How to Add Your Business to Google

To add your business to Google, first check whether it already has a listing. Claim the existing one if it does, or create a new Business Profile if it does not.

This guide helps you choose the right route, prepare your details, and understand what comes after setup.

What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is a listing with information about a business on Google Search and Maps. It can show details such as hours, contact information, photos, and reviews.

For example, a customer searching for your bakery could use the listing to check whether you are open before visiting.

Adding a profile creates a business record. Claiming a profile means taking management of a listing that already exists. Verification is the separate check that you are authorised to represent it.

What do you need before you start?

Use a Google account the business controls. Have the following details ready:

• The business name customers recognise.
• The main type of business you operate.
• Your real address and how you serve customers.
• A business phone number and website, if available.
• Normal opening hours.
• Access to the premises, equipment, or documents needed for verification.

Google’s business guidelines explain eligibility and how to represent your business. Businesses generally need in-person customer contact. Online-only businesses without that contact do not qualify.

For example, a shop customers visit and a plumber who travels to customers can have different eligible setups. Choose the setup that reflects how you actually work.

1. Search for your business before creating a listing

Search Google Maps for the business name and town. Check the address carefully, especially if you have several branches or a common name.

Then choose the matching route:

Google’s add-or-claim guide explains the available routes. A business can already appear on Maps even when its current owner has never managed the listing.

2. Add or claim the correct profile

If no listing exists, open Google’s business setup page and follow the prompts to add the business.

If a listing exists, open it and look for Claim this business or a similar management option. Sign in with the business’s Google account and follow the instructions.

Labels and the order of prompts can vary. Check that the selected listing is the correct business before continuing.

For example, a café owner taking over an existing café should check its history and address rather than creating a second pin because the old listing is unfamiliar.

3. Enter your name and category accurately

Use the real business name. Put services, locations, and opening hours in their appropriate fields rather than adding them to the name.

Choose a primary category from Google’s available list that describes your main business. Add other categories only when they describe genuine core activities.

For example, a business called “Willow Florist” should not become “Willow Florist Best Cheap Flowers Near Me” in its listing.

Our Maps optimization guide explains how to review an existing category choice.

4. Choose the right address or service-area setup

A storefront business serves customers at its location. A service-area business goes to customers without serving them at its base. A hybrid business does both.

For example, a shop is a storefront. A mobile locksmith may be a service-area business. A restaurant with dine-in service and delivery may be a hybrid.

Google says to remove your public address if you do not serve customers there. Follow the verification prompts for your real operating address, and list the areas you genuinely serve.

Do not remove an address just to skip verification, and do not publish a home address where customers are not served. Service areas describe coverage; they are not a promise that you will rank in every named place.

5. Check contact details and hours

Add an accurate phone number and the relevant website page when available. Check the normal hours and add special hours when the profile provides that option.

For a customer-facing location, check that the map points to the correct premises and that arrival information is useful.

For example, if your branch is inside a shopping centre, the customer may need the unit number and entrance details. Test the website link and phone number rather than assuming they were entered correctly.

6. Complete the verification Google offers

Open the verification prompt and follow the available method. You may be asked to provide evidence such as a video of the premises or access to a business contact method.

The verification guide explains how to prepare. Do not create another profile because verification is taking time.

Afterward, check for a confirmation or any further request in your account. Verification does not guarantee a particular search position.

What if someone else manages the listing?

For a storefront or hybrid business, follow Google’s ownership request instructions. Select the existing business in the setup flow and use Request Access when offered.

Google gives the current owner three days to respond. Check the request email for the next options; the outcome depends on the response and available follow-up steps. Service-area ownership requests use a separate support route described in the same guidance.

If a former employee or agency is involved, request access to the existing record. Do not try to solve an ownership issue by creating another public listing.

What should you do after setup?

You can also add your business to Apple Maps or create a Bing business listing. Check each platform separately, including any details copied through an import.

Open the profile as a customer and check the details. Add useful photos, describe the services you offer, and link to the correct branch page.

For multiple branches, keep a record of which account manages each eligible location. Give each branch accurate details rather than copying another branch’s hours or phone number.

Next, use the Google Maps SEO overview to plan ongoing work, or the Google reviews guide to set up honest feedback requests.