highest-return SEO investment there is, because it is free and the effect shows within a few weeks.

Who can (and should) have a GBP in Serbia

Google splits businesses into two categories - those with a physical location where clients come, and those who travel to the client. Both can have a GBP, but they are configured differently.

• Physical location - shops, restaurants, cafes, offices with client reception, salons, auto shops; shows an exact address and pin on the map
• Service-area businesses - plumbers, electricians, painters, cleaning companies, delivery services, emergency responders; do not show an address, only the area they cover (cities, municipalities, postal codes)
• Mixed model - taxis, driving instructors, home-visit doctors with a clinic; it is possible to show both an address and a service area

Businesses with no physical location and no on-site service - pure e-commerce with no premises, online courses, SaaS platforms - cannot register a GBP under the current Google rules. If you run an online store but ship from a warehouse in Novi Sad or Belgrade where clients can pick up, you qualify.

Registering the profile - step by step

The full registration takes between 15 and 30 minutes, assuming you have all the basics ready - tax ID, registration number, address from your business registry filing, opening hours and a few photos.

• Open google.com/business and sign in with a Gmail account - we recommend a dedicated business account, not the owner's personal Gmail
• Enter the business name exactly as filed with the business registry, with no added keywords (more on this in the mistakes section)
• Pick a primary category - one, as specific as possible; detailed category tips below
• Select whether you have a physical location, visit clients, or both
• Enter the address in standard Serbian format - 'Street number, postal code City'
• Add a phone (preferably a landline or local mobile number, not a call center) and a website
• Proceed to verification - Google will offer the available options (phone, email, video, postcard)

After the basic registration is done, the profile is created but not yet verified, and it will not show up in search until the verification process is complete.

Verification - specifics for Serbia

Verification is where things most often get stuck. Google offers several options but does not let you choose - the system automatically suggests what is available for your business type, location and category. In Serbia, the common options in practice are:

• Video verification - you record a short video (1-2 minutes) on your phone walking around the location, pointing out signage, going inside, showing a logged-in session in the Google Business Profile dashboard; the fastest option, response usually in 3-5 days
• Phone verification - automated call or SMS with a code; not available for every category in Serbia
• Email verification - a code is sent to an email on your website's domain; rare option, mostly for already recognized businesses
• Postcard verification - Google sends a physical postcard with a PIN to your address; in Serbia this takes 10-30 days and is not always reliable, so it is the last resort when other options are missing
• Verification through Search Console - if you already have a verified site in Google Search Console using the same email, GBP can be auto-verified

Video verification is currently the dominant option for new accounts in Serbia. If it is offered, keep in mind that Google checks three things - that the location actually exists at that address, that you have access to the premises (unlocking doors, going inside), and that you are the owner or an authorized manager (showing a signed-in GBP session). Do not rush - record the video once, carefully, without breaks.

Core information - what has to be perfect

Once the profile is verified, the real optimization starts. Google ranks local pack profiles across three groups of factors - relevance (how well the profile matches the search), distance (how close the location is to the user) and prominence (reviews, backlinks, activity). The core information directly affects relevance. Here is what must be filled in correctly:

• Business name - exactly as filed in the business registry, without extra keywords; 'Marko Hair Salon' is correct, 'Marko Hair Salon - best hairdresser in Novi Sad' violates Google's rules and leads to profile suspension
• Primary category - one, as specific as possible; 'Dentist' is too broad if you only do orthodontics, pick 'Orthodontist'
• Additional categories - up to nine, but only genuinely relevant ones; adding irrelevant categories lowers ranking across the board, it does not raise it
• Address - in Serbian format, with the correct number and postal code; if you are in Novi Sad, write 'Novi Sad' (not 'Petrovaradin' or 'Sremska Kamenica' as a separate neighborhood)
• Opening hours - with special hours for national holidays (January 1, January 7, May 1, November 11, Orthodox Easter); profiles that do not update holidays show 'open' when they are actually closed, which earns bad reviews
• Phone - one number, local landline or mobile; call center numbers like 0700 and 0800 hurt local ranking
• Website - a direct link to the homepage, without tracking parameters; check that the link works on mobile
• Business description - up to 750 characters, in natural language, no keyword listing; describe what you do, who you serve and what makes you different
• Opening date - if the business is older than 5 years, enter the exact date; older businesses get a slight ranking advantage

The consistency of this information between the GBP, your website and third parties (Facebook, LinkedIn, local directories) directly affects local ranking. Google cross-checks whether the address, phone and company name match across all sources. We covered how a website works together with local ranking in our post on getting to the first page of Google.

Photos - how many, what kind, how often

Photos are one of the strongest quality signals on a profile. Businesses with 10 or more high-quality photos get noticeably more views and calls than ones with two or three. The minimum for a serious profile is:

• Logo - square format, 720x720px minimum, clean background
• Cover photo - horizontal 1024x576px, the best exterior shot or a distinctive interior
• Exterior - 3-5 photos of the entrance, signage, parking; helps users physically find the location
• Interior - 5-10 photos, different angles and lighting; for restaurants, dishes and the room shown together are a must
• Team - 2-3 photos of staff at work; no stock images, no posing
• Products/services - minimum 5-10 for each primary service or product category

Add photos periodically (at least one new one per month), not all at once. Google ranks active profiles higher than those abandoned after the initial setup. Format - each photo at least 720x720px, maximum 10MB, JPG or PNG. Avoid watermarks, logos pasted over photos, and overly edited images.

