Google Maps is a powerful tool that enables businesses to advertise their business and attract new customers. If your business does not yet have a Profile on Google Maps, we will tell you how to do so.
Who can create a Company Profile on Google?
In order to create a Company Profile on Google, your business must have a physical location and be accessible during certain hours, with visible signage such as a banner. However, there are exceptions such as:
- ATMs, parcel machines and video rental machines.
- Businesses operating in a specific area and providing services at the customer’s premises, such as a plumber.
- Seasonal businesses (e.g. a swimming pool open only in summer). Such businesses must have a visible permanent sign at the location.
- Under certain conditions, food services based solely on delivery (virtual food brands) are accepted.
First steps
Prior to creating a Company Profile, it is advisable to check carefully (by entering the name and address in the search field) whether the business already exists on Google Maps. This will help to avoid creating a duplicate Profile.
If the Profile has already been set up previously, it is possible to take over the Profile by selecting ‘Claim a Company’ and ‘Manage’. Google will ask you to verify it, for example with the verification code provided when you call Google.
Creating a Company Profile on Google
You can create a Company Profile on Google Maps or in the Company Profile Manager on Google.
To get started, you need to sign in to Google Maps. It is important to create the Profile on an email address associated with your company domain. You can do this on a mobile device or on a computer using the Google Maps app – you have three different ways to choose:
- Type your business address into the search field and then click on the ‘Add your business’ option,
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- Right-click on the map and select “Add your business”,
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- Click “Menu” in the top left corner and then select “Add your company”.
To create a Profile, follow the directions that will be displayed on the screen. You will need to verify this account, and the method of verification will depend on Google.
If you are going to manage multiple Profiles, we recommend logging into business.google.com. Or, you can go to google.com and click the icon next to your avatar (in the top right corner) and then select ‘Business Profile’. When you sign in and you don’t have a Profile in your account, Google will ask you to create your first one. If you already have a business on your account, go to the ‘Businesses’ tab and select ‘Add business’ and then ‘Add single business’.
When setting up your Profile, you will need to provide some information, including the name of your business, your business category, your opening hours and preferably a link to your website. Google may also ask you to include a description of your business and photos. You can provide these details both when you set up your Profile and after it has been created. If possible, it is advisable to add photographs of the space available to customers, the entrance to the business, equipment and products.
Be sure to provide accurate data that can be verified. For example, the company name should be identical on the sign, in the Company Profile and on the website. You must remember that information such as opening hours and telephone number should be consistent with the information available on the website. Ideally, this information should be consistent with the data available on other online platforms, such as Facebook. By keeping your NAP data consistent, you increase your presence on Google and minimise the risk of your Company Profile being suspended.
Company Profile verification process
Verifying your Company Profile is essential for your business card to be visible to the public and for you to manage your company’s reviews, posts and statistics. You can choose from several verification methods: phone number, email, video, video chat with a Google consultant, verification card. The important thing is that Google chooses the verification method.
Adding and verifying for networks with multiple locations (min. 10)
If you are managing a network with 10 or more locations, there is an option to collectively add and verify using a deployment file. We recommend using your company domain email address for login, which will make it easier to manage the Profiles.
- To arrange access to the ‘Companies’ tab in the future, click on ‘Create group’. This will make it easier to manage access and verify further sites.
- Afterwards, whilst in the open tab, select “Add company” and choose “Import companies”. If you do not already have an import file, click on “Download template”.
- Start editing the file in a spreadsheet application, such as Excel, and complete key columns such as:
- Shop code (company identification number for mass management, you can use an existing one or create a new one)
- Company name
- Address (optionally you can add rows 2, 3, 4 or 5)
- City
- Postal code
- Country (e.g. PL)
- Primary category
- (Recommended) Website
- (Recommended) Telephone number
- (Recommended) Latitude and longitude
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- Then proceed to step number 2 and select the ready file for implementation by following the instructions.
Verify a user or corporate group account for bulk verification
A single brand can have multiple Google accounts assigned to it, but only one account (email) can be verified (authorised) for bulk verification of new Profiles for a brand (bulk, i.e. adding by file).
Bulk verification is carried out at the account level. You can submit 2 types of accounts to it:
- Personal user account: verifying an account means verifying all the Profiles associated with it that have not been previously submitted by someone else (best for companies that manage Profiles with no agencies).
- Company groups (handled similarly to an account): verifying the main account owner means at the same time verifying all eligible Profiles from the company group. These Profiles cannot belong to someone else.
You can submit an account for verification if:
- You have at least 10 Profiles of the same company included in your sheet. Agencies that have more than one company on one account cannot use bulk verification (i.e. it has to be done preferably from the brand’s company account).
- Duplicated, suspended or deactivated Profiles do not count towards the limit of 10 company Profiles.
- Your spreadsheet includes all the Profiles you manage. Do not leave out any companies (for companies that are just starting to organise Google Profiles and have never created them before, it is best to create them with a collective file; if there are already some Profiles on the maps, there is a risk that Google will consider the new ones a duplicate and the original will have to be taken over and verified one by one anyway).
- Your business does not provide services only in a certain area.
- The account has not yet been verified. To entrust the management of Profiles to multiple people, your company should create a company location group account. Find out how to create a company location group or company account
- If you add a Profile to your account that has been submitted for verification by another user, ask them to grant you permission to manage that Profile (ideally you should have access to the account from the company domain; preferably it should be an account that both the client and the active group manager, i.e. the agency, have access to).
- There are no mistakes in your account. Find out more about verification issues and specific error messages.
Summary
Once your Company Profile has been added and verified on Google, wait for the information to be updated, which can take up to 72 hours. Then fill in all the information, such as your website link, company description and photos. Keep your NAP data (name, address, phone) consistent with other places on your network to improve your visibility on Google and avoid having your profile blocked.
