The verdict in three sentences
In Saint-Louis, a tourist leaving the bus station or a customer in Sor looking for a tailor first types "hotel", "restaurant" or "carpenter" into Google Maps. A complete Google Business Profile, with photos, opening hours and reviews, gets up to 7 times more clicks than an incomplete one, according to Google. You can create and maintain it yourself: the Kolonell course Get found on Google and Google Maps in your city costs 25,000 FCFA for 5 hours, with no technical skills required.
Why Google Maps matters so much in Saint-Louis in 2026
Saint-Louis lives partly on tourism (UNESCO-listed island, jazz festival, Langue de Barbarie, Djoudj park) and on dense local trade in Sor, Guet Ndar and Balacoss. Visitors have no address book: they rely on the map, the stars and the photos. Here are indicative 2026 orders of magnitude for a well-listed business.
| Type of business in Saint-Louis | Typical searches | Actions from the profile | Value of one customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel or guesthouse on the island | "hotel Saint-Louis", "guesthouse island" | Call, website, directions | 25,000 - 60,000 FCFA a night |
| Restaurant or maquis | "fish restaurant Saint-Louis" | Call, menu, directions | 5,000 - 15,000 FCFA per cover |
| Craft workshop (jewelry, fabrics) | "crafts Saint-Louis" | Directions, photos | 10,000 - 80,000 FCFA per purchase |
| Garage or mechanic | "garage Sor", "tire repair" | Direct call | 5,000 - 50,000 FCFA per job |
| Hair or beauty salon | "hair salon Saint-Louis" | Call, WhatsApp | 3,000 - 25,000 FCFA per service |
| Excursion agency | "Djoudj excursion", "pirogue Langue de Barbarie" | Website, call | 15,000 - 40,000 FCFA per person |
A single extra customer a week coming from the map is often enough to justify the few hours spent on your profile.
Doing it yourself or paying a provider
| Option | 2026 cost | What you get | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local provider, setup only | 30,000 - 75,000 FCFA | Profile created and verified | No review or post follow-up |
| Provider with monthly follow-up | 15,000 - 40,000 FCFA a month | Posts and review replies | Dependency, 180,000 - 480,000 FCFA a year |
| Free YouTube tutorials | 0 FCFA (plus data) | Setup basics | Often in English, not adapted to Senegal (addresses without numbers, verification) |
| Letting Google create the profile automatically | 0 FCFA | Rough, sometimes wrong profile | Wrong hours and number, customer photos |
| Kolonell Academy, Get found on Google Maps | 25,000 FCFA | 5 h, complete verified profile within a week, review method | Needs 1 to 2 h a month of upkeep |
The Get found on Google and Google Maps in your city course is level 1 Essential of the track, 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR), designed for shopkeepers, artisans, restaurant and hotel owners with no technical skills; the original course is taught in French. It opens the Digital marketing and social media track, which runs from local visibility to Meta and TikTok advertising and the digital marketing manager role; all 5 levels together cost 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA.
What you do during the 5 hours
| Module | Content | Concrete result |
|---|---|---|
| How your customers search for you | Search terms, distance, stars, photos | Your list of 5 priority searches |
| Create and verify your profile | Category, address without a street number, video or mail verification | A verified profile in your name |
| A complete profile that gets calls | Hours, photos, services, WhatsApp, description | A 100% complete profile |
| Reviews, posts and tracking | Asking for reviews, replying, posting, reading statistics | A simple routine of 1 to 2 h a month |
Mini case study
Oumar, 41, runs a 6-room guesthouse on Saint-Louis island. His profile, created automatically by Google, shows an old number and only 3 customer photos. He takes the course over two evenings, rebuilds his profile, adds 25 photos and asks every guest for a review at checkout.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Calculation: 25,000 FCFA for the course, versus 50,000 FCFA for setup by a provider, plus 25,000 FCFA a month of follow-up he no longer pays. If the profile brings him two extra nights a month at 30,000 FCFA, that is 60,000 FCFA, the course pays for itself in the first month. These figures are 2026 orders of magnitude: results depend on the tourist season, competition and the quality of the welcome.
FAQ
My shop has no street number, is that a problem?
No, that is the most common case in Saint-Louis. The course shows how to place the pin correctly and describe access with landmarks (near the mosque, opposite Sor market), then get the profile verified, often in 2 to 7 days.
How much does a Google Business Profile cost?
The profile itself is free, 0 FCFA. You only pay for the course, 25,000 FCFA, and your time: about 5 hours upfront, then 1 to 2 hours a month.
Do I need a computer?
No, everything is done from an Android phone or iPhone with the Google Maps app. A 3G connection is enough to follow the lessons.
How soon will I see results?
The course aims for a complete, verified profile within a week. The first calls and direction requests usually show up in the statistics within 2 to 6 weeks, with no guaranteed volume.
How do I pay for enrollment?
By Wave or Orange Money, 25,000 FCFA. Access opens as soon as the payment is confirmed.
Take the next step. Enroll in Get found on Google and Google Maps in your city: 5 h, 25,000 FCFA, Kolonell certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
