Check whether your store has a profile in Google Search or Maps. Create one if it doesn’t. For an existing profile, claim it or request access from the current owner, depending on its verification status.
Keep your address, opening hours and contact information accurate: these details help customers find your store and learn more about it. Local search ranking depends mainly on the relevance of the information, the prominence of the business and its distance from the searcher.
Check whether your business is eligible for a profile
To create a profile, a business must have in-person contact with customers during its stated opening hours. Check that your store’s hours match the times when you serve customers. This requirement is set out in Google’s Business Profile eligibility guidelines.
Create a profile or claim an existing one
Find your store in Google Search or Maps. What to do next depends on the profile’s status:
- There is no profile. You can create one.
- A profile exists, but it is unverified. You can claim it.
- The profile is already verified. If you have grounds to manage it, send the current profile owner a request for ownership.
Follow the steps for your situation in Google’s instructions for creating or claiming a profile.
Complete the available verification process
Google automatically determines the verification methods available to you. You can’t change them. Follow the instructions for the method available for your profile. The steps are outlined in the Business information verification help.
Update your address, hours and contact details
You can change your address, opening hours, contact information and photos in your profile. Check that the details reflect your store’s actual operations:
- is the address correct;
- do the opening hours match when you serve customers;
- is the contact information up to date?
When details change, update them by following the instructions for editing a Business Profile.
Add photos and learn about the requirement for replying to reviews
To add photos, open the “Photos” section. Then follow the instructions for managing profile photos.
You must verify your business information before you can reply to reviews. This requirement is described in the help for managing customer reviews.
Organize access without sharing a password
If several people manage the profile, each needs their own Google Account. This lets them work with the profile without you sharing your password with other users. Follow the instructions for managing profile owners and managers.
Keep local search factors in mind
When managing your profile, consider the main ranking factors: the relevance of the business information, its prominence and its distance from the searcher. These are described in Google’s help on local search ranking.
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