On this page · 10 sections
- Check eligibility before you start
- Step 1: Create or claim your Business Profile
- Step 2: Enter your name, category and location correctly
- Step 3: Verify your business on Google
- Step 4: Complete the profile and improve local ranking
- India specifics
- Suspension risks and how to appeal
- For agencies, IT teams and multi-location businesses
- How eCorpIT can help
- References
Summary. To add your business on Google, sign in with a Google Account, go to business.google.com/add, select Add your business to Google, enter your name, category and address or service area, then complete the verification method Google offers you. Adding or claiming a profile costs nothing, and the same Google Business Profile shows on Google Search and Google Maps. Google chooses your verification options and you cannot change them. On 11 November 2026 its help centre lists phone or SMS, email, a live video call and a postcard, plus a recorded business video, which Google recommends where it is offered. A verification video must be recorded live in the profile on a mobile device, unedited and at least 30 seconds long. Postcard codes are 5 digits, most arrive within 14 days and they expire after 30 days. Google then reviews your submission for up to 5 business days, though a website verified in Search Console or bulk verification can make it instant. Service-area businesses can list up to 20 areas within about 2 hours' drive. Google's own pages warn against keywords in the business name, a P.O. box or virtual office address, duplicate profiles and incentivised reviews. If a profile is suspended, Google's appeal can be submitted only once, so attach your evidence the first time.
About this article. For owners, marketers and agencies setting up or fixing a Google Business Profile, with notes for Indian businesses. We checked every step, limit and button name against Google Business Profile Help, Google Ads Help and the Bing blog on 11 November 2026, covering the Business Profile web interface on a computer and the Google Maps app for Android and iPhone as Google's help pages describe them; we did not test a live account. Google changes these screens often, and labels can differ by country, device and app version. This is general information, not legal advice, and no vendor paid for inclusion. Researched with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team.
Check eligibility before you start
Google's eligibility rule is simple: the business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours. That covers shops, restaurants, clinics, offices customers visit, and businesses that travel to customers, such as plumbers.
Google lists these as ineligible:
- Online-only businesses, brands, organisations and artists. An e-commerce store with no in-person service cannot be verified.
- Lead generation agents or companies.
- Rental or for-sale properties such as holiday homes, model homes or vacant flats (a sales or leasing office is eligible).
- An ongoing service, class or meeting at a location you do not own or have authority to represent.
- An address that is a P.O. box or a mailbox in a remote location.
- Service-area businesses selling age-restricted products such as alcohol, cannabis or weapons without a storefront.
Two address rules catch many small firms. A virtual office, meaning a rented mailing address you do not operate from, is not eligible. A co-working office qualifies only if it has clear signage, receives customers during business hours and is staffed by your own team then.
Step 1: Create or claim your Business Profile
First search Google for your business name and city. If a profile already exists, claim it rather than creating a duplicate: Google's guidelines allow one profile per business location.
If no profile exists, Google gives four steps:
- Go to
business.google.com/add.
- Click Add your business to Google.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to add your business details.
- Select a verification option and follow the steps (Step 3 below).
If an unverified profile exists:
- On a computer, open Google Maps and search for your business name and city.
- Select Claim this business, then Manage now. To pick a different business, choose I own or manage another business.
- Select a verification option and follow the on-screen instructions.
In the Google Maps app on Android or iPhone, search for the business, open the profile, tap About, then Claim this business and Manage now.
If someone else already verified it, for example a former employee or an old agency, go to business.google.com/add, enter the name and address, choose the business and select Request Access, then fill in and submit the form. The current owner is emailed and has 3 days to respond. If they do not, you may get the option to claim and verify the profile yourself, though Google says that option is not always available. A service-area business with no shop or office has to contact Google support and pick Transfer ownership of listing as the issue.
Step 2: Enter your name, category and location correctly
What you type here affects ranking and whether the profile stays live. Google says adding unnecessary information to a business name is not permitted and could get the profile suspended.
Business name rules
Use the real-world name exactly as it appears on your signboard, website and stationery. Google's guidelines give these examples of what to leave out:
| Do not include | Google's example (not allowed) | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing taglines | TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank | TD Bank |
| Store codes | The UPS Store - 2872 | The UPS Store |
| Trademark signs | Burger King® | Burger King |
| All-capital words | SUBWAY | Subway (acronyms such as KFC are fine) |
| Hours or status | Regal Pizzeria Open 24 hours | Regal Pizzeria |
| Phone numbers or URLs | Airport Direct 1-888-557-8953 | Airport Direct |
| Legal terms and special characters, unless shown consistently in real-world branding | LAZ Parking Ltd | LAZ Parking |
| Service or product keywords | Midas Auto Service Experts | Midas |
| Location details | Equinox near SOHO | Equinox SOHO |
| Containment information | Geek Squad (inside Best Buy) | Geek Squad |
| The same name repeated in two scripts | Burger King バーガーキング | Burger King |
For Indian businesses the legal-term and two-script rows matter most. A name such as Sharma Sweets Pvt Ltd, Best Mithai in Gurugram breaks three rules at once (legal term, keyword, location). Repeating the name in English and Hindi is not allowed even if your signboard shows both, so pick the script customers know you by.
