Google Business Profile management in East London

East London at a glance

East London is the heart of Buffalo City, which counted 975,255 people (Stats SA, Census 2022) at Census 2022. The city sits on the Indian Ocean coast, mostly between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River, and grew up around the only river port in South Africa.

The motor industry is the big employer. A Mercedes-Benz plant stands next to the harbour, building cars for local buyers and for export. That supports a long chain of suppliers, workshops, transport firms and the cafés and takeaways that feed their staff, and many of those businesses are found on Google rather than through adverts.

Quigney and the beachfront are where visitors and locals go to eat and stay, while Nahoon has its own beach, river and suburb trade. The East London Museum, which holds the famous coelacanth, draws school groups and visitors. Each of these areas has a different customer, so a profile needs categories and photos that fit its own street.

To bring in investment, the East London Industrial Development Zone was set up on the West Bank in the early 2000s, close to both the port and King Phalo Airport. Factories there need engineers, caterers, cleaners and security firms, and those suppliers are often found on Google by service and area.

The double decker bridge over the Buffalo River, completed in 1935, is a local landmark, and it is how many people cross into town. Clear directions on a profile, naming the roads people actually use, help someone find you on the first try.

Golf is a draw too: the East London Golf Club is a championship course, and Gonubie, West Bank and Olivewood have their own clubs. Coffee shops, pro shops and guesthouses near them see visitors who check reviews before a weekend away.

The first landing here was in November 1836, when John Bailie, one of the 1820 Settlers, helped bring the brig Knysna into the Buffalo River mouth, and the spot was briefly called Port Rex. The town proper grew from 1847, harbour works followed in the 1870s, and in 1873 East London, East London East and Panmure were joined into one municipality. Old names still turn up in addresses and searches, so it helps to use the ones your customers say.

Trading notes for East London

East London's beaches fill up over the December holidays and Easter, and trade around the harbour and the West Bank follows the factory week. Youth Day on 16 June and the Day of Reconciliation on 16 December change opening hours across Buffalo City, so we update your Google hours before each one.

Check the dates with our holiday hours tool.