How to Add Your Business to Google

Have you ever wondered why your business shows up on Google? Sometimes, the search engine giant seems all-knowing. Today, Google is a powerful force that determines how and where your business shows up online.

Google isn't omniscient. But given its importance, it's vital to learn how to add your business to Google. Doing so can give you greater control over how your business ranks, and for what search terms.

This article walks you through all the key steps you'll need to take. Let's get started.

Why You Should Add Your Business to Google

Sure, Google isn't the only search engine people use. Bing, Yahoo! and even DuckDuckGo all claim shares of the global search market.

But Google is the biggest search engine, by far. Nearly 93% of total search traffic comes through Google. That's equal to 3.5 billion Google searches each day. 

Why is Google so popular? Users appreciate its powerful algorithm and deep well of indexed pages. It's earned some serious brand recognition, not to mention trust. 

If you want to show up in searches, you'll need to optimize your web presence to match what Google looks for. Learning how to add your business to Google is an essential step in the process.

How to Add Your Business to Google

Fortunately, adding your business to Google is a simple process. You don't need any special knowledge, and it doesn't take long to get started.

When you add your business to Google, you'll follow three basic steps:

1. Claim or add your profile
2. Update your business' information
3. Get verified

Let's take a closer look at each of these steps.

First, you'll need to locate your Google My Business (GMB) account. Start the process by going to "www.google.com/business." You'll see a prominent button that says, "Manage Now." (If you don't have a Gmail account, don't sweat it; you don't need one to access your GMB account.) 

Once you're in GMB, you'll follow one of two paths. You might need to start an account from scratch by filling out basic information about your business. This will allow you to add your business to Google, as well as Google Maps.

The alternative is that you might find that your business already shows up on Google Maps. If that's the case, you can claim your profile instead. This ensures that no one but you can update your profile. It will also allow you to edit any information that already appears online.

No matter which route you end up taking, updating your profile is a crucial next step. You should be as detailed as possible during this step. For example, businesses with multiple locations should list all of them. (For more ideas on optimizing your GMB account, check out our roundup of local SEO tips!)

The final step is getting verified. This allows Google to make sure your identity checks out (and protects you from being impersonated). You'll be able to choose between several verification options. Most businesses get verified through physical mail, but some may qualify for phone or email verification. If you have 10 or more locations, you might be able to do bulk verification.

Managing Your Profile After You Add Your Business to Google

Once you learn how to add your business to Google, you'll need to keep your GMB account up to date. You can complete this personally, or bring in other members of your team. 

Google recommends adding trusted staff members as "Managers" or "Site Managers." This will give your team permission to edit and update your account. Site managers will need to get verified, as they have permission to interact with customers through reviews.

Key things to update and maintain include:

• Responding to all reviews, positive or negative
• Updating holiday hours or early closures
• Adding new locations as needed
• Incorporating photos or videos
• Testing keywords and key phrases to determine their impact on rankings

All of these updates will keep your GMB profile fresh and accurate. Not only will managing your GMB profile help your customers, but it'll help your search rankings, too.

Final Tips After You Add Your Business to Google

Once you've learned how to add your business to Google, you can still take steps toward stronger SEO. 

Although GMB is one of the most important factors, it's not the only one you should care about because Google grants you more authority if you're listed on other directories, such as:

• Yelp
• Facebook
• Apple Maps
• Foursquare
• TripAdvisor
• Angie's List

These are only a few of the dozens of directories out there. But no one has time to manage dozens of log ins...

That's why you should invest in digital tools designed to help.

Want to see how simple local SEO can be? Download our free eGuide today!