Do you have a great business idea involving unmanned kiosks, as you want to automate the process and cut down maintenance and staff costs?
There’s a lot of potential in that business model for certain industries. However, you have to learn how to set up a Google Business Profile for Kiosks.
After all, you want your customers to find your business on Google Maps when searching for a service or product like yours.
So, regardless of whether you are managing passport photo booths, electric car charging points, or vending machines, you can easily overcome any challenges related to opening, managing, and optimizing your Google Business Profile.
Keep in reading as I tell you all about that!
Why brands need to register and manage their kiosks’ Google Business Profiles?
Imagine you’re craving sushi and open Google Maps to find a nearby spot. You search for “sushi near me” and see a few restaurants, but no kiosks in sight.
Now, let’s take SushiDaily as an example. If you visit their brand website with a store locator, you’ll find multiple kiosks in the same area—convenient, but only if you already know the brand.
The problem? If their kiosks aren’t listed on Google Business Profiles, they won’t appear when customers search for “sushi” on Google Maps, which is the case if you compare the maps.
This means:
- Lost visibility when people are actively searching
- Missed sales opportunities
- Frustrated customers walking further than needed
By simply registering kiosks on Google Business Profiles, brands can ensure their locations appear in local searches, making it easier for customers to find and visit them—leading to more foot traffic
In summary, creating a Google Business Profile will strengthen your kiosk’s digital presence and help you connect with potential customers who search for nearby services.
Here’s why it’s worthwhile for your kiosk business:
- Increased local visibility – kiosks often rely on foot traffic, and a GBP ensures they appear in local searches and Google Maps when customers look for them;
- Customer trust building – if you verify your GBP and add positive reviews, photos, and accurate information, you reassure your customers about your reliability;
- Easier customer navigation – Listing your exact kiosk location on Google Maps helps customers find you quickly, especially in malls, airports, or shopping centers;
- Better engagement through reviews and updates – GBP allows you to collect and respond to reviews, post updates, and answer customer queries;
- Access to valuable insights – GBP provides insights, helping you track views, clicks, and customer interactions to refine your marketing efforts.
There’s nothing but upsides about having a fully-functional Google Business Profile, and if you have a kiosk business, below, I tell you how to easily set it up.
How to set up a Google Business Profile for kiosk businesses
While setting up your brand new Google Business includes a few simple steps, you should still pay attention to detail and gather the proper documentation.
Here’s a simple guide to create your kiosk’s digital presence:
Step 1: Sign into your Google Business Profile Manager
You must have a Gmail account before signing into your Google Business Profile Manager by clicking ‘Sign in’ or ‘Manage now’:
Step 2: Provide all required business information
Next, you’ll be taken through a series of screens asking you to provide first your business name. First search for the business name just to double check that is not on the Maps. You will need to define the Kiosk names so if there are multiple in the same city you will need to have a proper identification.
Step 3: Verify your new Google Business Profile
Make sure you select the right business category, such as Kiosk and continue with the steps to setup the kiosk location, and contact info:
Pro tip: Kiosks without a permanent storefront should select “No” when asked about customer visits. You can specify up to 20 service areas based on cities or postal codes. In spite of that, keep your service radius within 2 hours of driving time from your base location.
Step 4: Verify your new Google Business Profile
Time to prove to Google that you are the owner of the business you are creating by verifying your profile in one of several ways: by email, by postcard, by phone, by video, or by instant verification (provided you have already verified it via other Google services):
Pro tip: Ensure you have all necessary documentation before attempting the verification process, such as government documents, utility bills showing business address and photos of your business name, location, equipment, and more.
Step 5: Add your business description and photos
Once you verify your profile, add your business description, working hours, and visuals, such as photos and videos of your location, products, and/or services:
Pro tip: Use high-quality images that capture your business information, external appearance, and accessibility features. Also, update them when necessary.
Step 6: Finalize your GBP via the dashboard
When you click the last ‘Continue’ button telling you ‘Your edits will be visible once you’re verified’, you’ll be redirected to your brand new Google Business Profile dashboard:
Pro tip: Once here, you can further optimize your GBP by adding new photos, changing your Q&A section, paying for ads, checking on your performance, and much more.
Kiosk Google Business Profile requirements
To ensure you complete the process above without a hitch, there are certain business guidelines you must follow if you want to open a GBP for a kiosk business:
Supported unstaffed kiosks
Several unstaffed kiosks can qualify for Google Business Profiles:
- ATMs and video-rental kiosks
- Express mail drop boxes
- Automated key-cutting machines
- Passport photo booths
- Click-and-collect booths
- Electric car charging stations
The point of sale must happen right at the kiosk location for unstaffed kiosks. Seasonal kiosks can qualify if they have signage year-long.
Plus, your website must have a kiosk locator that shows where each and every one of your kiosks is located and an easy way to contact support for help.
What do staffed kiosks need?
As for staffed kiosks, they must have:
- A different phone number than the store in which they are found
- Regular working hours throughout the year
- Correct opening and closing hours on their profile
Don’t forget to add the same primary category for all your kiosks (you can also add up to nine secondary categories)
Physical location requirements
Google has strict standards for kiosk locations, as you must have:
- A fixed physical address
- Easy visibility and access
- No P.O. boxes or remote mailboxes
- Clear location instructions
As for the signage added to the kiosks, remember to have a business name matching your profile, updated contact information, and your website URL.