Categories
Choose a primary category that describes what the business is (a bakery), not what it has (a coffee counter). Pick the most specific option on Google's list, such as nail salon rather than salon; Google adds the broader categories itself. You cannot create your own category. Add secondary categories only for real departments, such as a grocery store with a bakery and deli. Google says categories affect local ranking, and that adding or editing a category may mean verifying again, so settle them before you verify.
Address or service area
- Storefront: enter the precise address, with suite or floor in address line 2. Google says cross-streets and landmarks belong only where the official street address does not pinpoint the location, which applies to many Indian addresses. If there is no street number, or Google cannot find the address, place the pin on the map yourself.
- Service-area business: if you serve customers at their location and not at your address, remove the address from the profile. You can set up to 20 service areas by city, postal code (PIN code in India) or other area, but not as a radius. The overall area should stay within about 2 hours' driving of your base, and edits can take up to 48 hours to show.
- Hybrid: a business that receives customers and also visits or delivers can show its address and a service area, as long as the location is staffed and can receive customers during its stated hours. Any business showing an address should keep permanent signage there.
Phone, website and hours
Use a local number under the business's direct control rather than a central call-centre line, and never a premium-rate number. Do not list a number or URL that redirects people to another number or landing page, including a page on a social network. Set regular customer-facing hours, plus special hours for festivals and holidays.
Step 3: Verify your business on Google
Verification proves you own or represent the business, and you need it before you can edit the business information or interact with customers. Google states that it decides the verification methods automatically and that they cannot be changed. What you see depends on business type, public information, region and business hours, and some profiles need more than one method.
The table summarises Google's verification and video pages.
| Method | How it works | Numbers to know | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone or SMS | Get verified, then Phone or SMS; enter the code | Code arrives by call or text | IVR systems cannot receive the code |
| Get verified, then Email; follow the steps in the email | Sent to the address shown on screen | Works only if you can use that address | |
| Video recording | Record on a phone inside the Business Profile flow | At least 30 seconds, live, unedited, no breaks; review up to 5 business days | No pre-recorded uploads; no ID, tax or bank numbers on camera |
| Live video call | Start a chat with a support representative, who moves you to a video call | Only during your business hours | You must be at the business, ready to show location and ownership |
| Postcard | A code is posted to your business address | 5-digit code, most within 14 days, expires after 30 days | Do not edit name, address or category, or request a new code, while you wait |
Search Engine Roundtable reported in September 2026 that some profiles were seeing a submit-a-business-photo option, asking for the signboard and the whole storefront in one frame. Google's verification page did not list it on 11 November 2026, so treat it as a possible test.
Video recording, step by step
Google recommends video verification where it is offered. Its video page sets these steps:
- On your phone, go to your Business Profile and tap Get verified. You may be asked for a phone number first.
- Tap Business video, then Next, and read the requirements. Allow camera, microphone and location access if asked.
- Tap Next, then Start recording, and record continuously for at least 30 seconds.
- Review the clip, tap Try again if something is missing, then Upload video.
What to show depends on business type:
- Storefront or hybrid: the location (street signs, building numbers, neighbouring shops), the business name on a permanent sign that matches your profile name, and proof of management such as opening the cash counter, a storage room or kitchen, or using a point-of-sale system.
- Service-area business: street signs or landmarks near your base (from home, film your immediate neighbourhood), your tools, equipment or branded clothing, and proof of management such as performing a service, unlocking a branded van, or showing a business permit, invoice or utility bill in the profile's name.
Keep other people's faces and private information out of frame. If Google rejects the video, a Review issues notice explains what was missing, such as a business name not visible on the storefront; record again with everything from the first video plus the missing items.
When verification is instant
Google says some profiles verify instantly: when the business website is already verified in Google Search Console, or when the account uses bulk verification. Bulk verification needs 10 or more locations of the same business, is not open to service-area businesses or to agencies holding several businesses in one account, and is requested in Business Profile Manager under Verifications, then Chain, then Start. Otherwise, expect a review of up to 5 business days and a confirmation email.
Step 4: Complete the profile and improve local ranking
Google's local ranking page says local results rest mainly on relevance, distance and prominence (the page's summary calls the third factor popularity), and that there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. What you can control:
- Completeness: address or service area, hours, category, attributes such as parking or Wi-Fi, and a description of your services. Descriptions must not contain links or focus on promotions, prices or sales.
- Reviews: ask customers with a Google review link or QR code, and reply to reviews, including negative ones. Offering free or discounted goods or services for posting, changing or removing reviews counts as fake and misleading content and is strictly prohibited. If you also show review stars on your own website, our audit of Google's incentivised review rule for review snippets covers that separate guideline.
- Photos and videos: exterior, interior, team and work samples help customers recognise you.
- Prominence: Google counts links to your business from other websites and how many reviews you have, and says more reviews and positive ratings can help.
