How Do I Get My Business on Google?

Short answer

Create a free Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). It's what gets your business to show up in Google Maps and the local search results. Takes 15–30 minutes and costs nothing.

Step-by-step: setting up your Google Business Profile

Step 1 — Go to Google Business Profile

Visit business.google.com and sign in with your Google account.

Step 2 — Add your business

Click "Add your business" and enter your business name. If it already appears in suggestions, claim it — don't create a duplicate.

Step 3 — Choose your business category

Pick the most accurate category (e.g., "Plumber", "Hair Salon", "Accountant"). This is one of the biggest factors in whether you show up for local searches.

Step 4 — Add your location or service area

If customers come to you (a shop, office, or restaurant): add your address
If you go to customers (a plumber, cleaner, or delivery service): set a service area instead

Step 5 — Add your phone number and website

Step 6 — Verify your business

Google will verify you're a real business. Common methods:

Postcard by mail — Google sends a card with a code (5–14 days)
Phone or email — available for some businesses
Video call — for newer businesses

Step 7 — Complete your profile

Once verified, fill in:

Business hours
Photos (exterior, interior, products, team)
Description of what you do
Services or menu items

Why this matters

When someone searches "plumber near me" or "best Italian restaurant in [city]", Google shows a map with 3 local businesses — called the Local Pack. A complete, well-reviewed Google Business Profile is how you get into that section. It's often more valuable than ranking in regular search results.

How to rank higher in local search after setup

Get reviews — ask every happy customer to leave a Google review. Reviews are the #1 ranking factor for local search.
Respond to reviews — Google rewards businesses that engage
Post updates — use Google Posts to share offers or news (like a social post, but on Google)
Keep info accurate — outdated hours or a wrong phone number hurts rankings

Common mistakes to avoid

Creating duplicate listings (causes confusion and hurts rankings)
Leaving the profile incomplete
Using a keyword-stuffed business name ("Joe's Plumbing Best Plumber NYC") — Google can suspend these
Not adding photos — listings with photos get significantly more clicks