Google Business Profile

How to add your business to Google when it isn't listed

Go to business.google.com/add, select Add your business to Google, fill in your details and complete verification. It's free. Search for your business first, because if a listing already exists you should claim it instead.

6 steps

  1. Step 1: Search Google Maps for your business name and city first. If a listing already exists, claim that one rather than creating a second.
    2 min
  2. Step 2: Sign in to the Google Account the business will keep, then go to business.google.com/add and select Add your business to Google.
    1 min
  3. Step 3: Enter your business details as the on-screen steps ask. Make sure the address is correct and meets Google's address guidelines.
    5 min
  4. Step 4: On a phone instead? In the Google Maps app tap Contribute, Add place, then Is this your business?, fill in the details and tap Continue.
    5 min
  5. Step 5: Select a verification option and complete the on-screen steps. Your profile won't be fully yours until this is done.
    5 min
  6. Step 6: After verification, go back and fill in hours, photos and services so the profile is complete.
    20 min
  7. Arrived: Your new profile is verified and can show on Google Search and Maps, with the hours, phone number and location you entered.

Checked 13 Nov 2026 · source: support.google.com

No website on your listing?Google's free business.site websites were switched off in 2024. B12 builds one from your listing details. Build one with B12 (partner) B12 is our website partner; we may earn a commission if you sign up. It does not change what we write.

Check that you’re starting from zero

A mistake to avoid with a new listing is making one that isn’t new. Google may already have a profile for your business from a customer suggestion or public data, especially if you’ve been open a while or took over an existing shop. Search Maps for your name and city, and also for your street address. If something comes up, use the claim flow on that listing.

Google’s rule is one profile per business. A second profile is likely to be treated as a duplicate, and duplicates don’t show on Search or Maps. You’d end up with reviews on one listing and your edits on another.

Who qualifies

Google opens Business Profiles to two kinds of business: storefronts where customers visit you, and service-area businesses that go to customers, like plumbers or mobile groomers. Both have to deal with customers face to face during the hours they list. Online-only shops are out, and so are rental or for-sale properties.

What to have ready

The help pages describe the form only as “on-screen instructions,” so expect it to ask for the basics: your business name as customers see it, what kind of business it is, where you are or where you serve, and how to reach you. Google is firm on one point: the address has to be correct and follow its address guidelines. Have your signage name and a phone number that rings at the business ready before you begin.

Use a Google Account the business will own long term. Google suggests a company email. If an employee sets it up on a personal account and later leaves, you’ll be dealing with an ownership transfer instead of a quick edit.

Verification is the second half

Adding the business only starts the job. Google asks you to pick a verification option at the end, and until that’s done you can’t manage the profile on Maps and Search. Neither the add page nor the setup page lists which methods you’ll be offered or how long review takes, so don’t plan a launch day around it. Finish the steps, then check back from business.google.com.

After you’re live

A bare profile with just a name and pin does little. Once verified, add your regular hours, a few photos of the outside and inside, your services and a short description. Those are what customers see when they compare you with the shop down the street.

If it doesn't work

  • Google says a profile for this business already exists: someone created one. Claim it, or request ownership if it's verified by someone else.
  • You run the business online only: Google doesn't allow a Business Profile for it, and points online-only businesses to Google Ads instead.
  • Your address is rejected or flagged: check it against Google's address guidelines, which the add page links to, and correct it before you try again.
  • You work from home and don't want your address public: set yourself up as a service-area business instead of showing a storefront.
No website on your listing?Google's free business.site websites were switched off in 2024. B12 builds one from your listing details. Build one with B12 (partner)B12 is our website partner; we may earn a commission if you sign up. It does not change what we write.

Questions owners ask

How much does it cost to put my business on Google?

Nothing. Google's help page states that adding or claiming a Business Profile is free. Ads are a separate, paid product, and you don't need them to appear on Maps. Be wary of anyone who says a listing requires a fee.

Can I add a business that only sells online?

No. Google's getting-started page says Business Profiles aren't for online-only businesses or for properties for rent or sale. Eligible businesses meet customers in person during their hours, either at a location or by traveling to them.

Do I need a website to add my business?

No. The setup flow doesn't require one. You can add a website link later if you have one, and many small businesses run with a profile alone at first.

Why should I search before adding?

Google allows only one profile per business, and a profile treated as a duplicate won't show on Search or Maps. Creating a fresh listing when an old one exists splits your reviews and can leave both in limbo.

Sources

Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.

Related fixes

Written by Ellis Marr (a pen name) · Checked 13 Nov 2026 · How we check