Claiming and verifying your Google Business Profile (GBP) lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps. Follow the steps below to take control of your listing, choose the right verification method, and avoid common pitfalls.
Before you start
- Sign in with a work Google account you plan to keep long term.
- Have your business name, address, phone number, website, and primary category ready.
- If you visit customers at their location, prepare a service area instead of a public street address.
Step 1: Check if a listing already exists
- Search on Google for your business name and town.
- If you see a profile, click Own this business? or Claim this business.
- If you do not see a profile, go to Google Maps, click Add your business, and start a new profile.
Step 2: Add or confirm your business details
- Business name: your real trading name, no keywords.
- Category: choose the most accurate primary category. You can add more later.
- Location: shopfront address or tick “I deliver goods and services to my customers” for a service area business.
- Contact: local phone number and website URL.
- Hours: add regular and holiday hours.
Step 3: Choose a verification method
Google offers one or more methods based on your business type and risk checks:
- Postcard by mail: Google posts a code to your business address. It arrives in a few days. Enter the code in your GBP dashboard.
- Phone or SMS: receive a code on your listed number and enter it straight away.
- Email: Google sends a code to an address it trusts for your business.
- Video verification: record or live stream a short video showing your premises, signage, tools, and access. Follow the on-screen prompts.
- Instant verification: sometimes available if you have verified the same business in Search Console.
Step 4: Complete verification
- Enter the code or submit your video as instructed.
- Wait for Google to process. You will see a status message in the dashboard.
- Once verified, your edits can go live on Search and Maps.
After verification: optimise your profile
- Add high quality photos of exterior, interior, team, and work.
- Write a short, clear business description.
- List services or products with simple descriptions and prices if suitable.
- Turn on messaging if you can reply within business hours.
- Post weekly updates or offers. Keep hours and holidays current.
If someone else manages your profile
- Open the profile and click Request access.
- Choose your access level, submit, and wait for the owner to approve.
- If there is no response after 3–7 days, follow the on-screen route to claim the profile.
Duplicates, moves, and rebrands
- Duplicates: keep the best profile and request removal or merge of the others.
- Moved address: update the existing profile rather than creating a new one.
- Rebrand: change the name only if the legal trading name has changed. Keep categories consistent.
Service area businesses (no shopfront)
- Hide your street address. Set towns or postcodes as your service area.
- Use a number you answer during listed hours. Keep response times tight if messaging is on.
Troubleshooting
- No verification options: complete your profile, add clear photos, and try again later. You may be asked for video verification.
- Postcard never arrived: confirm the address format, request a new card, or try a different method if offered.
- Phone or email code fails: check caller ID or spam folders, then retry. Ensure the number and email match your profile.
- Suspended profile: review Google’s guidelines, fix issues such as virtual offices or keyword stuffing, then submit for reinstatement with evidence.
Good practice
- Use a single owner email and add at least one manager for backup.
- Keep name, address, and phone consistent with your website and key directories.
- Track clicks with UTM tags on your website link, for example
?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp.
Quick checklist
- Searched for an existing profile and claimed it, or created a new one.
- Entered accurate NAP details and chosen the right category.
- Completed verification by postcard, phone, email, video, or instant.
- Added photos, description, services, hours, and posts.
- Set a reminder to review details each quarter.
