How to get your business on Google

When someone nearby searches for what you do - "plumber near me," "dentist in [your town]," "auto repair open now" - Google decides who to show. The single thing that puts you in that running is a Google Business Profile (you may still know it as Google My Business). It is free, it takes about 15 minutes to set up, and it is the foundation everything else in local SEO sits on top of.

Here is the whole process, start to finish.

Step 1: Create your Google Business Profile

Go to google.com/business and sign in with the Google account you want tied to your business (use a company account, not a personal one). Enter your business name and pick the category that best describes what you do - this is one of your most important choices, so see how to pick the right category. Then add your address (or service area, if you go to customers), phone number, and website. Our step-by-step setup guide walks through each screen.

Step 2: Verify that you own the business

Google will not show your profile publicly until you prove the business is yours. Depending on the business, you will verify by postcard, phone, email, or video. This is the step that trips people up most, so if it stalls, read how verification works and what to do if it gets stuck.

Step 3: Fill out every field

A bare profile will technically appear, but a complete one is what ranks and earns clicks. Add your hours, a real description, the services you offer, and plenty of photos. Each field you complete is a signal to Google that you are a legitimate, active business. Work through the optimization checklist to cover the fields that actually move rankings - it feeds directly into your Profile Score.

Step 4: Start earning reviews

Reviews are the next biggest factor after your profile itself, both for ranking in the map pack and for convincing a customer to call you instead of the business next to you. Ask every happy customer, and make it effortless with a one-tap review link or QR code. See how to get more Google reviews the right way - and steer clear of the shortcuts in can you buy Google reviews?

What if your business is already on Google?

Search your business name on Google Maps. If a listing already exists (Google often creates one from public data), look for "Own this business?" or "Claim this business" and go through verification to take control of it. Claiming an existing listing is better than creating a duplicate - duplicates split your reviews and confuse Google.

How long until you show up?

Once verified, your profile can appear on Search and Maps within a few days. Ranking in the top of the map pack is a longer game that depends on how complete your profile is, your reviews, and how close the customer is to you. That is the work covered in how to rank higher on Google Maps and your Local Map Score.

Getting on Google is the first step every local business should take - whether you run a plumbing company, an HVAC business, or any other local service. Set the profile up well now, and everything else in local SEO has something solid to build on.