How do I add my business to Google Maps?

Create a Google Business Profile, enter your business details, choose the right category, and complete verification. Once verified, your business appears on Google Maps and in local Search.

How long until my new listing shows up?

Your listing won't show to customers until it's verified. After verification, a new profile usually appears within a few days.

What if a listing for my business already exists?

It may have been created automatically or by someone else. Search for it and claim it rather than creating a duplicate — duplicate listings can get filtered or cause problems.

How to List Your Business on Google

Short answer

To list your business on Google, create a free Google Business Profile: enter your business name and details, choose the most accurate category, add your address or service area, and complete verification. Once verified, you appear on Google Maps and in local Search. First check whether a listing already exists and claim it instead of duplicating.

A Google Business Profile is the single most valuable free marketing asset a local business has — it's what puts you on the map, in the local results, and increasingly in front of AI assistants. Setting it up is quick; setting it up well is what gets you found.

Step by step

Check for an existing listing. Search your business name and town. Google may have created one automatically. If it exists, claim it rather than making a second one.
Create your Google Business Profile. Enter your real business name — exactly as it appears in the real world, with no added keywords.
Choose the right primary category. This is the most important early decision for getting found. Pick the single best match for what you do.
Add your location or service area. A storefront shows its address; a business that visits customers should set a service area and hide the address.
Complete your details. Phone, website, hours, services, products and photos — the more complete, the better you rank and convert.
Verify.Complete the verification method Google offers you. Until this is done, customers can't see you.

Get the basics right the first time

A keyword-stuffed name, a fake or virtual address, or a wrong category can lead to a suspension down the line. Accurate from day one saves a lot of pain.

What to do after you're listed

Listing is just the start. To actually climb the results, work on the levers in how to rank higher on Google Maps, and start gathering genuine reviews. If you've verified but still aren't appearing, check why your business isn't showing on Google Maps.

Did you set it up right?

Once you're listed, run a free MyBizRanked audit to check your profile is complete, correctly categorised and competitive — and see the fixes that get you found faster.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Creating and managing a Google Business Profile is completely free. You only pay if you separately choose to run Google Ads, which is optional.

See how your business really looks — free

Run a free MyBizRanked audit and get your Google Business Profile score, the top problems, and whether AI assistants recommend you. No account, no card.

Run my free audit

Keep reading

Getting found on Google

How to rank higher on Google Maps

Google ranks local results on relevance, distance and prominence. Here's what each means and the levers you can actually pull to rank higher on Maps.

Suspension & problems

Google Business Profile suspended? How to fix it

Suspended Google Business Profile? Here's why it happens, how to get reinstated step by step, and how to avoid it happening again.