Key Takeaways: Getting more clients into your barbershop is always the goal – but did you know there are small tweaks you can make to your digital presence to do it? Learning how to use Google My Business is a must for barbers anxious to get new customers in their chair – and this blog will teach you exactly how to do just that.
Updated: July 10, 2026
Even if you’ve never filled out a profile, you’ve likely seen other businesses or shops with optimized profiles on the web—you know what we’re talking about, those little Google blurbs on the side of your search engine that supply critical info like a business address, their website, how to contact them, etc.
Obviously, having this type of information is a must for your shop if you want people to find you—but did you know that optimizing your Google My Business profile to the best of your ability can actually help you attract more clients than ever?
It’s true—and we’re here to dish out the details you need to know to best create, edit, and manage your Google My Business profile to snag more customers and seat them directly in your chairs.
How to Use Google My Business to Attract More Clients to Your Barbershop
First: What Exactly is Google My Business?
Let’s start off with the basics just in case you’re new to the Google My Business thing (no judgment if you are, we all start our digital knowledge somewhere, right?).
We can't necessarily teach you how to use Google My Business if you don't know what it is!
Google My Business, according to Google itself, is a free, easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps.
This tool is designed to help customers find your business, outline your story, and verify your business and its information to help guide them to you in a simple, straightforward way.
"It's designed to help customers find your barbershop, outline your story, and verify your biz – it guides them to you in a straightforward way."
Ultimately, Google My Business is a profile you fill out and optimize to ensure that customers can find you, get information on you, and learn about you in a seamless way.
Should You Learn How to Use Google My Business?
We know what you’re thinking—this is just another social media / digital platform that you need to worry about. And to some degree, you’re right. You do need to be concerned with Google My Business, and you do need to streamline your digital savvy if you’re unfamiliar with it—but this isn’t nearly as complicated or involved as other social media platforms.
It is just as—if not more—important, though.
We’re going to tell you something you might already know—your barbershop’s online information and presence are absolutely critical to the core of your business.
Why? Because the internet and social media platforms are how people search—it’s the one method people turn to in order to find a service, product, or person they need to accomplish a task.
So, this begs the question—if all digital avenues should be optimized, what’s so special about your Google My Business profile?
We’re glad you asked. Here are the top reasons we believe that optimizing your Google My Business profile can bring in new customers.
- Google My Business absolutely plays into SEO. If you’re unfamiliar with SEO, we highly recommend checking out this 101 article we created specifically for barbers. This matters for your local SEO results and your overall ranking on the search engine results page. This is actually considered one of the SEO best practices every business should implement in their unique SEO strategies—more about that right here.
- Think of your Google My Business Profile as a snippet of all the valuable info on your website in one, convenient space. Look, people don’t always have the longest attention spans. Even if you have the most amazing, optimized, streamlined website of all time, sometimes people just want the basic info—and your profile can provide that. It’s likely this info can replace your website.
- Do you use Google Ads? (If you don’t you should consider it!). This links directly to these ad efforts, making your marketing process easier than ever.
- People need to know where you are if they’re going to book with you—don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Most people use Google Maps to locate their destinations, and if you’re not listed, that can make things much more difficult for your audience.
- Everything is listed here—especially reviews. This is a simple, streamlined way for people to see your reviews and compare you to other barbers. This is a must-have feature because almost every person out there is going to book based on their research of your establishment—and that means your reviews.
How to Use Google My Business: Setting Up Your Profile
If you haven't created a Google Business Profile yet, don't sweat it! This should only takes a few minutes to get started – it's also one of the easiest ways to help new clients discover your barbershop online.
Here's a quick look at how to set yourself up for success.
1. Claim or Create Your Business Listing
Head to Google Business Profile and search for your barbershop. If your business already appears, claim ownership so you can manage the listing. If it doesn't exist yet, simply create a new profile and follow Google's setup instructions.
→ Quick Tip: Before creating a new listing, always search for your shop first. Duplicate listings can confuse customers (and Google!) which can actually slow you down (and mess up your SEO).
2. Verify Your Business
Google requires verification before your profile can be fully managed. Depending on your business, verification may happen by video, phone, email, or another approved method. Once verified, you'll be able to update your information and appear more prominently in Google Search and Maps.
3. Complete Every Section of Your Profile
Remember, a half-finished profile isn't doing your shop any favors. You can't dip your toe in and hope for the best – you've got to complete the setup!
Make sure you include:
- Your business name
- Address or service area
- Phone number
- Website or booking link
- Business hours
- Barber shop category
- Services you offer
- Business description
The more complete your profile is, the easier it is for potential clients to decide you're the right barber for them. Google also recommends keeping your information complete and up to date to improve visibility in local search results.
4. Upload Professional Photos
People want to know exactly where they're booking. Add high-quality photos of everything, like:
- Your shop exterior
- The waiting area
- Barber stations
- Your team
- Haircuts and beard transformations
- Before-and-after results
Fresh photos not only make your profile look active, but they also help build trust before a client ever walks through your door.
5. Keep Your Profile Active
Creating your profile is only the beginning! If you want it to really work in your favor, you need to plan to regularly:
- Update your business hours
- Add new photos
- Respond to customer reviews
- Refresh your service offerings
- Share occasional updates or promotions
An active profile sends positive signals to both Google and potential customers, showing that your shop is open, engaged, and ready for business.
Protect the Barbershop You're Working Hard to Grow
This will always be our biggest tip. To play devil's advocate, what's the point of booming biz if it's not protected?
A well-optimized Google Business Profile can help you attract more clients, build trust, and grow your reputation in your community. But as your appointment book fills up, it's just as important to protect the business you've worked so hard to build.
Whether you're an independent barber, rent a chair, or own your own shop, unexpected accidents can happen. A client could experience an allergic reaction to a product, slip and fall in your shop, or claim a service caused an injury. Without the right coverage, even a single claim could put your finances (and your career!) at risk.
That's where barber liability insurance comes in. Professional liability and general liability coverage can help protect you from many of the unexpected situations that come with working closely with clients every day, so you can focus on delivering great cuts instead of worrying about "what if."
Ready to protect your barbering business? Learn more about our barber liability insurance and see how the right coverage can give you confidence to grow.
Think this biz advice was helpful? We’re so glad to hear it—that’s kind of our main goal over here.
If you’re interested in keeping up with more insight, advice, tips, and tricks that could directly impact your shop, your skills, and your career, then you’re going to want to keep up with the latest and greatest news from NAOB.
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