Create and Verify a Google Business Profile: A 10-Step Guide
You create a Google Business Profile for free at business.google.com/add: enter your business details, choose a verification method, then fill in the profile. Before that, check whether an entry already exists for your business. This guide takes you through setup, verification, categories, service area, photos and the upkeep afterward and shows the mistakes that lead to suspensions.
By Anne Zeller, owner of AZ Onlinemarketing · Last updated: November 2026
13 min read
At a glance
- Cost
- According to Google, creating a profile and owning it are free.
- Start
- business.google.com/add, signed in with a Google account that manages your business long term.
- Verification
- Google decides which methods are available, for example phone, text message, email, video, live video call or postcard. The review takes up to five business days.
- Categories
- One primary category plus up to nine more.
- Service area
- Up to 20 areas, in total no farther than about two hours' drive from the location.
- Description
- At most 750 characters, without links and without promotions.
- Most important rule
- One profile per business, with the name that is also on your sign and letterhead.
Before You Create Your Google Business Profile: Three Checks
Many problems arise before the first click. With these three checks, you avoid duplicate listings and profiles that nobody can access later.
Is There Already a Profile?
Search Google Maps for your business name and place. Google distinguishes three cases:
| What you find | What you do |
|---|---|
| No listing | Create a new profile at business.google.com/add |
| Listing without verification | Claim it via "Claim this business" |
| Verified listing managed by someone else | Request ownership, do not create a second profile |
Which Google Account Manages the Profile?
Use an account that belongs to the business and is not tied to a single person who can leave the company. Later, add a second person as an owner (step 10). That way access stays in place even if someone drops out.
Do You Receive Customers on Site?
This question decides whether you enter an address, a service area or both. You need the answer in step 4.
Service Area or Location: Which Entry Fits Your Business
Google distinguishes businesses with a fixed location, businesses without a fixed location and hybrid businesses. The wrong choice is among the most common reasons for problems with verification.
| Your situation | Entry in the profile | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Customers come to you, location has a sign | Address | Practice, shop, law firm with reception |
| You travel to customers, nobody comes to you | Service area, hide the address | Trade without a showroom, mobile care |
| Both, with clearly visible signage | Address, opening hours and service area | Workshop with reception and on-site jobs |
| Only a P.O. box, virtual office, mailbox at a foreign location | Not permitted | – |
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According to Google, a coworking office is only permitted if it is clearly signposted, your own staff work there and customers are received. If you work from home and receive nobody, you hide the private address.
Create a Google Business Profile in 10 Steps
Steps 1 to 6 lead you to a verified profile. Steps 7 to 10 turn it into a listing that answers questions before anyone calls. Google's on-screen flow changes occasionally, so the order of the entries can differ.
1. Create the Profile
Go to business.google.com/add, click "Add your business to Google" and follow the on-screen instructions. Creating a profile and owning it cost nothing.
2. Enter the Business Name
Write the name as it appears on your sign, letterhead and invoices. Google prohibits additions such as slogans, place names, service terms, phone numbers or opening hours in the name. So "Muster GmbH" does not become "Muster GmbH Heating Saarbrücken". You may name the legal form if you also use it offline.
3. Choose the Primary Category and Further Categories
According to Google, categories affect the ranking in local results. As the primary category, choose the most specific one that describes what your business is, for example "Nail salon" instead of "Salon". Use further categories (up to nine) for real departments or service areas, not for every single product.
You cannot create your own categories. If the right one is missing, take the next more general one. If an area has its own customer traffic, such as a cafe inside a gym, it gets its own profile instead of an extra category. Note: If you change categories later, Google may require verification again.
4. Enter the Address or Service Area
Enter the address exactly as in your legal notice. Office or floor details go in the second address line. If you work without customer traffic at the location, remove the address from the profile and enter only the service area: cities, postal codes or regions, 20 at most. You cannot enter a radius.
5. Add Phone Number and Website
Your business manages the number itself. Google does not allow forwarding and special-rate numbers. A local number is preferable to a call center number. Besides the main number, two more numbers are possible. The website address leads straight to your site, not via a redirect to a social media profile.
