How Do I Create A Google My Business Listing?

Local business owners often turn to me with a recurring set of queries: How can I create a listing on Google Business Profile? How can I make my website visible on Google Maps? The recent rebranding of Google My Business to Google Business Profile may have left some confused, so in this blog, I aim to clear up any misconceptions and walk you through how to leverage this key tool for local visibility. Let’s jump in!

The Evolution of Google’s Local Business Tool

Google’s business listing service has undergone several changes over the years, evolving in both name and functionality. Here’s a brief history:

1. Google Maps: It started as a service within Google Maps, helping users locate businesses in their vicinity.
2. Google My Business (GMB): The service then transformed into Google My Business, becoming a one-stop shop for managing business presence across multiple Google services.
3. Google Business Profile (GBP): The latest rebranding has seen it become Google Business Profile, emphasising the business’s identity and its portrayal to customers.

This evolution reflects Google’s commitment to providing comprehensive and intuitive tools for businesses to enhance their online visibility.

What is Google Business Profile and Why Does It Matter?

Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) integrates with Google Maps to offer an enhanced customer experience. When a user searches for a local service (e.g., “plumbers near me”), Google presents three types of results:

1. Local service ads: Paid advertisements appearing at the top of search results.
2. Google Business Profile section: This section, seamlessly integrated with Google Maps, displays local businesses along with their ratings and locations. 📍🔍
3. Organic results: These are non-paid results ranked according to Google’s algorithms.

A presence on Google Business Profile can significantly enhance your business’s visibility. Moreover, no matter how many times users click your profile, it’s absolutely free! Additionally, the visual appeal of this section, with its map and ratings, makes it more engaging to users compared to the text-heavy organic results.

Creating a Google Business Profile Listing

Firstly, create a Google account with a Google email address. This provides seamless coordination between various Google services such as Google Ads, Google Merchant Centre, Google Analytics, and Google Business Profile.

With your Google account ready, here are the steps to create your business profile:

1. Visit business.google.com and sign in using your Google account.
2. Click on “Add your business to Google” and key in your business name.
3. Choose your business category—ensure it accurately reflects your service.
4. Answer the subsequent questions about your location, the areas you serve, your contact details, and your website.
5. Provide your postal address for verification.

Google will then verify your business to ensure its authenticity. Depending on the provided information, Google may send a verification code via text message or mail. Enter this code in your Google account to verify your business.

Voilà! You’ve successfully listed your business on Google Business Profile.

For a more detailed guide on boosting visits and raising your profile within Google Business Profile, check out my [in-depth video tutorial](Link Here). 🎬

Ready to Leverage Google Business Profile?

Understanding how to use Google Business Profile can be instrumental in raising the visibility of your local business. I’d love to hear about your journey—share your experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the comments below!

Are you in need of further assistance with your Google Ads, or are you interested in a free Google Ads Audit? Feel free to get in touch. Or call 07866 555 555