How to Register on Google My Business

Having your business appear on Google Maps and in local search results is one of the most powerful ways to attract new customers, and it all starts with registering on Google Business Profile. This free tool lets you control how your business information shows up across Google, including Search and Maps. This guide will walk you through the entire process to register your account, get verified, and optimize your profile for success.

Why You Need a Google Business Profile

If you have any kind of physical location or serve customers within a specific geographic area, creating a Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business or GMB) isn't just a good idea - it's essential for visibility. It’s your digital storefront, open 24/7 to potential customers looking for exactly what you offer.

Here’s a snapshot of what a well-managed profile can do for you:

• Appear in Local Searches and on Google Maps: When someone nearby searches for "coffee shop near me" or "plumber in Austin," a complete profile gives you a fighting chance to appear in that highly coveted "local pack" map result.
• Build Trust and Credibility: A verified and active profile signals to customers that your business is legitimate. Customer reviews, photos, and up-to-date information build confidence before a customer ever contacts you.
• Control Your Business Information: You get to manage what customers see first - your address, a click-to-call phone number, hours, website, photos, and services. Without a profile, Google relies on crowd-sourced or outdated information, which can be inaccurate.
• Engage Directly with Customers: Customers can leave reviews, ask questions, and get updates through your profile. This gives you a direct line of communication to manage your reputation and provide excellent service.

Before You Begin: Information to Gather

The registration process is straightforward, but you can make it even smoother by having key information ready to go. Take five minutes to gather the following:

• Business Name: Your official, accurate business name as customers know it.
• Business Address: The physical address of your storefront or office. If you're a service-area business (like a plumber or landscaper who travels to customers), you’ll still need a primary address for verification, but you can choose to hide it later.
• Phone Number: A primary contact number for your business.
• Website: Link to your homepage if you have one.
• Business Category: The primary category that best describes your business (e.g., "Italian Restaurant," "Graphic Designer," "Real Estate Agent").
• A Short Business Description: A sentence or two explaining what your business does.
• Photos: Have a few high-quality photos of your storefront, products, or team ready to upload. This makes your profile instantly more engaging.

Step-by-Step: How to Register Your Business on Google

With your information gathered, you're ready to set up your profile. The entire process should take about 15-20 minutes, not including the time for verification.

Step 1: Go to Google Business and Sign In

First, head over to google.com/business. You'll need a Google account to manage your profile. You can either use your existing personal Gmail account or, for a more professional setup, create a new Google account using your business email address.

Step 2: Enter Your Business Name

Once you’re in, the first thing you’ll be asked to do is type in your business name. As you type, Google will check if a profile with that name already exists.

• If your business appears in the dropdown menu, select it. This means an unmanaged profile - often auto-generated by Google - already exists. You’ll need to claim it by following the verification steps.
• If your business does not appear, click to create a new business with that name.

Use your actual business name! Adding keywords here (e.g., "Tony's Pizzeria - Best Pizza in Brooklyn") is against Google's guidelines and can lead to your profile being suspended.

Step 3: Choose Your Business Type

This is where you tell Google how you interact with your customers. You’ll be asked to pick from three main options:

• Local Store: Choose this if you have a physical location that customers can visit, like a retail shop, restaurant, or office. You will need to provide a public address.
• Online Retail: This option is for businesses that are purely e-commerce without a physical storefront. While a Business Profile is less impactful for purely online businesses, it can still serve as a hub for reviews and business information.
• Service Business: This is for businesses that travel to their customers, like electricians, cleaning services, or consultants. You’ll enter your address for verification but can then define a service area (e.g., specific cities, zip codes, or a radius) instead of displaying your home or office address on your profile.

Step 4: Select a Business Category

Start typing the service that best describes your business. Google has a vast list of categories. Pick the most specific and accurate primary category for what you do. For example, choose "Pizza Restaurant" instead of just "Restaurant." You can add secondary categories later, but the primary one is the most important for search ranking.

Step 5: Enter Your Location or Service Area

Depending on your business type chosen in Step 3, you will either:

• Enter a physical address: This will be publicly shown on the map for local store businesses.
• Define a service area: For service businesses, you’ll specify the regions where you serve customers. Avoid making this area too wide, keep it focused on the locations you actually, physically cover.

Step 6: Add Your Contact Information

This part is simple. Fill in your public phone number and the URL of your business website. If you don't have a website, you can select the option for Google to create a basic, free website for you based on your information. Having a website is highly recommended for building credibility, but this free option can work in a pinch.

Step 7: The Verification Process

Before your profile goes live and you can fully manage it, you must verify that you own and operate the business at the specified location. This step is designed to prevent fraudulent profiles.

The most common verification method is by postcard. Google will mail a postcard with a unique 5-digit code to your business address. You should expect it to arrive in 5-7 business days. Once it arrives, you simply log back into your Business Profile dashboard and enter the code.

Depending on your business type and history, Google may offer other verification methods:

• Phone Call or Text: Google will call or text a code to your business phone number. This is typically only offered for established businesses.
• Email: An automated email with the code is sent to your business email address (e.g., you@yourcompany.com). A standard @gmail.com address usually won't qualify.
• Video Recording: You may be asked to record a short video that proves your location and ownership. This often requires showing your storefront, business license, work vehicle with branding, or using a key to unlock your office.
• Live Video Call: Similar to the recording, but you'll do it live with a Google representative.

During the verification waiting period, do not change your business name, address, or category, as this can interrupt and reset the process.

Beyond Registration: Optimize Your Profile for Impact

Getting verified is just the starting line. A bare-bones profile is better than nothing, but a fully optimized one is what attracts clicks, calls, and customers. Once you're verified and have access to your dashboard, spend some time beefing up your profile:

Flesh out Your Services and Products

Use the "Services" or "Products" tabs to list everything you offer with descriptions and even prices. This helps your profile appear for more specific searches (e.g., "AC repair tune-up" instead of just "HVAC contractor").

Upload High-Quality Photos and Videos

Profiles with photos receive 35% more clicks and 42% more requests for directions. Add plenty of pictures: your exterior, interior, team members at work, and your products. Add your logo for your profile picture and a compelling cover photo. Adding short videos of your space or your team in action can also make a huge difference.

Encourage and Respond to Reviews

Customer reviews are gold for local SEO and trust. Actively ask happy customers to leave a review. Even more importantly, respond to every review - the good, bad, and neutral. A thoughtful response to a negative review often tells potential customers more than a dozen positive ones. It shows you care about customer service.

Utilize Google Posts

Think of Posts as a mini-blog or social feed directly on your Google profile. Use them to announce special offers, events, new products, or just share updates. They appear prominently on your profile in search results and are a great way to keep your profile looking active and fresh.

Answer Questions in the Q&A Section

Anyone can ask a question about your business directly on your profile. Monitor this section closely and be the first to answer. If there are frequently asked questions, you can preemptively ask and answer them yourself to build out a helpful FAQ resource for customers.

Final Thoughts

Setting up your Google Business Profile is a foundational step in any modern local marketing strategy. By providing accurate information, engaging with customers, and actively managing your listing, you turn it from a simple directory entry into a powerful machine for attracting and retaining business.

As you're managing customer questions and publishing updates on Google, it gets easy to neglect Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn. Modern marketing requires being present across multiple platforms, and many of the tools available for managing social media were built for a different era. In our experience, they often feel clunky and unreliable, especially with video content. At Postbase, we built our platform from the ground up for how social media actually works today. It helps you plan, schedule, and engage across all other channels seamlessly, which frees you up to focus on the unique aspects of your Google profile and other interactions with your customers.