Chapter 4 · 4.1
Creating or claiming a Business Profile
With a Google Business Profile, your business appears on Google Maps and next to the search results, with your address, opening hours, photos and reviews. It's meant for businesses that meet customers in person: at an address customers visit, or at the customer's home.
Can your business have a profile?
- Yes, if customers can visit you during opening hours, or if you visit your customers.
- No, if you only have a PO box or a virtual office.
- Do you only work online, with no address for customers and no home visits? Then a Business Profile isn't meant for you. Your website and Google Search Console matter most in that case.
- One profile per location. A second profile for the same business isn't allowed.
Is your business already on Google?
First, search Google Maps for your business name and town. Your business is often already listed, even if you never created a profile yourself. If you see your business, open it and check whether you can claim or manage it. If you see nothing, create a new profile.
How to create a profile
- Go to business.google.com/create and sign in with your business's Google account. Don't use an employee's personal account. You can add other managers later.
- Type your business name. If your business appears in the list, select it.
- Choose your business category and click Next.
- Google asks whether you have a location customers can visit during opening hours. Choose Yes and enter your address, or choose No.
- Do you visit your customers? Then enter your service area, for example the towns where you work. You can add up to 20 areas. Google recommends not going beyond about two hours' drive from your business.
- Enter your phone number and your website address and click Next.
- Click Finishing.
- Choose whether to verify now. You can read how this works in Verifying your Business Profile.
Location or service area?
| Your business | What do you choose? |
|---|---|
| A shop, salon, practice or restaurant that customers walk into | An address. This is visible on Google. |
| You work at customers' homes and customers don't come to you, for example a painter who works from home | A service area. You must then hide your address. |
| Both, for example a florist who also delivers | An address and a service area. |
Is the profile already in someone else's name?
Do you see a message saying someone else has already verified the business? This happens after a takeover or when a previous web designer created the profile. You can then request ownership. Google will send the current manager a message. Try contacting that person directly first: that's the quickest way.
Tip: Use an address on your own domain for the Google account, such as info@yourdomain.com. That way the profile stays with the business, even if an employee leaves.