To add your business to Google, go to business.google.com/add, sign in with a Google account and type your business name. If Google already lists it, claim that listing; if not, create a new Business Profile. Choose a category, add your address or service area, verify the profile, and your business can appear on Google Search and Google Maps. It is free, and the setup takes about 15 minutes.
Here is the short version, step by step:
- Open business.google.com/add and sign in with the Google account you want to manage the business with.
- Search for your business name. Claim it if it already exists, or choose "Add your business to Google."
- Pick the most specific category that describes what you do.
- Add your address if customers visit you, or your service area if you go to them.
- Add your phone number and website, then verify the profile with the method Google offers you.
Before you start: check whether Google already lists your business
Many businesses are already on Google Maps before the owner ever signs up. Customers add places, and Google creates listings from public data. If yours is one of them, you do not need a new profile; you need to claim the one that exists. Creating a second profile for the same business only makes a duplicate, and Google hides duplicates.
Search Google Maps for your business name and city. If the listing shows a "Claim this business" or "Own this business?" link, start there.
From the London study: One Japanese restaurant, Eat Tokyo Tonkotsu ya, had 919 reviews on a profile nobody had claimed. Customers could find it, but no one from the restaurant could reply to a single review, fix its hours or add photos. Claiming a listing like that takes about ten minutes.
How to add your business to Google, step by step
You need a Google account (any Gmail address works, or a work email you have connected to Google) and about 15 minutes. Use an account you will keep: it becomes the owner of the profile.
Step 1: Open business.google.com/add and sign in
Go to business.google.com/add, or open google.com/business and select "Manage now." Sign in with the account that will own the profile.
Step 2: Search for your business name, then claim it or create it
Type your business name. If it appears in the suggestions, select it and follow the steps to claim it. If someone else already manages it, Google lets you request access from them. If it does not appear, select "Add your business to Google" to create a new profile.
Step 3: Choose the most specific category
The primary category tells Google what kind of business you are, and it decides which searches you can show up for. Pick the most specific option Google offers, for example "Ramen restaurant" rather than "Restaurant," or "Emergency plumber" rather than "Contractor." You can add more categories later.
From the London study: Umami Lab Sapporo Ramen, a shop only five months old with the exact ramen category, came first for "ramen" in Camden. Tonkotsu Kentish Town had a 4.8 star rating but was listed simply as "Restaurant," and it sat tenth. (Rankings change with location, time and device, so treat these positions as a snapshot.)
Step 4: Add your address or your service area
Google asks whether customers can visit you at a location, like a store or an office. If they can, choose Yes, enter the full address and drag the pin to the exact spot on the map.
If you visit your customers instead, such as a plumber, a cleaner or a mobile hairdresser, choose No and add the cities or areas you serve. Your address then stays hidden, and Google shows your service area instead. If you do both, you can add an address and a service area.
Step 5: Add your phone number and website
Add the phone number customers should call and the website you want them to visit. If you do not have a website yet, you can leave the field empty or link a social media page you keep up to date. Google no longer builds free websites for Business Profiles, so do not count on getting one here.
Step 6: Verify your Business Profile
Your profile only appears publicly once Google has verified it. The next section explains how.
How to verify your Business Profile
Google decides which verification methods each business sees. The usual options are:
- Video recording: a short video that shows your location, your signage or tools, and proof that you manage the business. Google offers it to many businesses today.
- Phone or text: a code sent to your business phone number.
- Email: a code or link sent to a business email address.
- Live video call: a call with a Google support agent.
- Postcard: a code mailed to your business address.
After you complete the steps, Google reviews the profile, which can take up to 5 business days. If you verify by postcard, do not edit the business name, address or category while the code is in the mail: the code stops working, and codes expire after 30 days. The postcard usually arrives within 14 days.
Some businesses are verified instantly, for example when the business website is already verified in Google Search Console. Brands with 10 or more locations can request bulk verification instead of verifying each one.
If you cannot get a postcard or code to work, the guide on how to verify Google My Business without a postcard covers the other routes.
How to add your business to Google Maps
Google Search and Google Maps share the same Business Profile, so a verified profile shows on both. You can also start from Maps itself:
- On a computer: open Google Maps, select the menu in the top left corner and choose "Add your business." You can also right click the spot on the map and choose "Add your business."