Reviews - how to legitimately earn and respond to them

Reviews are the second most important ranking factor after the core information. The number of reviews, the average rating, and the speed at which they come in all count. A competitor with 50 reviews and a 4.7 average almost always beats a profile with 5 reviews and a 5.0 average, regardless of service quality.

How to legitimately grow your review count:

• Direct review link - Google generates a specific URL for your profile; find it in the GBP dashboard under 'Share review form'; send it to a client via SMS or email after a completed service
• QR code with the link - print it and put it on reception, or add it to the receipt
• Email automation - for e-commerce or service businesses, an automated email 2-3 days after delivery with the link
• Direct personal ask - the cheapest and most effective option; after a satisfied client, say briefly 'If you don't mind, it would really help me if you left a short Google review, I'll send the link'
• Never buy reviews - Google detects them algorithmically, profile suspension is permanent; the same applies to reviews from employees, family and friends who were not clients

Responding to reviews - every review (positive or negative) deserves a response within 48 hours. Responses to negative reviews are more important than to positive ones, because future clients read them. A concrete formula for a negative review - acknowledge the problem without making excuses, briefly explain the circumstances if they are objective, offer a concrete next step (a call, email, a discount on the next visit), thank them for the feedback. Never argue with a client in a public response, even when they are being unfair.

Google Posts, services and Q&A

Beyond the core information, GBP has three 'soft' features most Serbian businesses ignore - and that significantly help ranking because they signal profile activity.

• Google Posts - mini-posts similar to social media, up to 1500 characters, with a photo and an optional CTA button; publish at least once a week, topics include promotions, new products, events, news; old posts disappear after 7 days unless marked as events
• Services and products - a detailed list with descriptions and prices; each service is another chance for a keyword in search; do not just list 'consultation', list 'orthodontic consultation - first visit', 'follow-up 6 months after treatment' and so on
• Q&A - a question and answer section anyone can fill in; pre-fill the most common questions and answers yourself (how much does it cost, do you work weekends, do you accept cards), so you control the narrative before someone from outside posts the wrong question
• Chat and bookings - if available for your category, turn them on; direct communication through GBP counts as an 'action' and strengthens the profile

Common mistakes Serbian firms make

Over the past few years, we have analyzed hundreds of local business profiles in Novi Sad, Belgrade and the wider region. These are the mistakes that come up most often and directly cost visibility:

• Keyword stuffing in the name - 'Dentist Novi Sad - best orthodontist Vojvodina'; a direct violation of Google rules, the consequence is suspension without warning
• Multiple profiles for the same location - every dentist in a clinic opens their own profile; Google treats this as duplicates and all rankings drop; one profile per physical location, that is it
• Wrong primary category - 'Restaurant' instead of 'Serbian restaurant'; a category that is too broad ranks for no specific search
• Forgotten holidays - opening hours show 'open' on May 1, clients come, the place is closed, you get a one-star review; set special hours for all national holidays once a year
• Address not updated after moving - old reviews stay, but Google notices the inconsistency and drops ranking; when you move, update the GBP address the same day
• Ignoring reviews - 20 reviews without a single response looks like an abandoned profile; every one gets a short reply
• Phone photos in bad lighting only - 10 quality photos beats 50 blurry ones; invest an hour in a clean set
• Call center numbers - 0700 and 0800 numbers weaken local ranking; add a local landline or mobile as the primary

The local angle - Novi Sad, Belgrade and Serbia

Competition on Google in Novi Sad is lighter than in Belgrade in most categories - which means getting into the local pack is noticeably easier and faster. A real-world example: a local craft business in Novi Sad with 20 quality reviews and a well-optimized profile can reach the top three for its city within 2 to 3 months. The same business in Belgrade, for a search like 'auto repair Belgrade', competes against hundreds of profiles, so it often takes 6 to 12 months.

As a Novi Sad-based agency, we work with clients across Serbia - from local craft businesses in Vojvodina to web applications in Belgrade. GBP is the first thing we check when a client says 'I'm not getting enough calls' - in nine out of ten cases, the problem is not the website but the profile. More on our concrete work on visibility is on our SEO optimization service page.

How to measure results

GBP has a built-in statistics panel called Performance (formerly Insights). Do not waste time on metrics that do not move the business - focus on these four numbers:

• Calls from the profile - how many times per month someone clicks the 'Call' button directly from GBP; the goal is month-over-month growth
• Website clicks - how many times someone goes to your website from the profile; the usual call-to-click ratio is 2:1 in favor of calls for service businesses
• Direction requests - how many times someone asks for directions to you; a direct signal of local purchase intent
• Searches that found you - the list of specific searches with impression counts; this is where you see whether you are ranking for target keywords or only for your brand name

Aim for searches that are not your business name - so-called discovery searches. If 90% of the searches finding you include the company name, it means you are only being found by people who already know you. A good balance is 40% brand searches and 60% category searches (like 'dentist Novi Sad', 'vegan restaurant', 'auto repair Petrovaradin').

Conclusion

Google Business Profile is the highest-return marketing tool for a local business in Serbia - it is free, the effect shows within a few weeks, and it directly drives calls, visits and bookings. Basic setup takes an hour, verification about a week, and full optimization a few hours spread across the first two weeks. After that, 15 minutes a week is enough - one new photo or Post, replies to reviews, a quick look at the stats.

If you are unsure where to start, or the profile is already set up but is not delivering results, reach out through our contact page - we will do a short profile audit and tell you specifically what is missing. If you are thinking about a full package of website, SEO and GBP together, check our pricing and scenarios for local businesses.