Creating and Verifying a Google Business Profile
We explain how to add your business to Google Maps and create a profile, the verification methods, the settings to make on day one and the mistakes that lead to suspension.
Aurora YazılımEditorial team
6 min read
To create a Google Business Profile, go to google.com/business and enter your business name, category, address or service area, and contact details. Then you prove the business is yours with the verification method Google offers (usually a video recording, phone or email). Once verification is approved, the profile appears on Maps and in search.
What Is a Google Business Profile?
A Google Business Profile is the free business card of your company that appears in Google Search and Google Maps. The address, phone, opening hours, photos, reviews and the directions button all come from this profile.
The businesses that show up on the map in searches like “cafe near me”, “nearest vet” or a service plus a city name are chosen from these profiles. It is the foundation of local visibility for any business with a physical store or one that serves a specific area. You can find the strategic side of the topic in the posts under the local SEO tag.
Creating a profile is free and needs no technical knowledge. However, profiles opened with wrong information, with keywords added to the business name, or that break the verification rules can be suspended. That is why it matters to take the steps correctly from the start.
Prepare Before You Start
During verification, Google looks for consistency. The name on your sign, the name on your website and the name on your official documents must match. Having the information below ready speeds up setup.
- A business-owned Google account with two-step verification turned on
- The business name you use in the real world; the same as on your sign, invoices and website
- A full address, or a list of the areas you serve
- The business phone number and, if you have one, the website address
- Photos of the sign, interior, products and team
- A tax certificate, an invoice or another document issued in the business's name (may be needed for verification)
Steps to Create the Profile
Go to the Google Business Profile page and press the manage your business button. You can also start the same process in Google Maps from the add your business option in the left menu.
- Enter the business name. If a profile with the same name appears in the list, select it and request ownership instead of creating a new one.
- Choose the primary category. The category is the field that most affects which searches you appear in; find the option that describes your business most narrowly and accurately.
- If you have an address customers can visit, enter it and move the pin on the map exactly onto your door.
- If you travel to customers (plumbing, cleaning, moving and similar), add a service area and hide your address.
- Add your phone number and website. If you have no website, you can leave this field empty.
- Move on to the verification step.
Verification Methods
Google decides which verification methods to offer based on the type, category and region of the business. You use one of the options shown to you; the choice of method is often not yours.
After verification is completed, the profile may take a few days to be reviewed. During this time, do not change core details such as the business name, address or category; a change can restart the review.
| Method | How does it work? |
|---|---|
| Video recording | In a single shot with a phone, you record the sign, the location, the inside of the business and proof that you are the manager. |
| Phone or SMS | A code arrives at the number on the profile; you enter the code in the panel. |
| A code is sent to an address on the business's domain. | |
| Live video call | The business is shown in a video call with the Google support team. |
| Postcard | A card with a code is mailed to the address; offered in some regions and business types. |
Tips for video verification
- Record in one continuous shot without cuts; edited videos can be rejected.
- Start from outside: show the street sign, the building and a familiar landmark nearby.
- Show your permanent sign, a surface where the business name is written.
- Inside, show the products, equipment or workspace.
- Prove you are the manager with a cash register, keys or a document issued in the business's name.
Settings to Configure on Day One
A verified but empty profile falls behind its fully filled-in competitors. Filling in the fields below on day one both builds trust with visitors and helps Google match your business to the right searches.
- Opening hours, plus separate hours for special days such as public holidays and New Year
- Additional categories: other services you offer besides the primary category
- Business description: up to 750 characters, explaining in natural language what you do and who you serve
- A list of products and services, with price ranges or short descriptions if possible
- Attributes: options such as wheelchair access, parking and card payment
- Booking, menu or ordering links
- Logo, cover photo and current interior and exterior photos
Photos, Reviews and Posts
Photos and reviews are the areas that get the most engagement on a profile. Real, well-lit, current photos build far more trust than stock images. If you want your product and venue photos shot professionally, take a look at our product photography service.
Reply to reviews, positive or negative, quickly and politely. A calm, solution-oriented reply to a negative review matters at least as much as the review itself to the potential customers who read it later. We explain how to collect reviews in our post on how to get Google reviews.
In the Posts section you can share campaigns, events and news. Regular posting shows the profile is active and gives the visitor extra information in the search result.
Why Do Profiles Get Suspended?
Suspensions mostly come from unintentional mistakes. Avoiding the situations below is the easiest way to keep your profile safe.
| Mistake | What should you do? |
|---|---|
| Adding keywords to the business name | Use only the real name on your sign. |
| A virtual office or mailbox address | Use a real working address or choose a service area. |
| Multiple profiles for the same business | Remove the duplicates and merge them into one profile. |
| Changing the name and address often | Update core information only when it really changes. |
| Information that does not match the sign and documents | Write the name, address and phone identically on all channels. |
If someone else has claimed your profile
A former employee or agency may have created the profile with their own account. You can send a request to the current owner with the request ownership option that appears when you search for the profile; if no reply comes within a certain time, Google may offer you access through verification.
Connecting to Your Website and Search Console
A profile is strong on its own but brings in much more business when supported by a website. The website link on the profile should lead to the place where the visitor studies your services in detail and gets in touch. Having the business name, address and phone on the site exactly the same as on the profile makes it easier for Google to match the two sources.
To measure traffic from the profile, you can add a UTM parameter to your link, and to monitor the site's search performance you can complete the Search Console setup steps. Restaurants and cafes can use a QR code menu address as the menu link on the profile, and hotels can use their booking page.
Frequently Asked Questions
01Is a Google Business Profile paid?
No, creating, verifying and managing a profile is free. Google's advertising products are charged separately, but you do not have to advertise to appear organically on the map.
02Can a home-based business create a profile?
Yes. If you do not receive customers at home, create a service-area profile and hide your home address. During verification, keep equipment and documents ready that show the business is real.
03What should I do if verification is rejected?
Read the reason for rejection, supply the evidence that was considered missing (sign, document, location) and try again. If the problem continues, you can appeal through the support form in the Google Business Profile help center.
04How long does it take to reach the top of the map?
There is no fixed time. Proximity, the accuracy and completeness of the profile, reviews and the business's overall prominence all play a part; regular, consistent work pays off over time.
A verified, fully completed Google Business Profile is the shortest way for customers to find you in local searches. For profile management, local SEO and a review strategy, explore our SEO and analytics service, and for supporting the profile with ads our digital marketing solutions. For a corporate website to complete the profile, you can get in touch with our team in Edremit, Türkiye.