- On a phone: open the Google Maps app, tap your profile picture and choose "Add your business," or tap Contribute and then Add place.
Either way, Google takes you to the same setup steps described above.
Is it free to add your business to Google?
Yes. Creating, verifying and managing a Google Business Profile is free, and so is showing up on Google Search and Google Maps. Google Ads is a separate, paid product: ads can put you above the free results, but no payment moves your free listing higher. Google states there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.
After verification: complete the profile
A verified profile with empty fields gives Google little to show and customers little to act on. Fill in, at minimum:
- Opening hours, including special hours for holidays
- Photos of your storefront, interior, team and products
- A business description written the way customers talk about you
- Your products, services or menu
- Attributes such as wheelchair access, outdoor seating or online appointments
- Buttons for booking, ordering or calling
From the London study: Ramen moto had a 4.5 star rating, yet its profile offered only "Dine in," and Google was asking strangers to add the restaurant's phone number. Every empty field is a question a customer cannot answer, and a reason to choose the place next door.
From the London study: If you run a restaurant or a shop, add your menu or product list as text, not only as a photo. Google showed a short "Menu highlight: ramen" line under restaurants simply because the word "ramen" was written on their menu. A photo of a menu gives Google nothing to read.
For the full list, work through the Google My Business optimization checklist.
Keep the profile active after you add it
Adding your business to Google gets you listed. Staying visible is a different job. Google can only show what it sees, and a profile that has not changed since setup gives it little reason to put you ahead of a competitor who posts, updates and answers reviews every week.
From the London study: The restaurants at the top kept their profiles moving. One ramen shop, Uzumaki, had posted about its Naruto cosplay night, a fan evening themed on the Japanese anime, on Google just 17 hours before the search. Another restaurant had gone seven weeks without an Instagram post.
The hard part is not knowing what to post; it is doing it every week while running a business. A routine helps: photograph a new product or dish once, write two lines, and schedule it to your Google Business Profile and Instagram from one place. Add UTM tags to the links in your posts, small tracking codes that show in Google Analytics how many visits and bookings each post brings, so you can see what the profile actually earns you.
If you are not sure how often to post or when, see how often you should post on Google My Business and the best time to post on Google Business Profile.
How to add managers and other users
You can give staff or an agency access without sharing your password. Open your Business Profile, go to the menu, choose "Business Profile settings," then "People and access," and select "Add." Enter their email address and choose a role: owners have full control, while managers can edit the profile, post and reply to reviews.
What to do if your verification code does not arrive
If a postcard has not arrived after 14 days, request a new code from your profile, and check that the address matches what is printed on your signage and documents. If phone or email codes do not arrive, check that the number or address on the profile is correct. If nothing works, contact Google Business Profile support from the Help menu in your profile and describe the problem.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for my business to show up on Google?
Google's review after verification can take up to 5 business days. Once the profile is live, it usually appears for your business name first. Showing up for broader searches, such as "bakery near me," can take up to a month for a new business and depends on your category, completeness and activity.
Can I add my business to Google without a storefront?
Yes. Choose No when Google asks whether customers can visit you, and add your service area instead. Your address stays private.
Can I turn off reviews on my Google Business Profile?
No. Google does not let businesses turn off reviews. You can reply to every review and flag reviews that break Google's policies.
Will deleting my Google Business Profile delete my reviews?
Yes. Removing a profile deletes its listing on Google Search and Maps, together with its reviews and ratings.
Can I add more than one business or location?
Yes. Each location gets its own Business Profile, and you can manage them from the same Google account. For many locations, see how to manage multiple Google My Business accounts.
Do I need a website to add my business to Google?
No. A website helps, but it is optional. Your Business Profile works on its own, and you can add a website later.
Conclusion
Adding your business to Google takes about 15 minutes: open business.google.com/add, claim or create your profile, choose a specific category, add your address or service area, and verify. It is free, and once it is live, your business can appear on both Google Search and Google Maps. What decides how often people find you after that is what you do next: a complete profile, honest reviews with replies, and a steady stream of posts.
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