How to add a business to Google Maps, in short
To add a business to Google Maps, an owner creates or claims a listing in Google Business Profile and then verifies it. Google Business Profile is the tool that lets owners manage their own Maps listing data. That data includes the address, phone number, category and photos.
The process has three stages. First the owner searches for the business and claims or creates the listing. Then the owner enters the core details, and finally completes verification.
Google Maps itself has been around since February 8, 2005, when Google announced it on its blog. Owners have had a direct way to manage their listing for much of that time. The tool’s current name is Google Business Profile.
What an owner needs before starting
Setup needs a Google account. A Gmail address is not required, because an existing business email works. Owners can sign up with the address they already use for the business.
A phone number is required at setup. A website is optional. A business without a site can still get a listing.
What happens behind the scenes when a listing is added
Adding a listing is a claim followed by a check. The owner submits details about the business, and Google decides whether to trust them before showing them. Until that check passes, the profile information does not appear on Maps.
Searching first, then claiming or creating
The first move is a search for the business name. If a listing already exists, the owner can use the “Request Access” option. The current manager then has seven days to respond before the requester can verify it.
If the search finds nothing, the owner picks the option to create a business with that name. That starts a new listing from scratch. The step-by-step detail of creating the profile is the subject of the first part of this series.
Entering the core details
The owner chooses one primary category at setup. A primary category is the single label that most closely describes what the business does. More categories can be added later.
The owner also decides how location is shown. Businesses that customers visit should list their address. Businesses that travel to customers set a service area instead, which keeps the address off the public listing.
PO boxes are not eligible as a business address. A business needs a real location, even when that location stays hidden behind a service area.
Verification decides when the listing goes live
Verification is Google’s check that the person claiming the listing really runs the business. Methods can include video, phone, text, email, live video call or mail. The options vary by business, and Google may ask for more than one.
Google’s review of submitted information can take up to 5 business days. Mailed codes usually arrive within 14 days. The postcard carries a 5-digit code that the owner enters to finish.
The full range of methods, and how each one works, gets its own article later in this series. One rule applies across all of them: profile info does not show until verification is complete.
The pieces that make up a new Maps listing
A new Maps listing is built from a handful of required and optional pieces. Some are needed before Google will accept the listing, and others can wait until later. Knowing which is which helps an owner finish setup without getting stuck.
| Listing piece | Needed at setup | Notes for owners |
|---|---|---|
| Google account | Yes | Any business email works, not only Gmail |
| Business name and primary category | Yes | One primary category now, more categories later |
| Address or service area | Yes | PO boxes are not eligible as the address |
| Phone number | Yes | Required during setup |
| Website | No | Optional, can be added later |
| Photos and description | No | Can be added after the listing is created |
Storefront and service area listings
There are two main types of listing. A storefront listing shows a public address that customers visit. A service area listing hides the address and shows the areas the business serves instead.
A service area can include up to 20 locations. Those can mix cities, ZIP codes, counties or other areas. The choice between the two types is covered in its own article in this series.
Details added after the basics
Once the listing exists, owners can add a description in the About section. The description should not contain links or HTML. The precise length limit is worth checking on Google’s own help pages.
Attributes, photos, posts and services may also be available. Which features appear depends on the business category and region. These details shape how the listing reads, but they are not needed to get the business onto Maps.
Why getting on Maps matters for a local business
For a local business, a verified Maps listing is how it appears when nearby people search for what it offers. Without one, the business may not appear in the map results at all. The listing also gives the owner control over the facts customers see.
Owner control over business facts
A listing the owner manages carries the details the owner chose. That includes the address, phone, category and photos. An unclaimed listing may show details the owner never checked.
Claiming an existing listing is often faster than starting from zero. The seven-day window in the Request Access process gives a current manager time to respond. After that, the requester can move on to verification.
Location shapes who sees the listing
Google says it uses three main criteria for local results: prominence, relevance and distance. The closer a business is to the searcher, the more likely it appears on the results map. A listing therefore tends to show most for people near the business or its service area.
The same address rules that matter at setup matter here. An honest address or service area tells Google where the business actually works. How ranking works in full belongs to the sibling guide on Google Maps ranking.
Spam is the reason verification exists
Fake listings are a real problem on Google Maps. A 2017 study by UC San Diego and Google looked at over 100,000 fraudulent listings. About 40% of them were on-call contractors such as plumbers and locksmiths.
Scammers placed those fake listings near searchers, because location drives results. Verification makes that harder, which is why Google may ask for more than one method. A slow verification step is partly the cost of keeping fake businesses off the map.
What the listing becomes after setup
Getting onto Maps is the start rather than the finish. The listing becomes a Google Business Profile that the owner keeps up over time. The sibling guide on that topic explains what the profile holds and how owners maintain it.
Misunderstandings that slow down a Maps listing
Several common beliefs about adding a business to Google Maps cause delays or bad setups. Each one below has a simple correction. Most come from older advice or from guessing how Google works.
“You need a Gmail address”
An existing business email works. The owner needs a Google account, but it does not have to be a Gmail account. This lets the listing sit under the address the business already uses.
“The postcard is the only way to verify”
Mail is one method among several. Video, phone, text, email and live video call may be offered instead. The options depend on the business.
“A home-based business has to show its address”
A business that serves customers at their location can set a service area. That keeps the home address off the public listing. Only businesses that customers visit need to show an address.
“More categories means more visibility”
Adding many categories does not help. The Rhode Island SBDC warns that unrelated categories can hurt rankings. Owners should choose only categories that closely match the business.
“Google will call to set up the listing”
Oklahoma State University Extension says Google never calls unsolicited. A call claiming to be from Google about a listing deserves suspicion. Owners should start setup themselves through Google Business Profile.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add my business to Google Maps for free?
Yes. Google says creating a Business Profile and listing a business on Google is free. The listing still has to pass verification before it shows on Maps.
How do I get my company to show up on Google Maps?
The company needs a verified Google Business Profile with an accurate category and address or service area. Profile info does not show until verification is complete. After that, Google weighs relevance, distance and prominence to decide when the listing appears.
How long does it take for a business to be added to Google Maps?
Google’s review of submitted information can take up to 5 business days. If verification is by mail, the code usually arrives within 14 days. Google may also ask for more than one verification method, which can add time.
How does a new business get on Google Maps?
A new business searches for its name in Google Business Profile and picks the option to create a business with that name. The owner then adds the category, address or service area and phone number. The listing appears once Google verifies it.
Can someone else already have claimed my business listing?
Yes, a listing may already exist under another manager. The owner can use “Request Access”, and the current manager has seven days to respond. After that window, the requester can verify the listing.
Where the Google Maps hub goes from here
Adding a listing is the first task most owners face on Maps. The hub then explains what a profile holds, how Maps ranking works, and the series topics of creation, verification, categories and service areas. Open Google Maps explained to see the full set.