Google Maps guide
How to add your business to Google Maps
Updated November 1, 2026
Your business appears on Google Maps through a Google Business Profile. It's free, takes about 15 minutes to set up, and then needs verification before it shows up properly. Here's the whole process, including the choices that affect how you rank later.
Check whether a listing already exists
Search Google Maps for your business name and address. If a listing exists, open it and choose the option to claim or manage it instead of creating a new one. Creating a second listing for the same business causes duplicate problems later.
Create your Business Profile
- Go to Google Business Profile (business.google.com) and sign in with the Google account you want to manage the business with. A shared business account is easier to hand over later than a personal one.
- Enter your business name exactly as it appears on your signage and paperwork.
- Choose your primary category. Pick the most specific one that matches your main service.
- Say whether customers can visit you. If yes, enter your address. If you only go to customers, choose not to show an address.
- Add the towns or regions you serve if you travel to customers.
- Add your phone number and website.
- Choose a verification method from the options Google offers and complete it.
Storefront or service area business?
If customers come to your premises during business hours, show the address. If you serve customers at their locations, like most trades and home services, hide the address and list your service areas. If you do both, you can show the address and add service areas. Getting this right avoids one of the most common causes of suspension.
After you're verified
- Add secondary categories for other services you genuinely offer.
- List each service, with a short description in your customers' words.
- Set regular and holiday hours.
- Upload real photos of your work, team, vehicles and premises.
- Start asking every happy customer for a review, using your direct review link.
Why you might not show up straight away
New profiles often take a while to appear for competitive searches, even after verification. Google ranks map results by relevance, distance and prominence, and a new listing with few reviews has little prominence yet. Search for your exact business name first; if you appear for that, the listing is live and the rest is ranking work.
Questions
Is it free to add a business to Google Maps?
Yes. A Google Business Profile is free. Be wary of anyone charging to "register" you with Google.
Can I add a business without an address?
Yes. Service area businesses can hide their address and list the areas they serve, but Google still needs an address for verification.
Can I add my business from the Google Maps app?
Yes. In the Google Maps app you can add your business from the menu, which starts the same Business Profile setup.
How do I add a second location?
Each location with its own staffed premises gets its own profile. Businesses with ten or more locations can request bulk verification.
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