How to Claim a Google My Business Profile

Managing your online reputation starts with controlling your most visible asset: your Google Business Profile. This isn't just a map pin, it's your digital storefront, your virtual front door, and often, the very first impression a potential customer has of your brand. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you, step-by-step, how to find, claim, and verify your business listing to take charge of how customers see you online.

So, Why Bother Claiming Your Google Business Profile?

In a world of countless marketing channels, it's fair to ask why this one small listing deserves your attention. The answer is simple: your Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business, or GMB) is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost marketing tools you have. It punches way above its weight class.

When you claim your profile, you're not just putting your name on a dot on a map. You gain the ability to:

• Control Your Information: Is your business open on holidays? Have your hours changed? Did you get a new phone number? Without a claimed profile, Google relies on user suggestions or algorithms to guess, and they're often wrong. Claiming your profile gives you the final say, ensuring customers always have accurate information.
• Boost Your Local SEO: Having a complete and active Google Business Profile is a massive signal to Google's search algorithm. It tells Google that you're a legitimate, active business, which can significantly improve your chances of appearing in the coveted "Local Pack" (the map and three business listings that appear at the top of search results).
• Build Trust and Social Proof: An unclaimed profile is a blank slate. A claimed profile is a hub for customer reviews, photos, and Questions &, Answers. You can respond to reviews, answer questions, and showcase what makes your business great. Over 85% of consumers read reviews for local businesses - your profile is where that happens.
• Gain Actionable Insights: Your profile's backend provides a surprising amount of data. You can see how many people called you directly from the listing, requested directions, visited your website, and even the search terms they used to find you. This is free market research about your customers' behavior.

Leaving your profile unclaimed is like letting strangers decide what the sign on your physical storefront should say. Taking ownership is the first step in building a powerful and professional online presence.

Before You Start: Getting Your Ducks in a Row

The claiming process itself is straightforward, but it can be frustrating if you have to stop and hunt for information. Having everything ready beforehand makes it a smooth, ten-minute task. Grab a notepad or open a document and gather the following:

• An Authoritative Google Account: You'll need to log into a Google Account to manage your business profile. It's best to use an account that is clearly tied to your business (e.g., yourname@yourbusiness.com) rather than your personal Gmail address from college. If you don't have one, create one first.
• Official Business Name: Not your slogan and not your dream name. It needs to be your actual, registered business name as it appears on your signage and legal documents.
• Physical Address: This must be an address where you can receive mail. Even if you're a service-area business (like a plumber or consultant who visits clients), Google might need to mail a physical verification postcard here. P.O. boxes are not allowed.
• Service Area (If Applicable): If you don't have a physical storefront customers visit, but you serve a specific geographic area, make a list of the cities, zip codes, or general regions in which you operate.
• Business Phone Number &, Website: Make sure they are correct and active. Consistency across the web is important for local SEO, and these are two foundational data points.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Finding and Claiming Your Profile

With your information gathered, you're ready to take action. The process involves finding out if a listing for your business already exists and then initiating the ownership claim.

Step 1: Search for Your Business

First, head over to google.com/business and sign in with the Google Account you prepared. Once logged in, you'll see a field where you can begin typing your business name.

As you type, Google will automatically start showing potential matches in a dropdown menu. Here's where you'll encounter one of two scenarios.

Step 2: Does a Listing Already Exist?

Scenario A: Your business appears in the dropdown menu.

This is the most common scenario. It means Google has already created a basic listing for your business based on data from other online directories, user submissions, or other public records. If you see your business with the correct address, click on it.

You'll be taken to a page that will either let you edit the details right away (if it's a new, unclaimed profile) or, if someone else *thinks* they own it, display a message that someone else has already claimed it. Most often, you'll see a button that says "Manage now," "Own this business?" or "Claim this business." Go ahead and click that button to start the process.

What if it says another account has claimed it? Don't panic. Former employees, marketers, or even confused owners often claim profiles and forget. You will have an option to "Request Access." Follow the prompts, and Google will email the current owner. If they don't respond after a set period, Google will often give you an alternative way to prove ownership.

Scenario B: Your business does NOT appear.

