1. Create or claim your Business Profile
Go to business.google.com and search for your business name. If it's already listed (Google sometimes creates listings automatically), claim it; if not, create it. It's free.
2. Storefront or service-area business?
If customers visit you at an address, add it. If you go to customers or work from home, set it up as a service-area business: list the cities or area you serve and hide your street address. Don't use a PO box or a virtual office — Google can suspend the profile.
3. Verify it
Google will ask you to verify that you're the owner — often by video, phone, text or email, sometimes by postcard. Your profile won't fully appear on Maps until it's verified, so do this straight away.
4. Choose the right categories
The primary category matters most: pick the most specific one that describes your main service ("Website designer" rather than "Consultant", "Hair salon" rather than "Beauty"). Add a few secondary categories for other services you genuinely offer.
5. Fill in everything
- Business name exactly as it appears on your signs and website — no extra keywords.
- Phone, website and hours (including holiday hours).
- Services or products, with short descriptions and prices if you can.
- Real photos: your work, your team, your storefront or vehicle.
- A plain-English description of what you do and where.
6. Make your details match everywhere
Google cross-checks your name, phone number and location against your website and other listings (Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, Yelp, industry directories). The same details everywhere builds trust; mismatches confuse it.
7. Get reviews — and reply to them
Reviews are one of the strongest local ranking signals and the first thing people read. Ask every happy customer, make it easy with a direct review link, and reply to every review, good or bad. Never buy or incentivise reviews.
8. Keep it active
Post updates and new photos regularly, answer questions, and keep hours current. An active profile tells Google the business is real and open.
Your website still matters
Google links your profile to your website and uses it to understand what you do. A fast site with clear service pages, your city in the titles and business structured data supports your Maps ranking — and converts the people who click through.
Written by the SquidInk USA team · Glendora, CA