6. Verify the Business
Choose one of the methods offered and follow the instructions. Google decides which methods appear. Details, duration and typical traps are in the next section.
7. Enter Opening Hours and Special Hours
Enter your regular hours and set up public holidays, company vacations and bridge days as special hours. For individual services, such as office hours or a pickup time, there are additional opening hours. If you work by appointment only, you do not enter opening hours, according to Google.
8. Fill In Services and Description
Google suggests services that match your category. If one is missing, add it as a custom service, without prices and phone numbers in the name. The description has at most 750 characters, no links and no HTML code. It states what you offer, what sets you apart and since when you have existed. Prices, discounts and promotions do not belong in it.
9. Upload Logo, Cover Photo and Photos
Upload your logo, a cover photo and real photos of the entrance, rooms, team and work. Avoid heavy filters. Google values a realistic presentation. Google does not guarantee that the cover photo appears as the first image. New media are visible after 24 to 48 hours.
| Medium | Format | Size | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo | JPG or PNG | 10 KB to 5 MB | recommended 720 × 720 pixels, at least 250 × 250 pixels |
| Video | – | up to 75 MB, at most 30 seconds | 720p or higher |
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10. Add a Second Person With Access
Under "Business Profile settings" → "People and access", you invite more people. Owners have full control, may add people and delete the profile. Managers maintain content but do not manage people. A profile can have several owners but only one primary owner. New owners or managers must wait seven days before primary ownership can be transferred to them.
If you work with an agency, invite it as a manager. Ownership stays with you.
Verify a Google Business Profile: Methods, Duration and Traps
With verification, you show Google that you may represent the business. According to Google, this raises the likelihood of appearing in search results. Without verification, you cannot reply to reviews, and the performance statistics stay empty.
| Method | How it works | What you watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or text message | Code to the business number | Voice menu systems do not receive a code; someone answers in person |
| Code to the address shown | You need access to exactly this address | |
| Video | Recording of location and proof | Recommended by Google when offered |
| Live video call | Conversation with Google, camera shows location and proof | Only during your opening hours at the location |
| Postcard | Five-digit code by mail | Usually arrives within 14 days, code expires after 30 days |
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Google determines the methods you see automatically from business type, public information, region and opening hours. You cannot choose them yourself, and sometimes several steps are needed. After you submit, the review takes up to five business days, rarely longer. If your website is verified in Google Search Console, instant verification is possible in some cases, according to Google.
What You Don't Do During Verification
- Change the name, address or category while you wait for the postcard. Otherwise the code does not work.
- Request a new code because the postcard has not arrived yet. That can extend the process.
- Create a second profile because the first verification stalls.
If the verification button appears again, the process was not complete. Try again or choose another method offered. For the video, have proof ready that shows location and ownership, for example a street sign, company sign and keys.
Build Out the Profile: Posts, Products and Further Details
After verification, more areas open up. Not every one is available for every industry and country.
- Posts: There are updates, offers and events. Offers and events need a title, start and end. Posts are archived after six months if you set no period. A phone number in the post text can lead to rejection if Google does not match it to your business.
- Products: According to the Google help, only available to a limited extent, with checkout integration currently only in the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Check in your profile whether the area is offered.
- Attributes: Features such as Wi-Fi or outdoor seating, depending on the category.
- Social media links: One link per platform, for example Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube.
- Link to Google Ads: A linked profile supplies the location details for your ads. For vehicle ads, the profile must be approved before it is linked to Google Ads. More on this at profile for car dealerships.
Common Setup Mistakes and Why Profiles Get Suspended
Google can suspend profiles that violate the policies. A suspended profile is not publicly visible, and you can no longer edit anything in it. For violations, Google can also restrict the whole account.
| Mistake | Why it is a problem | How to do it right |
|---|---|---|
| Place or service in the name | Violation of the naming rules | Name as on the company sign |
| Virtual office or P.O. box as address | Not a permitted location | Real address or service area |
| Private address visible without customer traffic | Address not intended | Hide the address, enter a service area |
| Second profile for the same business | One profile per business | Claim the existing profile |
| Separate profiles for employees | Employees may not create their own profiles | One profile for the business |
| Forwarding or special-rate number | Not permitted | Your own landline or mobile number |
| Many categories "to be safe" | Google requires as few as possible | One specific primary category, few more |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
If Your Profile Is Suspended
Do not create a new profile. File an appeal through the appeal tool for business profiles and upload proof whose name and address match the profile, for example a business registration or an electricity, phone or internet bill. An appeal is only possible once, so prepare it carefully. You receive the decision by email.
