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How to Claim Your Listing on Google

 

Claiming your listing on Google is one of the first steps to take when building a local marketing strategy. Using the free Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) tool, business owners can claim their listings and manage how their information appears on Maps, Search, and other Google properties.

 

For single-location businesses and small chains, the process of claiming a listing on Google is fairly simple. Follow these steps:

 

Step 1: Create a Google Business Profile

 

Head to Google Business and locate the “Sign In” button in the top-right corner. If you don’t already have a Google account with your business email domain, then now is the time to create one.

 

Step 2: Enter Your Business Address

 

Type in the address of your business and, if prompted, position a marker on the location of your business on a map. You’ll be asked to choose whether you want your business location to appear on Google Maps. If the answer is yes, then enter your business address again, making sure to include the suite number, floor, or building number, if applicable. Read our article on how to update your address on Google Maps.

 

If you run a business that doesn’t have a physical location, but does serve customers within a specific area, you can list the service area instead.

 

Step 3: Choose a Business Category

 

Scroll through Google’s extensive list of business categories until you find the category that fits your business, and then select that category.

 

Step 4: Enter Contact Information

 

Enter a phone number or website address for your business, and then click “Finish.”

(If your business has multiple locations, then make sure to enter the individual phone number and store webpage for each location.)

 

Step 5: Verify Your Business

 

Google requires that businesses verify their listings before they appear in Search or Maps. This process is necessary to ensure that the information is accurate and that only the business owner or manager has access to it.

 

Many business owners choose to complete the verification process by mail. Google will send a postcard with a verification code to the business address, usually within 14 days of the business owner requesting verification. Certain types of businesses, such as service area businesses, may be verified by telephone or email. 

 

For businesses with hundreds or thousands of locations, Google has created a slightly different process to claim listings. Multi-location businesses with 10 or more locations can use Google’s bulk uploading and verification tools. Google also permits companies like SOCi to create and manage listings on behalf of their multi-location clients using the Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) API. 

 

To get started claiming and verifying your Google listing, visit Google Business Profile or if you need help managing multiple locations, SOCi can help!

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