How to Get My Business on Google: Maps, Search and Your Website | How-to Guide

How to get your business on Google: create and verify a Business Profile, get your website indexed with Search Console, and check it worked. Includes a filled worked example and a blank worksheet.

Getting your business on Google means two separate things. Google Business Profile puts you on Google Maps and in the local panel when people search your name or "near me". Google Search Console gets your website pages into ordinary search results. Both are free from Google. Do the Business Profile first if you serve a local area; do both if you have a website.

The short answer

  1. Go to google.com/business, sign in with a Google account you control, and add your business name, category, location or service area, phone and website.
  2. Verify the business. Google chooses the method it offers you (for example a video recording, phone or text, email, or a postcard), and it can take several days.
  3. Add your website to Google Search Console, verify you own it, submit your sitemap, and request indexing of your homepage.
  4. Check a week or two later: search your business name, and use Search Console's page indexing report.

Google changes its verification options and review times; its Business Profile Help pages are the current source.

Decisions to make first

DecisionOptionsTrade-off
Storefront or service area?Show an address, or hide it and list areas you serveHome-based businesses usually hide the address. Google's guidelines do not allow a P.O. box or a virtual office as your location.
Primary categoryThe single closest categoryPick what you are, not what you wish to rank for. You can add secondary categories.
Business nameYour real-world nameAdding keywords or cities to the name breaks Google's guidelines and can get the profile suspended.
Which account owns itYour own Google accountIf an agency sets it up, have them add you as owner, not just manager.
Website addressYour own domain, or a builder addressBoth work; a custom domain is easier to remember and keep if you ever move platforms.

Worked example (a labelled demonstration)

This walkthrough uses a fictional business, "Harbour Line Plumbing", to show a completed worksheet. It is not a real company and no results are claimed.

Business name (as on signage/invoices): Harbour Line Plumbing
Primary category: Plumber
Secondary categories: Water heater installation service
Storefront or service area: Service area (owner works from home)
Areas served: North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby
Phone: main business mobile (same as on the website)
Website: harbourline-example.we.inc (later: custom domain)
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:00-18:00, emergency line listed separately
Owner Google account: owner's own account (not the web designer's)
Verification method offered: video recording
Search Console property: Domain property, verified via DNS record
Sitemap submitted: /sitemap.xml
Homepage indexing requested: yes, date noted
Check again on: 14 days after submission
The SEO panel in the We.Inc builder, where page titles and descriptions are set
Setting page titles and descriptions in the We.Inc builder before submitting the site to Google.

Blank worksheet to copy

Business name (real-world, no keywords):
Primary category:
Secondary categories:
Storefront or service area:
Address (if shown) / areas served:
Phone (same everywhere):
Website:
Hours + special hours:
Owner Google account:
Verification method offered + date done:
Search Console property type + verified: yes/no
Sitemap URL submitted:
Homepage indexing requested (date):
Check again on:

Make the profile and website agree

  • Use exactly the same business name, phone and address (or areas) on the profile and the website.
  • Put your town or areas in the website's page title and on the contact page (see website title examples).
  • Ask real customers for reviews with a direct link; the Google review link generator makes one. Never buy or incentivise reviews.
  • Run the website grader to catch missing titles, headings and descriptions.

Known limitations

  • Being listed is not the same as ranking. Where you appear depends on relevance, distance and prominence, and nobody can guarantee a position.
  • Verification can be delayed or repeated, especially for home-based businesses. Follow the steps Google offers you.
  • New websites can take days to weeks to appear in search results after indexing is requested.

Next step: a website worth linking to

Your profile works better with a clear website behind it. Build one with the We.Inc website builder from a business template. The Free plan gives you up to 3 template sites on a we.inc address, with no AI credits and no custom domain. Starter at $20/month adds AI building and custom domains (pricing). Budgeting? Try the website cost calculator.

Start building your business website

Frequently asked questions

Is it free to put my business on Google?

Yes. Google Business Profile and Google Search Console are both free. You only pay for a website or domain if you choose to.

Can I get on Google Maps without a physical address?

Yes, as a service-area business. You hide your address and list the areas you serve. Google's guidelines do not allow P.O. boxes or virtual offices.

How long does it take to show up on Google?

Business Profile verification can take several days. Website pages can take days to weeks to appear after you request indexing. Neither guarantees a ranking position.

Do I need a website to be on Google?

Not for a Business Profile, but a website gives Google and customers more to go on and appears in ordinary search results too.

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