If your kiosk is housed inside a larger establishment, its brand identity should be different from the host location and have its own business hours.
Optimizing your kiosk Google Business Profile: 5 best practices
Your kiosk’s Google Business Profile needs proper optimization to boost visibility and involve more customers. Here are a few ways to do just that:
1. Add your operating hours
The accuracy of your operating hours can affect your kiosk’s search visibility. Google gives priority to businesses that are open when users search. So, you must
- Set main hours based on kiosk accessibility;
- Create separate entries for daily breaks;
- Update special hours for holidays;
- Configure 24-hour operations where applicable.
Pro tip: You can spot unique opportunities by checking your competitors’ schedules to find time slots where only your kiosk serves customers.
2. Write effective descriptions
Your business description often acts as a digital storefront with a 750-character limit. As such, your business description should highlight:
- Primary services and unique features
- Location-specific details
- Clear operating instructions
- Brand values and history
The description should avoid URLs, HTML code, or promotional content. Focus on practical information about your kiosk’s services and access instructions.
3. Upload high-quality photos and videos
Visual content significantly boosts engagement and credibility. If your business listing has more photos, you will receive more requests for directions and clicks to your website. So, add:
- Clear images of the kiosk from different angles;
- Photos of available products or services;
- Short video clips showcasing how customers interact with your kiosk;
- A map screenshot with marked directions if the location is tricky to find.
Keeping visuals up to date helps customers recognize and locate your kiosk faster.
4. Utilize Google Posts for promotions and updates
Google Posts allow you to publish updates, promotions, and announcements directly on your GBP listing. This helps:
- Highlight new product launches or seasonal offers;
- Inform customers about temporary changes in operating hours;
- Share news about kiosk relocations or expansions;
- Post engaging content that keeps your profile fresh and relevant.
Regular updates signal to Google that your business is active, improving visibility in search results.
5. Manage your customer reviews
This is one of the most important practices you can do to boost your reputation and sales numbers. Online reviews shape your local search rankings and customer decisions. After all, research shows that 95% of consumers check product reviews when shopping.
As such, you should always strive to:
- Respond to all reviews within 24 hours;
- Handle negative feedback professionally;
- Flag inappropriate reviews that break guidelines;
- Manage your reviews for all your kiosks
Thankfully, you don’t have to do all of the above on your own, as you can look into the best review management software options out there to get the help you need!
For instance, with EmbedSocial—an AI-powered reviews management platform—you get everything you need to collect, manage, and display your customer feedback:
Bonus tip: Group all your kiosk locations together
To make it easier to manage all your kiosks from the same dashboard, you can easily group them together into a single Google Business Profile group.
By doing so, you can easily do bulk edits to the entire group, such as:
- Publishing a Google post across multiple locations
- Updating all your information across locations
- Uploading the same image to all your profiles
- Tracking unauthorized changes to GBP locations
- Getting performance insights for your group
So, learn how to add multiple locations to your Google Business Profile to make location management a much easier and time-effective process.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, a well-run Google Business Profile can make or break your kiosk business as it helps you get your customers’ trust and better local visibility.
After all, several kiosk businesses have proven this approach works. Their success stories demonstrate how accurate location details, timely updates, and quick review responses create a resilient digital presence. This naturally attracts more customers.
Remember: your Google kiosk profile needs:
- Business hours that are always up to date
- Exact location details with permanent signs
- Separate phone numbers for each kiosk
- Fresh photos of your kiosk locations
- Quick replies to customer feedback
That said, first focus on one kiosk. That way, you can perfect your profile strategy before expanding to multiple locations as your business grows.
What are you waiting for? Help your kiosk business stand out in local SEO, so your customers will know where to find each and every one of your locations.
FAQs about kiosk GBPs
What types of kiosks are eligible for a Google Business Profile?
Eligible Google kiosks include ATMs, video-rental kiosks, express mail drop boxes, automated key-cutting machines, passport photo booths, click-and-collect booths, and electric car charging stations. The key requirement is that the point of sale must occur directly at the kiosk location.
How can I verify my kiosk’s Google Business Profile?
You can verify your kiosk’s profile through several methods. The most common is postcard verification, where Google mails a unique code to your business address. Alternative methods include video verification, where you record a comprehensive video of your kiosk location, and phone verification. For businesses with 10+ locations, bulk verification is available.
How can I optimize my kiosk’s Google Business Profile?
To optimize your profile, ensure your operating hours are accurate and up-to-date, write a compelling business description focusing on your services and unique features, and actively manage customer reviews. Regularly update your profile with fresh content and new photos to maintain visibility among local businesses in search results.
What are the requirements for managing multiple kiosk locations on Google Business Profile?
For multiple kiosk locations, each must have separate contact information, individual operating hours, and unique identifiers. Use the bulk upload process for 10 or more locations, assign unique store codes to each kiosk, and maintain consistent information across all profiles. Avoid creating duplicate listings and ensure each location has year-round permanent signage.
What information is essential for setting up a kiosk’s Google Business Profile?
Essential information includes a unique phone number distinct from the host store, accurate business categories, precise operating hours, and clear location details. You’ll also need to provide customer support contact information, a website with store locator functionality, and upload quality photos of your kiosk.