Upkeep Routine: How Your Google Business Profile Stays Current
A profile is not finished after setup. This routine is our recommendation. It takes little time per month and prevents most mistakes.
| Rhythm | Task |
|---|---|
| Weekly | Read and reply to new reviews, check messages |
| Monthly | Look at the performance statistics (views, search queries, calls, directions, website clicks), publish a post, upload new photos |
| Before holidays and vacations | Enter special hours |
| Quarterly | Check categories, services, description and access |
| With every change | Change address, phone or website on the website first, then in the profile, so both read the same |
The performance statistics exist only for verified profiles. The value for search queries is updated at the start of the month, with a delay of up to five days.
How to build reviews with a QR code and link into your daily routine is shown in our guide to collecting Google reviews. The role the profile plays in overall local visibility is covered in the local SEO checklist.
Checklist: Your Profile Is Done When
0 of 10 done
Check first, then create
Many businesses already have a listing, often created by former employees or automatically. Claiming it instead of creating a second profile saves you trouble with duplicate listings.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a Google Business Profile cost?
Nothing. According to Google, adding a business and owning it are free. Costs only arise if you also run ads or hand setup and upkeep to an agency. For the profile itself, you only need a Google account and the authority to represent the business.
How long does verification of a Google Business Profile take?
After you submit, Google reviews for up to five business days according to its help, in rare cases longer. With the postcard, the wait for shipping comes on top: Most codes arrive within 14 days and expire after 30 days. In some cases instant verification is possible, for example if your website is verified in Search Console.
Can I choose the verification method myself?
No. Google determines the available methods automatically, depending on business type, public information, region and opening hours. If several are offered, you pick one. Google recommends video when it is offered. Sometimes Google requires several steps in a row.
Can I create a Google Business Profile without an address?
Yes, if you do not receive customers at your location. Then you hide the address and enter a service area with up to 20 cities, postal codes or regions. According to Google, the whole area lies no farther than about two hours' drive from the location.
How many categories may I choose?
One primary category and up to nine more. Google recommends choosing as few as possible, namely those that describe what your business is. The primary category is the most important choice, because categories influence the ranking in local results, according to Google. You cannot create new categories yourself.
Do I need a website for the business profile?
No, the profile also works without a website. But a website helps people and Google place your details and supplies the content that has no room in the profile. What matters is that name, address and phone are identical on website and profile. If your website is verified in Search Console, that can speed up verification.
What happens if someone else already manages my profile?
Then you request ownership through Google instead of creating a second profile. If the listing is not verified yet, you claim it in Google Maps via "Claim this business". A second profile for the same business violates the policies and disturbs the display in Maps and Search.
Why was my Google Business Profile suspended?
Google suspends profiles that violate the policies, for example through additions in the name, an impermissible address or duplicate listings. Do not create a new profile. Instead, file an appeal with proof whose name and address match the profile. An appeal is only possible once, so prepare it thoroughly.
Can I maintain the profile myself?
Yes. With the routine above, you need little time per month. If you want to hand off the upkeep, you invite an agency as a manager and keep ownership yourself. That keeps the profile in your hands even if the collaboration changes.
Sources (retrieved on 5 November 2026): Google Business Profile Help: Add or claim your Business Profile · Google Business Profile Help: Verify your business on Google · Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google · Google Business Profile Help: Manage your business category · Google Business Profile Help: Edit your Business Profile · Google Business Profile Help: Manage service areas · Google Business Profile Help: Manage services · Google Business Profile Help: Manage photos and videos · Google Business Profile Help: Create and manage posts · Google Business Profile Help: Manage owners and managers · Google Business Profile Help: Suspended or disabled profiles · Google Business Profile Help: Performance and insights · Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking
