Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business): how to show up on Google Maps

To show up on Google Maps, set up a free Google Business Profile, verify that your business is real, and keep the profile complete and active. That profile is what Google shows when someone searches "pizza near me" or "electrician in [your city]" and the map lists three businesses first. Google says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking, so the profile itself is what you control.

Google My Business vs. Google Business Profile

Google My Business is the old name of the same free tool. Google renamed it Google Business Profile, and the separate Google My Business app is no longer how you manage a listing. Today you edit your profile in Google Search and Google Maps while signed in to the Google account that owns it: search for your business name and city (or "my business") and the edit options appear. Many guides and videos still say "GMB," so you will see both names.

Create or claim your profile the right way

1. Use a Google account the business controls. A free account with a Gmail address or your company email works. Avoid tying the profile to one employee's personal account, because when that person leaves, your access goes with them.
2. Check whether a profile already exists. Search Google Maps for your business name and city. Google sometimes builds a listing on its own. If you find yours, select Claim this business, then Manage now, instead of creating a duplicate.
3. If nothing shows up, add your business at business.google.com/add and follow the prompts.
4. Fill in the basics accurately: the exact business name, the primary category, your address or service area, a phone number you actually answer, and your real hours.

The primary category is the most important choice on the form, so be specific: "Pizza restaurant," not "Restaurant." The business name has to match the name on your sign and website. Don't add keywords, slogans, or locations to it.

Source: Google, Add or claim your Business Profile.

Verify your business

Verification is how Google confirms that your business exists and that you are allowed to manage it. You need it to edit your business info and respond to customers, and Google says verified businesses are more likely to show up in search results.

Google decides which methods you are offered, and you can't change that. Depending on your business, you may see:

• a phone call or text with a code (the number has to reach a real person or receive texts, because automated phone menus can't receive the code);
• an email with steps to confirm;
• a live video call or a video recording; or
• a postcard with a code, mailed to the address you listed.

If video verification is offered, Google recommends it. Show what proves where you are and what you do: signs outside, the street, your products or branded equipment, and something that shows you run the place, like a cash register, a storage room, or the keys to the door. Keep sensitive documents out of the frame.

Source: Google, Verify your business on Google.

Fill in the profile so Google can match you to searches

Google says local results are based mainly on three things: relevance (how well your profile matches the search), distance (how far you are from the person searching), and prominence (how well known you are, including reviews and links from other sites). You can't change where the searcher is standing, but you control the other two.

• Complete every section. Write a description of what you do and for whom. Leave out links and promotions, because Google doesn't allow either in that field.
• List your services one by one, with prices where you can, and add attributes such as wheelchair accessibility, payment methods, or delivery.
• Add real photos regularly: the storefront, the inside, your team, your products, before-and-after shots. Fresh photos show people what to expect and keep the profile from looking abandoned.
• Add secondary categories only when they truly apply. Google's advice is to pick the fewest categories that describe your core business.
• Keep your name, address, and phone number (NAP) identical on your profile, website, and social media. Mismatches make it harder for Google to be sure it's the same business.
• Add your website. Even a simple one-page site helps.

Source: Google, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google.

Reviews: ask, reply, never buy

Reviews count toward prominence, and they matter even more to the person comparing three options on a screen.

• Ask after every good job. Your profile can generate a direct review link or a QR code. Send the link by text or email, or print the QR code for the counter. Customers have to be signed in to a Google account to post, so make it easy.
• Reply to every review. Thank happy customers by name. For bad reviews, stay calm, acknowledge the problem, and offer to fix it by phone or email. Future customers read your reply, not only the person who complained.
• Never buy reviews, and never offer discounts or freebies in exchange for them. Google treats incentivized reviews as fake and misleading content, and it can lead to restrictions on your profile. Reviews must reflect a genuine experience, so asking relatives to inflate your rating is out too.

Features most businesses skip

• Posts: share offers, events, and news, much like on a social network. They show on your profile and signal that someone is minding the business.
• Products and services: add photos, descriptions, and prices to build a small catalog inside Google.
• Performance stats: see how many people called, asked for directions, or visited your website, and which searches brought them to you.
• Special hours: set holiday hours ahead of time so nobody drives to a closed door.

Mistakes that get a profile suspended or buried

• Stuffing the name with keywords, like "Joe's Pizza - Best Pizza Delivery Downtown." Google requires the name to reflect your real-world name, and extra words can get the profile suspended.
• Outdated hours. A customer who finds a locked door often leaves a one-star review.
• Creating a duplicate instead of claiming the existing profile. Google's guidelines allow one profile per business.
• Using an address that doesn't qualify. A P.O. box, a mailbox at a remote location, or a virtual office can't have a profile.
• Abandoning it. With no new photos, replies, or updates, the profile looks neglected, and outdated info can keep it from showing up for relevant searches.

Source: Google, Guidelines for representing your business on Google.

A local business without a profile is invisible to the person three blocks away searching for exactly what you sell. Finish yours today, and add a second owner on a different Google account so one lost password can't lock you out (what to do if a business Google account is hacked). Combine it with the free tools every small business needs. Photos holding you back? See how to photograph products with your phone.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google My Business the same as Google Business Profile?

Yes. Google My Business is the former name of Google Business Profile. Adding or claiming your business is free, and you manage the profile from Google Search and Google Maps.

Can I show up on Google Maps if I work from home?

Yes, if you serve customers at their locations. Set a service area and hide your home address. A P.O. box or a virtual office does not qualify for a profile.

How do I rank higher in the Google Maps local results?

Verify your business, complete every section, choose the right category, add photos, and collect and answer reviews. Google says local ranking rests mainly on relevance, distance, and prominence, and it can't be bought.

Sources: Google Business Profile Help: Add or claim your Business Profile · Google Business Profile Help: Verify your business on Google · Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google · Google Business Profile Help: Tips to get more reviews · Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google