How to Add Your Business to Google in 2024

If you own a cafe, store, service center or company that provides any services, you have the opportunity to add your organization to Google Maps by creating a profile in Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly Google My Business (GMB). This will give business owners the opportunity to share company information with users, track reviews and make outlets more visible in search results.

Internet Sales Agency will tell you how to create a Google Business account, set it up and use it effectively to promote your company.

What is Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile is a free service that allows you to add your business information to search results and Google Maps. For example, you have your own flower store and you want it to appear on maps when people search for it in your city using the queries “flower store near me” or “flower store in my city”.

If your profile is filled out correctly and your company has been verified, you will be listed in Local Search Organizations. It looks like this:

Also, if you type your company name into Google, the search results will display a nice organization card on the right side of the search results:

Therefore, it is recommended to fill in as much information about your business as possible: specify your opening hours, exact address, phone number where customers can contact you, add a website and social media links, as well as a logo or photo of your store and your products.

Google Business Profile Features

Google Business Profile offers many useful features for business owners. And it is worth noting that the number of options is constantly growing. Google developers are actively developing the service and adding new features that help to interact effectively with customers.

These features include:

1. Company information: you can add your company name, location, website address, phone number and opening hours.
2. Services: it is possible to select the services you provide. This can have a positive impact on finding targeted customers.
3. Photos and videos: you can upload photos and videos of your business to showcase your store, office, products and services.
4. News: announce upcoming events, promotions, new product arrivals or bonus programs to keep your customers loyal.
5. Reviews: customers can leave reviews about your product or service and you can respond to those reviews.
6. Rating: based on the reviews left, a 5-star rating of your company is generated.
7. Booking and appointment: users can book appointments directly through your business profile.
8. Q&A: users can ask you questions through your organization card in search.
9. Analytics: you can explore analytics to learn how users are finding and interacting with your business.

How to Add Business to Google: Step-by-Step Instructions

The process of registering a company with Google itself is not complicated, but from the end of 2023 Google has complicated the requirements for verification of the business profile. Therefore, we have broken down the registration process into several steps.

Step 1: Create a Google Account

Skip this step if you already have a Google account for your company. If you don’t have a Google account, create a new one that will be associated with your company. When you sign up, be sure to select For work or my business.

Step 2: Go to Google Business Profile

Go to https://www.google.com/business/ and click Manage now to begin the process of registering your business with Google.

Step 3. Specify the company name and select the type of business

Enter your company name and select “Create a business with this name” in the drop-down list. Here you should take into account the following: if you get to profile verification (in 99% of cases verification is mandatory), at this stage it is recommended to specify the real name of your company so that you can successfully pass the verification in the future.

Click Continue and then select your business type from the available options:

How to choose the right type of business:

• Online retail – select if you have an online store;
• Local store – a physical point on the map where customers can come. Choose if you have a store, cafe, office or service center;
• Service business – this includes organizations that deliver or provide on-site services.

The next step is to choose your business category:

Step 4: Add the location of your business

If you selected Online retail or Local store as your business type, you will be prompted to add a physical address.

If you selected “Service business,” designate the service area and type of business:

Step 5: Add contact information

Enter your company phone number and your website address. It is important to enter a number that you have access to, because in the next step you may have to confirm your account using your phone number, which is where the confirmation code will be sent.

Then read the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Step 6: Confirm your business

At this stage, you need to validate your business so that your company profile shows up in search and on maps.

Google usually offers several verification options: by phone, postcard, video, and live video call. But lately, only video verification is most often available.

Note: It all depends on the type of business you choose at the time of registration, as well as other factors such as location and scope of business. For example, if you have a marketing agency that only provides services online and does not have a physical address, it may be possible to avoid verification. Although in our case, verification was still required.

To pass video verification you need to prepare thoroughly:

• Make a name sign at the entrance of your store or office
• Prepare a workplace
• Prepare documents to prove that you are located at the location. This could be utility bills for electricity or internet bills.
• You can prepare business cards with your business address and name on them.

When everything is ready, make a short video where you show the sign with the name, your workplace and the documents proving your relation to this location.

Step 7: Fill in the remaining data

After verification or if you skip the verification step you need to add additional information. Specify the hours of operation, tell what types of services your company provides, add a description and photos or videos.

Benefits of using Google Business Profile (GBP)

Registering with GBP gives you a number of benefits. First of all, you increase the visibility of your business for customers. It is especially useful for those niches where customer traffic is important: restaurants, cafes, salons, stores, clinics, dentistry, hotels, etc.

The main pros of Google Business Profile:

• Local promotion – appearing on Google Maps is a huge benefit to your business;
• Beautiful company card – a company card works as an enhanced snippet, attracting more attention from users, which can increase clicks to your site;
• Increased brand awareness – users immediately see the name, logo, website address and it is memorable;
• Increased trust – with positive reviews and rankings, the trust in your organization will be higher with customers.

It is also worth noting an important plus of this tool – it is free company placement.

Despite the difficulties that may arise when registering an organization in GBP, it is safe to say that it is worth it. If you fill in all the necessary information about your business to the maximum and correctly, you get a powerful tool for attracting new customers and increasing loyalty.