If you’re a small business owner, you know how important it is to get your name out there. Whether you’re trying to attract new customers or convince existing customers to come back again and again, having a Google Maps listing can be an invaluable tool for promoting your business. But what if people don’t find your listing on the world’s most popular map? That’s where we come in: We’ll show you how to verify and add a business to Google Maps!
#1 Verify your business location and information
Verifying your business location and information is essential in order to add your business to Google Maps. You can verify your business information using the Google My Business mobile app or a website on a desktop or a mobile browser. Verify steps vary depending on what type of device you use, but all of them will look something like this:
- In the top right corner, tap or click Add a new place
- Enter a name for your business (“My Company HQ”)
- Fill out other fields as needed (address, phone number)
#2 Enter a business name
If you add a business to Google Maps, make sure your name matches its presence on other platforms. That way, it won’t be confusing for people when they search for your company online! It should match what appears on:
- Your business cards
- Your website
- Social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram)
- Business-to-business listings
#3 Enter the address
In order to improve your business ranking, Google Maps needs to know your address.
- Enter the address of the business location.
- The address should be physical, not PO Box or Suite number. It should be the address you use for mail delivery and other business purposes (e.g., tax purposes).
- Do not enter your home address or a friend’s home address, as this is not acceptable by Google Maps’ terms of service.
#4 Choose a business category
Once you add a business to Google Maps, the next step is to choose a category that best describes it.
Similar to choosing and researching keywords, the category you choose helps Google Maps show your listing to people searching for relevant terms.
You can choose from a wide range of business categories. Don’t choose one that is too broad (like “Retail”) or too narrow (like “Florist”). It needs to be specific enough for Google to know what you do, but not so specific that there are only two businesses in your category.
Once you’ve decided on the right category, it’s time to add details about your business.
#5 Enter a phone number for your business
Once you’ve entered all of your business information, you may be prompted to enter a phone number for your business. This is not a requirement—you can opt-out of adding a phone number and still be able to add your business. However, we recommend adding one if possible so customers can easily reach you by phone.
#6 Select Continue and follow the prompts
Go ahead and select Continue. You’ll be asked to verify your business by entering a code sent to your phone. Or possibly email address or the company itself. This process varies depending on what you’ve provided in the previous steps. However, it’s done, follow the prompts and get it done so we can move forward with our lives!
#7 Verify Your Business
To verify your business on Google Maps, you’ll need to enter the necessary information and upload photos of the location. This will help Google ensure that the company you’re adding is yours and not someone else’s or a place that doesn’t exist at all (ahem). You can do this before or after adding any listings — it doesn’t matter which order you do things in!
Conclusion
Nowadays, it seems like everyone is looking for the best way to get their product in front of potential customers. And while there are many ways to do that—including social media advertising—nothing beats the results you get when you add a business to Google Maps. That’s why we hope this guide has helped you understand how easy it can be! So what are you waiting for?