Most edits show in about 10 minutes, but some take up to 30 days. You can also manage a single verified profile conversationally in the Gemini web app at gemini.google.com: update hours and links, draft review replies, create posts and read performance metrics. It requires a personal (not work or school) Google Account, age 18 or over, Keep Activity switched on, and access to only one verified profile.
India specifics
India is on Google's list of supported countries, and the process is the same as elsewhere. Points that come up often for Indian businesses:
- It is free. Callers who charge to list you on Google or promise a top spot are not Google. Google says it will never ask for payment information over the phone or guarantee a special spot. Genuine WhatsApp messages come from a verified account named Google Maps, sometimes followed by a country name, with a blue tick; genuine RCS messages show the sender as Google with a blue tick.
- Addresses without numbers. Use landmarks only where the official address does not pinpoint you, and place the map pin precisely.
- IVR and virtual numbers. Many Indian SMEs route calls through IVR, and Google says IVR systems will not get the code. Use a number someone answers in person, or choose another method.
- Names. Drop Pvt Ltd or LLP unless your signage and invoices consistently show it, and do not repeat the name in two scripts.
- Home-based and co-working businesses. A tutor or electrician working from home should be a service-area business with the address removed. A co-working seat needs signage, staff and customer visits during hours.
- Video privacy. Google forbids showing bank account, tax or ID numbers, so keep PAN, Aadhaar and GSTIN numbers out of the frame.
- Appeal evidence. Google accepts business registration, a business licence, tax certificates and utility bills (electricity, phone, water, internet) whose name and address match the profile. In our reading, Indian documents in those categories include a GST registration certificate, an Udyam or Shops and Establishments registration and a recent electricity bill. Google does not name Indian documents, so the name and address match matters more than the document type. Google's suspension help page is also available in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil.
- Feature gaps. Google lists in-store products (Product Editor or the Local Inventory app) for retailers in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland only.
Suspension risks and how to appeal
Google may suspend or disable profiles that break its rules, and if an account is restricted, every profile it manages is suspended. The table draws on Google's policy overview and guidelines.
| Trigger | What Google's policy says | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword-stuffed name | Unnecessary information in the name can lead to suspension | Use the signboard name only |
| P.O. box or virtual office | P.O. box profiles are suspended; virtual offices are ineligible | Use a staffed address, or become a service-area business |
| Duplicate profiles | One profile per location; do not create a new profile for a suspended business | Claim or request ownership instead |
| Big name or category changes | Edits that significantly change the business can be rejected | Mark a changed business permanently closed and create a new profile |
| Relocation | Location edits are rejected for venues such as restaurants and hotels; a moved business closes the old profile | Create a new profile at the new address; contact Google to fix a wrong address |
| Incentivised or fake reviews | Treated as fake and misleading content | Ask every customer the same way, with no reward |
| Business not found at the address | Google disables the profile | Keep permanent signage and consistent details |
| Inactive owner | Access can be revoked after warnings | Sign in regularly and keep a second owner |
To appeal, Google's suspended profiles page sets these steps:
- Make sure the profile follows the guidelines. Do not create a new profile for the same business.
- Open the Business Profile appeals tool, select Confirm, choose the profile and Continue, then choose the decision and Continue.
- Attach evidence and explain why the profile should be reinstated. Appeals can be submitted only once.
- Tick the confirmation box and select Submit appeal. Google emails the decision.
If the appeal is denied, Google says it may be able to do an additional review, where you can add evidence you did not send before. If your whole Google Account is restricted, appeal the account restriction first, then appeal the profile once it is lifted.
For agencies, IT teams and multi-location businesses
- Keep ownership in the business. Google treats agencies as authorised representatives: they need the owner's express consent, must work with the owner on verification, and must transfer ownership immediately on request. Google asks them to encourage the owner to own the profile and add the agency as a manager.
- One Google Account per person. Add users under Business Profile settings, then People and access, as owners or managers. Managers have almost the same access as owners but cannot add or remove users or remove the profile. New owners and managers wait 7 days before they can delete the profile, remove users or transfer primary ownership, and Google Groups cannot be added.
- Verify the website in Search Console first. It can make Business Profile verification instant.
- Chains: use the same name and primary category across locations, and use bulk verification once you have 10 or more.
- Ads. Google Ads location assets can show your address, a map or distance in ads once a Business Profile is linked. Our beginner's Google Ads plan covers the campaign side.
- Bing too. Bing Places for Business can import listings from Google, and Microsoft says the import keeps details such as the business name, hours and contact details. Our guide on how to rank a website on Bing covers Bing Places alongside Bing Webmaster Tools.
How eCorpIT can help
eCorpIT is a Gurugram-based technology organisation, founded in 2021, assessed at CMMI Level 5 and MSME certified, with senior-led engineering teams working across AWS, Microsoft and Google platforms. If you want an independent check of how your Business Profile, website and search visibility work together, our SEO, AEO and GEO audit reports what is working and what is not. Talk to us at /contact-us/.
Last updated: 11 November 2026.
