Confirm the business is eligible
A Google Business Profile is for a business that makes in-person contact with customers during its stated hours. A storefront, office customers can visit, or a business that travels to customers can qualify.
- Storefronts with permanent signage and staff
- Offices that receive customers during stated hours
- Service-area businesses that travel to customers
- Hybrid businesses that receive customers and also deliver or travel
- Online-only brands and e-commerce businesses
- Lead-generation companies
- P.O. boxes or remote mailboxes
- A recurring class or service at a location you do not own or control
- Individual rental or for-sale properties
Search before creating anything
Search Google Maps for the exact business name and city. If a profile already exists, claim or request ownership of that profile. Do not create a duplicate.
- Open Google Maps and search the business name plus city.
- Open the correct profile.
- If you see Claim this business or Own this business?, follow that path.
- If someone else has verified it, request ownership through Google’s process.
Add or claim the profile
- Sign in with a Google Account controlled by the business.
- Go to business.google.com/add ↗.
- Select Add your business to Google, or choose the existing business if it appears.
- Follow the prompts to enter the business details.
- Continue to the verification option Google provides.
Enter information that matches the real business
Use the real-world name shown on signs, stationery and branding. Do not add cities, services or keywords that are not part of the name.
Choose the most specific category that describes what the business is. Add only a few relevant secondary categories.
Use a phone number and website that represent the individual business location or service operation.
Enter the hours when customers can reach or visit the business, then use special hours for holidays and exceptions.
Choose storefront, service-area or hybrid accurately. Address visibility depends on how customers interact with the business.
Use only the cities, postal codes or supported areas the business realistically serves.
Complete the verification method Google offers
Google automatically decides which verification methods are available. You cannot choose a method that is not offered, and Google may require more than one method.
Possible methods include video recording, phone or text, email, live video call or mail. Video is common and is the method Google recommends when it appears.
- Location: street signs, building number, nearby businesses or recognizable surroundings.
- The business exists: permanent signage for a storefront, or tools, equipment, branded materials, products or workspace for a service business.
- You manage it: access to a staff-only area, cash register, point-of-sale system, branded vehicle, or non-sensitive business document.
The recording must be at least 30 seconds, made and uploaded through the Business Profile on a mobile device, and should not show faces or sensitive financial, tax or ID information. Google says review can take up to five business days.
Special instructions
Service-area businesses: set the profile up differently
A service-area business visits or delivers to customers and does not receive customers at its business address. Common examples include plumbers, cleaners, landscapers, mobile repair services and contractors.
Google instructs service-area businesses to remove the public address and use service areas instead. A home address may be used privately for verification, but it should not appear to customers when the home is not a staffed customer-facing location.
Set or correct the service area
- Go to your Business Profile while signed into its Google Account.
- Select Edit profile, then Location.
- Next to Business location, turn off or remove the displayed address if customers are not served there.
- Next to Service area, select edit.
- Add the cities, postal codes or other supported areas you actually serve.
- Save the changes. Google says approved service-area edits may take up to 48 hours to appear.
Do not use a virtual office as a shortcut
A service-area business cannot list a virtual office unless it is staffed by the business during stated hours. Separate profiles are allowed only for genuinely separate locations with separate staff and service areas.
Hybrid businesses
If customers can visit a real, staffed location with permanent signage and the business also visits or delivers to customers, it may show both the address and a service area.
Complete the profile after verification
- Business descriptionWrite a clear, factual summary of what the business does and whom it serves.
- ServicesAdd the real services customers search for; avoid phone numbers or promotional clutter in service names.
- Logo and coverAdd clean, current brand assets.
- Real photosShow the storefront, team, work, products, vehicles and customer experience accurately.
- Action linksAdd eligible appointment, reservation, order or service links that work on mobile.
- Opening date and attributesComplete relevant details available for the business category.
Google recommends JPG or PNG photos from 10 KB to 5 MB, ideally 720×720 pixels or better, well lit and without excessive filters.
Protect ownership and grant access properly
The business should remain the primary owner. Never hand primary ownership to a marketing vendor and never share the Google Account password.
- Open the Business Profile.
- Select More → Business Profile settings → People and access.
- Select Add, enter the person’s Google Account email and choose Owner or Manager.
- Use Manager for most vendors; managers can edit information, posts and reviews but cannot add users or remove the profile.
- Remove former employees and vendors promptly.
Keep the profile accurate and active
- Check hoursUpdate regular and special hours before holidays or seasonal changes.
- Respond to reviewsReply professionally and protect customer privacy.
- Add current photosShow recent work and the real customer experience.
- Review suggestionsGoogle or users may suggest edits; check the profile regularly.
- Keep the website alignedName, phone, location and services should remain consistent with the site.
- Expect re-verificationMajor changes such as name, category or address may trigger another verification.
Official Google resources used for this guide
This guide was reviewed on August 23, 2026. Google can change its interface and policies, so use these primary sources when something differs: