Google My Business
Everything you need to know to claim, verify, optimise and better rank your business on Google's local business directory.
1. The Basics of Google My Business
Watch the following short videos giving you a basic introduction of Google My Business.
If you are familiar with this, feel free to skip ahead.
1.1 Google My Business Introduction Videos
Watch the following short videos (by Google) giving a basic introduction of Google My Business.
Google My Business Product Overview
Introducing Google My Business
Introducing Google My Business
1.2 Where will Google publish your business listing?
Your business will show up across Google's platform including Google+, Google Search & Google Maps.
Google+
Google Local Search Results
Google Maps
How much does it cost to get listed on Google My Business?
It's free! Google does not charge anything for businesses to be listed on the Google My Business directory, as long as your business is eligible to be listed.
How do I know if my business is eligible to be listed?
In section 2 we cover the details on eligibility criteria for your business to be listed.
How do I see what my business looks like in Google search, Google+ and Google Maps?
In section 4 you will learn how to login to your Google My Business dashboard, where you can find direct links to these three views.
Who can add or edit a business on Google My Business directory?
Anybody can claim a listing, but in order for content to be published, it needs to be verified. A business owner can manage their listing themselves or they can add one or multiple managers to their listing account to share permission and delegate the responsibility. Section 6.2 covers this.
2. Business Eligibility » May I List My Business
Before listing a business on Google My Business, it is important to make sure that your business is eligible to be listed.
Does your business meet Google's 3 listing rules?
A business that answers YES to all of the following three questions may be listed on Google My Business.
1. Does the business have a unique, dedicated physical address (not a virtual address, P.O. Box or shared address)?
2. Does the business have a unique, dedicated local phone number in the city of location (not an 800 number, not a call tracking number, not a shared number)?
3. Does the business have in-person transactions with its customers, either at its own location (like a restaurant) or at the customer's' locations (like a plumber)?
Exception: ATMs, video-rental kiosks, and express mail dropboxes are permitted.
If you add these locations, you must include contact information for customers to get help.
Ineligible Businesses
The following businesses aren’t eligible for a business listing:
- Businesses that are under construction or that have not yet opened to the public.
- Rental or for-sale properties, such as vacation homes, model homes or vacant apartments.
- Sales or leasing offices, however, are eligible for verification.
- An ongoing service, class, or meeting at a location that you don't own or have the authority to represent. Please coordinate with your host to have your information displayed on the listing for their business within their "Introduction" field.
Google My Business is supported in 245 country, including Antarctica!
Unless you are living on your own private independent island, you should be able to list your business.
View Google's official list of supported countries.
3. Google's Listing Guidelines
Will you be listing multiple practitioners practicing from the same address and phone number?
For example doctors, lawyers, estate agents, financial advisors, consultants.
Make sure to understand Google's listing guidelines for different business setups.
Single Practitioner Practices
with Single Location
Create one business listing either using the practitioner's name or the name of the business. This is your decision --
however do not create Google My Business listings for both.
Multi-Practitioner Practices
with Single Location
Create a local listing for the organisation/business that operates at this location. In addition you may create a local listing for each practitioner using only their name (excl. the business name).
Multi-Practitioner Practices
with Multiple Locations
It is acceptable to create separate listings for each practitioner for each location, assuming that you will be using a unique address and unique phone number for each address. Do not try and trick Google -- you'll get penalised.
4. How To Claim Your Business Listing
Only business owners or authorized representatives may verify and manage their business information on Google My Business.
If you wish to share management access to your listing with others, you can add a manager.
To start managing your business listing, you will either need to claim an existing listing or add a new one.
First try searching for and claiming your existing listing (4.1) - if you cannot find
your business or your location/address listed on Google Maps, then you will need to add a new listing (4.2).
Important: Make Sure To Use The Correct Google Account
When claiming or adding a listing, make sure to login using the Google account that
you would like to use to manage this listing. If you are already logged in,
then make sure you're logged into the correct Google account.
You can always at a later stage add managers to your account -- giving other Google accounts
permissions to manage your listing on your behalf.
4.1 Find and claim an existing listing on Google Maps
If your business is already listed on Google, then you can find and claim the existing listing and start managing it.
- Make sure to be logged into your preferred Google account.
- Find your listing on Google Maps
- Click on "Claim this business" - see screenshot below.
Note: If a business listing has already been verified, then the "Claim this business" link will not be displayed.
Attempting to claim an already verified listing
If your attempt to claim a business listing that has already been verified, then you will see the following message.
If this is your listing, which has been claimed by someone else, then you can click "Request ownership".
If it was verified by an email address that you no longer have access to, then you can click on "Account Recovery" to initiate the account recovery process.
4.2 Add a new location with listing
- Visit http://business.google.com/add
- Use the search bar to search for your business name and/or business address.
- If your business does not show up, then click "Add your business"
- Next add your business name, address and phone number.
- Mark whether you deliver goods/services to your customer at their location.
- When done, click "Continue".
5. How To Verify Your Business Listing
You need to verify your business address/phone number with Google in order to
edit your business listing and to have it show up publicly in searches.
5.1 Establishing whether or not your listing is verified or still needs to be verified
To see if your listing is verified, login to your Google My Business dashboard → https://www.google.com/business
When looking at your dashboard you will see one of the following:
Listing needing verification
If you see a red notification, then you know that your page still needs to be verified. Follow the instructions in this section to verify your listing.
Verified listing
If you see the word "Verified" with the green tick, then you know
that your listing is verified -- you can skip the rest of this section.
5.2 Deciding which option to use to verify your listing
Google provides the following two options for verifying a business listing.
Some business listings can only be verified using the "Postcard Method".
Phone Call Verification
Some business owners have the option to verify their business using the phone call option. Google will verify your business with an automated phone call to your unique number, providing you with a one time verification code to use online to verify your listing.
Postcard Verification
Most businesses only have the option of verifying their business with the postcard method. After entering your business address, you will be able to request a physical postcard from Google, which contains a one time verification code to use online to verify your business listing.
The postcard can take up to two weeks to arrive.
What will the postcard look like?
The postcard should look something like this. Expect to receive it in the mail at the address that you've provided.
6. Your Google My Business Dashboard
Use the top navigation menu to view, manage and update each section.
6.1 Navigating the sections of your dashboard
Home
This section provides an overview of your Insights, Google Analytics & Reviews.
Info
This section lists all your business information you can add and update.
Photos
This section lets you add business photos to make your listing stand out.
Reviews
This section lets you view, manage and respond to customer reviews.
Insights
This section provides you with more in-depth stats including views and clicks.
6.2 Adding managers to your account
It's easy to share the responsibility of managing your listing with team members, by added them as managers.
- 1. Log in to your Google My Business dashboard. If you manage multiple listings, choose the listing you’d like to manage.
- 2. Click the three dash menu icon in the upper left-hand side of your screen.
- 3. In the panel that appears, click Managers.
- 4. Click the Add names or email addresses field, enter the Gmail or Google address or profile name of the person you want to invite to become a manager, and click Invite. (The person you are adding needs a Google account.)
- 5. Decide what permissions to share (either a manager or a communications manager) by using the dropdown menu that appears when you click in the Add names or email addresses field.
What's the different between a manager and communications manager?
Invitees will receive an email and have the option to accept the invitation and immediately become listing managers.
The manager window will display all active managers, as well as people who have been invited to become managers.You can cancel pending invitations by clicking the X in the row with the invitation you want to remove. And you can remove managers to restrict access.
7. How To Optimise Your Business Listing
Make sure to add as much useful and concise information about your business as possible.
Keep in mind that edits on an unverified listing will not show up publicly.
And some edits will be checked by Google before they get displayed publicly.
The following instructions will help you add or edit your information to each section.
7.1 Click on the "Edit" button to start editing your listing
Click the edit button to activate edit mode.
7.2 Click on the pencil icon to edit each section
Each section has this pencil icon. When you click it
a window will appear that will let you add or edit your information.
7.3 Adding or editing your business name
Make sure it’s correct, current and your legal name. Do not try and add any keywords.
Doing so will cause Google to flag your page since it doesn’t match up with other online directories. When you're done, hit save.
7.4 Adding or editing your business address
Make sure to fill in all the fields and that the marker on the map is correctly showing your location.
Also make sure to use the same address that is listed on your website's contact page and select whether or
not you deliver goods/services to your customers at their location. When you're done, hit save.
This address needs to be an address that you can receive mail at -- it cannot be a PO Box address.
If you serve customers at their location, then you can set the specific area that you service.
7.5 Adding your service area
If you are a business that serves your customers at their location, then you can add your specific service area.
If you also tick the "I also serve customers at my location", then your location will be added to your listing.
7.6 Adding or editing your business contact info
Make sure to add the same phone number as listed on your website and in other online directories.