If you type your full business name and nothing correct appears, no problem. This just means you get to create your profile from scratch. At the bottom of the dropdown, you should see an option like "Create a business with this name." Click that, and follow the simple on-screen instructions to input the basic information you collected earlier (name, address, business category, etc.). The end of this process will lead you to the same place as Scenario A: the verification step.

The All-Important Verification Process

Claiming the profile just tells Google you *want* ownership. Verification is how you *prove* you deserve it. Google needs to confirm that your business is real, that it's located where you say it is, and that you are an official representative. To do this, they offer several methods, and the options available to you depend on your business type, age, and other factors known only to Google's algorithm.

Here are the most common verification methods you might see:

1. Postcard by Mail

This is the traditional and most common method. Google will mail a physical postcard to your business address that contains a 5-digit verification code. It usually arrives within 5-14 days. Once you receive it, you simply log back into your business profile dashboard and enter the code.

Pro Tip: While you're waiting for the postcard, do not edit your business name, address, or category. Making changes can reset the verification process and invalidate the code you're waiting for. Patience is key here.

2. Phone Call or Text

Some businesses are given the option to verify via an automated phone call or text message to the official business phone number. If you see this option, take it! It's the fastest way to get verified. Google will call or text with a code, and you enter it on the screen to instantly complete the verification.

3. Email

This option is less common and usually available to businesses that have an email address associated with their business's domain (e.g., info@yourbrand.com). A code will be sent to that address, which you then enter into the dashboard.

4. Video Verification

This method is becoming much more popular. You will be asked to complete a recorded video that proves your business's existence. Google will give you specific things you need to capture, which usually include:

• Your business location (showing street signs, nearby storefronts).
• Your storefront, signage, and business entrance.
• "Proof of management," where you show yourself unlocking the door with a key or accessing an employees-only area or point-of-sale system.
• Proof of business equipment or branded materials.

Just follow the on-screen prompts and capture everything required clearly. It feels a little strange, but it's a quick and effective way for Google to cut down on fake listings.

I Claimed My Profile...Now What? Optimizing for Success

Verification is not the finish line, it's the starting line. A claimed but empty profile is a missed opportunity. Now is the time to build out your listing to make it a powerful customer-attraction tool.

Flesh Out Your Entire Profile

Go through every single tab and field. Add attributes like "Wi-Fi," "wheelchair accessible," "outdoor seating," etc. Select all the services you offer from Google's list, or add your own custom ones. List your products with photos and prices. The more information you give Google, the better it understands what your business does and the more confident it is in showing your profile to potential customers.

Upload High-Quality Photos and Videos

Profiles with photos receive 42% more requests for driving directions than those without. Don't rely on blurry customer photos. Upload sharp, professional photos of your logo, your exterior (cover photo), your interior, your team, and your products or services in action. Add new ones regularly to keep things fresh.

Activate Google Posts

Think of this as a mini-blog or social media feed right on your search listing. You can create Posts about offers, events, new products, or general updates. These posts appear directly in your profile in Search and Maps, and they show potential customers that your business is active and engaged. A Post typically stays live for seven days, so it's a great tool for timely promotions.

Get and Respond to Reviews

This activity has the biggest ongoing impact. Actively encourage your happy customers to leave reviews. Then, make a habit of responding to every single review - both positive and negative. Thanking someone for a positive review reinforces their good feelings and shows others you appreciate your customers. Responding professionally to a negative review shows that you care about customer service and are willing to address issues, which builds enormous trust with people considering your business.

Manage Your Q&,A Section

Anyone can ask a question on your Business Profile, and anyone can answer it. This can be great, but it can also be a source of misinformation. Take control by regularly checking for new questions and providing official answers. You can even "pre-answer" common questions by asking and answering them yourself. Think of it as a public-facing FAQ about your business logistics and offerings.

Final Thoughts

Claiming your Google Business Profile is the foundational step to mastering your local online presence. By completing the process to claim, verify, and diligently optimize your listing, you take back control of your business's digital first impression and open a powerful, direct channel for winning over new customers.

Once your profile is active, you've secured a vital piece of your online brand. The next logical step is building a consistent conversation across all the places your audience spends their time - like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. We designed Postbase to make that part simple. By helping you schedule, manage, and analyze all your social content from one clean dashboard, we give you back the time to focus on other parts of your business, like delighting all the new customers who find you on Google.