Knowing how to create a Google My Business listing (currently called a Google Business Profile) is one of the essential steps in a company’s digital strategy.
Ultimately, the Google my Business listing is the nerve center of many businesses’ digital presence: not only does it allow them to appear prominently in Google search results, but also on Google Maps, making it key to local SEO efforts.
Thus, the Google My Business listing has become one of those digital places where there is intense competition for user attention, and some figures clearly reflect its importance:
- 40% of businesses with a Google My Business listing exceed 1,000 monthly visits to their listing.
- Verified profiles have an average of 66 requests from users interested in knowing how to get to the business on Google Maps.
Among the reasons for having a well-managed Google My Business Profile is the following: it’s a key tactic for increasing your business’s digital exposure . Therefore, we’re sharing some tips on how to create a Google My Business listing and manage some of the most common issues.
What is a Google My Business listing?
This is a digital space provided by Google that displays basic information about a company and appears when users perform related searches on the search engine.
The listing appears in both search results and Google Maps and displays information such as the business address, phone number, business hours, customer reviews, and more.
Pro Tip: Submit business review online to share your feedback, build trust, and help others choose the best services. Post your review today!
How to create a Google My Business listing
- From a computer, sign in to Google from your Google Business Profile page.
- Once inside, go to the Create a Profile page , where you’ll be asked to enter your business name. As you type, your business name and location may appear as suggestions. At this point, Google may alert you that someone else has already verified the business, so you may need to claim ownership through a different process than the one explained below.
- Choose the appropriate business category and click “Next.”
- You’ll now be asked for customer service hours. You can add them or not, if you don’t have physical service during specific opening hours.
- Now define your business’s service area (in which city or geographic limitation you operate).
- Enter the phone number and corporate website you want to appear on the listing and click “Next.”
Complete the process to choose a verification option , which you can start now or later.
Once verified, the listing will be public and users will be able to begin interacting with it. It’s then time to optimize to improve the listing’s ranking on Google My Business .
How to claim a Google listing
After investigating how to create a Google My Business listing, you may discover that your company already has a listing created by another user. In that case, you must claim it to gain access and manage it properly.
The steps are as follows:
- Search for your business on Google Maps or in Google search results.
- Find the “Report this business” link and click Continue.
- Google will send you a message explaining that someone else has verified the profile and the steps to request ownership from the current profile owner.
- You will be asked to fill out a form and then submit it.
- The listing owner will have three days to resolve the issue. If your request is approved, you will be notified by email. If your request is denied, you can appeal the decision. If you don’t receive a response within three days, look for the “Report” or “Verify” buttons on your Business Profile dashboard and follow the steps provided.
What to do if your company profile doesn’t appear
Your business profile may not appear on Google My Business for a variety of reasons, from not completing all verification steps to not complying with the platform’s policies. Check these factors if you can’t find your listing.
It’s also possible that if you’ve recently made changes to your listing, this has affected your position in search results.
Ultimately, Google has opened a support channel to resolve issues.
Now that you know how to create a Google My Business listing, do you need help doing so or managing it effectively? At Beedigital, we can help. Discover our digital presence and visibility solutions for SMEs and freelancers and take the step toward harnessing the full potential of tools like Google Business Profile.