Add your website and main email address as well. When you're done, hit save.
7.7 Adding or editing your business category
You can add up to five categories that accurately describe your business.
Categories describe what your business is, not what it does or what it sells.
Google gives more priority and relevancy to your primary category.
Do not add extra categories that do not apply to your business. When you're done, hit save.
7.8 Adding or editing your operating hours
Make sure to fill these out completely and accurately, as users can view your business hours on your listing as part of
local search results or inside of Google Maps. When you're done, hit save.
7.9 Adding or editing your special operating hours
Make sure to add special hours for public holidays and for if and when your
business closes for other reasons. When you're done, hit save.
7.10 Adding or editing your introduction
Write a unique, descriptive and concise introduction (approximately 250 words), which is
easy to read using content that is different from content used on your website.
Avoid keyword stuffing, but make sure to list all of your popular services that users might search for.
When you're done, hit save.
7.11 Adding or editing photos
Make your listing stand out by adding a selection of great photos.
Click on the Add one now button to upload photos to each of the following sections:
7.11.1 Business Identity Photos
Upload your profile photo, your business logo and an appropriate cover photo.
7.11.2 Interior Photos
Upload at least 3 great interior photos to show customers what your business feels like inside.
7.11.3 Exterior Photos
Upload at least 3 great exterior photos to help customers recognize your business.
7.11.4 Team Photos
Upload at least 3 photos showing your management team and your employees.
7.11.5 At Work Photos
Upload at least 3 photos showing the work/service that you provide.
7.11.6 At Work Photos
Upload additional photos of your business showing unique features that don't fit in any of the other categories.
7.11.7 Optimising, editing, sorting, tagging and deleting uploaded photos
Each uploaded photo can be further optimised, edited, tagged or deleted.
Business Identify Photos
Upload your a profile photo, your business logo and an appropriate cover photo.
Interior Photos
Upload at least 3 great interior photos to show customers what your business feels like inside.
Exterior Photos
Upload at least 3 great exterior photos to help customers recognize your business.
Team Photos
Upload at least 3 photos showing your management team and your employees.
Work Photos
Upload at least 3 photos showing the work/service that you provide.
Additional Photos
Upload additional photos of your business that don't fit in any of the other categories.
8. Increasing & Managing Customer Reviews
One of the best ways of building trust and credibility online is by getting honest reviews and replying to them.
8.1 How To Get More Reviews
Make It Simple
Make it simple for your customers to leave a review. Provide them with step by step instruction.
Ask Verbally
If and when possible, ask your customers verbally to leave you a review. This can be done in person or over the phone.
Ask In An Email
Send out a follow up email to existing
and recent clients asking them to leave a review. Make sure to include review instructions.
9. How To Better Rank Your Business Listing
We recommend implementing the following four strategies to better ranking your listing:
9.1 Update listings in existing directories
Make sure that your existing directory listings are up to date and accurate. Make 100% sure that your NAP information is accurate and identical to what you've listed on your Google business listing.
N = Name: The name of your business
A = Address: Your physical business address
P = Phone: Your business phone number
9.3 Add your business to additional directories
Add your business to additional reputable online business directories. These differ for each country - the well know listing sites include Yellow Pages, Yelp and Foursquare.
Depending on your business type, you will also be able to list your business in industry specific directories. E.g. Zomato for restaurants.
Do not list your business on scammy or spammy directory sites.
If it's not a directory site that you would use to look for businesses,
then give it a miss.
9.2 Encourage customers to leave reviews
Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google business listing. The best way to do this is by simply asking either verbally or via email straight after delighting your customer an enjoyable transaction.
Make it as easy for them as possible to leave a review. Include simple to follow instructions to your email.
9.4 Improve your overall SEO across the web
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a bigger topic with many moving parts, which is beyond the scope of this course.
To sum it up in one short recommendation. Build a credible online presence by creating, publishing and sharing your own unique, valuable content on your website and on across your social media profiles to gain your customers attention and encourage engagement.
Google measures online influence by tracking links and shares across the web. Your listing will rank better the more credibility and influence you build.
Avoid using black hat strategies or tactics to trick Google, this will just get you penalised in the short or long run.
10. Managing Your Listing with Google's Mobile App
You can manage your listing using Google's app on Android & iOS.
Simply search for "Google My Business" on the iOS App Store or on the Google Play store.
11. Frequently Asked Questions
There are currently no FAQ answers. Please click the button below to submit your question to our support team.