Guests planning a trip to Bali spend a lot of time on Google Maps, checking where a property is, what is nearby and what other guests have said. A strong Google Business Profile puts your reviews, photos and a link to your website right there. But not every villa is allowed one, and getting it wrong can get a profile suspended. Here is who qualifies, and how to get the most from a profile if you do.
This is part of our guide to getting more direct bookings for your Bali villa.
Check whether your property qualifies
Google's guidelines say that rental properties such as vacation homes are not eligible for a Business Profile on their own. What Google looks for is a real business that serves guests in person. For lodging, that generally means a property that accepts overnight guests and has a front desk or on-site staff and management.
In Bali that usually works out like this:
- Hotels, resorts and villa resorts with a reception and staff on site are generally eligible.
- Villa complexes with a manager or staff on site and a clear public entrance may be eligible, depending on how they operate.
- Villa management companies with a staffed office that guests or owners can visit can usually have a profile for the company itself, at the office address.
- A single private villa without on-site management generally is not eligible. Use Google Vacation Rentals instead, which is designed for exactly this kind of property.
Read Google's current Business Profile guidelines before you create or claim a profile. Rules change, and a profile that breaks them can be suspended.
Get the basics exactly right
If you qualify, start with the details Google uses to match your profile to searches:
- Business name: use your real name, as it appears on your signage and website. Adding keywords such as Luxury Villa Seminyak to the name is against Google's guidelines and can get the profile suspended.
- Category: choose the category that best describes the business, such as hotel, resort hotel or villa. For a management company, choose a category that describes that business.
- Address and map pin: Bali addresses can be hard for Google to match. Check that the pin is on the correct building and entrance, and fix it if it is not.
- Website link: link to your own website, ideally a page where the guest can check availability and book.
- Phone and WhatsApp: use a number that is answered, and add your WhatsApp if the option is available.
Complete the lodging details
Lodging profiles can show amenities, check-in and check-out times, and other facts guests use to compare properties. Fill in everything that applies, such as a pool, breakfast, airport shuttle, wifi and parking. Missing details make a profile look less trustworthy next to a competitor who has filled them in.
Photos that show the real stay
Upload your best photos and keep adding new ones. Cover the rooms, the pool, the view, the entrance, the food and the surroundings. Guests also upload photos, so check them regularly and report any that break Google's policies.
Reviews: ask every guest, the right way
Guests read reviews before they book, and Google says review count and rating play a part in how it ranks local results. Ask for them consistently:
- Ask every guest near check-out, with a short link or a QR code to your review page
- Reply to every review, positive or negative, politely and within a few days
- In replies to negative reviews, acknowledge the issue and say what you have changed
Google's policies do not allow offering discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews, or only asking the guests you expect to leave a good one. Ask everyone, and let the reviews be honest.
Keep it consistent everywhere
Your name, address and phone number should match across your website, your Business Profile, your OTA listings and any directories you appear in. Inconsistent details confuse guests and make it harder for Google to be sure the listings are all the same business.
Link it to your direct booking system
A Business Profile works best as part of a bigger system. It sends guests to your website, so your website has to be ready to take the booking. See what a Bali villa website needs to take direct bookings.
Get help with local SEO
Our hotel and villa marketing and SEO service includes setting up and managing Google Business Profiles for eligible properties, and Google Vacation Rentals for those that are not. Book a free strategy call and we will tell you which applies to you.
