Google Business Profile Attributes: What They Are and Which Ones to Set

Under the name and rating of a listing, Google shows small lines such as "Wheelchair accessible entrance", "Outdoor seating", "Accepts credit cards" or "Appointment required". These are attributes. Most owners have never opened the section, which is a pity: Google Business Profile attributes answer precise questions that customers ask before they come.

What is an attribute?

A fact about your business that can be answered with yes or no, or chosen from a short list. They fall into families:

• Accessibility: step-free entrance, accessible toilets, accessible parking.
• Amenities: Wi-Fi, toilets, a changing table.
• Service options: delivery, takeaway, on-site service, online appointments.
• Payments: cards, contactless, cash only.
• Planning: appointment required, reservations accepted.
• From the business: labels by which an owner can identify the business, such as women-owned, where Google offers them.

Why are you not offered the same list as your neighbour?

Because the list depends on your primary category. A restaurant is offered "outdoor seating" and "vegetarian options"; a law firm is not. If an attribute you expect is missing, check first that your category is the right one: see how to choose your category.

Google also changes the lists over time. It is worth opening the section once or twice a year.

Who decides what is shown?

Two sources.

You, for factual attributes: whether you take cards, whether the entrance has a step, whether you deliver.

Customers, for some others. Google asks people who have visited a place questions about it, and uses their answers. Attributes that depend on opinion, such as whether a place is "cosy" or "good for groups", come from those answers and cannot be set by the owner.

Why do attributes matter?

For three practical reasons.

1. They answer before the call. A person using a wheelchair, a parent with a pushchair, a customer without cash: each wants one answer and will choose the listing that gives it.
2. They match precise searches. Someone who types "restaurant with outdoor seating" or "pharmacy open Sunday" is describing an attribute. A complete profile is easier for Google to match with such a search. That is relevance, one of the three local ranking factors named by Google.
3. They appear in filters on some types of search, where a customer narrows the list with a tap.

I will not promise a rise in ranking from ticking boxes. What I can say is that an attribute left empty is information a customer does not get.

How do you set them?

Sign in with the account that manages the profile, search for your business on Google, open the editing panel and look for the section on business information. Attributes are grouped by family. Go through each group once.

If you manage several branches, do it for each one: the entrance of one shop may have a step that the other does not. See local SEO for multiple locations.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• Ticking what is almost true. "Wheelchair accessible entrance" with one step and a helpful employee is not an accessible entrance. The customer who relied on it will say so publicly.
• Forgetting to update. A terrace closed for the winter, a delivery service you stopped.
• Ignoring them after a category change. A new category brings a new list.

What about the rest of the profile?

Attributes complete the picture; they do not replace exact hours, photos and a clear description. If your profile is new, start with those: see how to write your description and which photos to add.

Summary

My opinion: five minutes on attributes is the cheapest improvement you can make to a profile, and the accessibility ones matter more than most owners realise.