Do you have a Google account?
You need a Google Account to sign up for a Business Profile. Pick the answer that fits you — the next step is different for each.
Good — you’re ready to claim your page
- Sign in with that accountUse the Google Account you want to own the page with. If you have a company email address, you can link it to your Google Account so you can easily manage your Business Profile.
- Head to Lesson 3Scroll down to Add or claim your page and follow the path that matches your business.
Create a Google Account first
One correction to what most people assume: you do not need a Gmail address. Gmail is the simplest way to get a Google Account, but you can also create one using an email address you already have.
Using an email you already have (on a computer):
- Go to the Google Account sign-in pageClick Create account.
- Choose “For my personal use”Then enter your basic info.
- Click “Use your existing email”Enter your current email address and click Next.
- Verify your emailGoogle sends a code to that email address. Enter it and click Next.
- Create a passwordFollow the on-screen steps to finish. Then come back here and go to Lesson 3.
Full instructions from Google: Create a Google Account.
Add or claim your page
Two paths. If Google has never heard of your business, you add it. If a page for your business already exists but nobody runs it, you claim it. Only eligible businesses can add or claim a profile — and it’s free either way.
Add your business
- Go to the sign-up pageOpen business.google.com/add.
- Click “Add your business to Google”Sign in with your Google Account when asked.
- Add your business detailsFollow the on-screen instructions. Make sure the business address is correct and meets Google’s guidelines.
- Pick a verification optionSelect a verification option and follow the on-screen steps — Lesson 4 covers every method.
Claim your business
- Open Google Maps on a computerSearch for your business name and city.
- Select your businessThen select Claim this business, then Manage now.
- Choose a verification optionFollow the on-screen instructions to prove the business is yours.
- On your phone instead?In the Google Maps app, search your business, tap About, then Claim this business, then Manage now.
Already verified by someone else? If the profile is already verified and run by another person — a former employee, an old marketing company — you request ownership from the current owner. That’s a separate flow; Google walks you through it from the same “Claim this business” spot.
Google’s own walkthrough: Add or claim your Business Profile.
Verification: proving the business is yours
Verification is how Google makes sure you really run the business on the page. There are seven ways it can happen — one short lesson each, with its own slide deck you can play right here.
Verification methods are set automatically and can’t be changed. What you’re offered depends on your business type, public info, region, and business hours. Sometimes more than one method is needed.
After you finish the steps, Google reviews your info. When you’re verified, you get a confirmation email.
Google never charges for verification and never asks for your code. Never share your verification code with anyone.
The seven lessons
- 1 · Verify by Phone CallGoogle calls, a voice reads your code
- 2 · Verify by Text MessageA code by SMS to your business number
- 3 · Verify by EmailSteps sent to an email you control
- 4 · Verify with a Video RecordingGoogle’s recommended option, if you’re eligible
- 5 · Verify with a Live Video CallA Google rep checks your business live
- 6 · Verify by PostcardA 5-digit code mailed to your address
- 7 · Instant VerificationWhat it is — and why you can’t request it
Verify by Phone Call
Google calls your business number and an automated voice reads you a code. You have to be able to answer the number on your profile — a phone-menu system (IVR) can’t take the code, so a real person needs to pick up.
Verify by Text Message
Google texts a code to your business phone number. The only catch: that number has to be able to receive texts.
Verify by Email
Google sends the verification steps to an email address. You need to be able to open and use the exact email address shown on the verification screen.
Verify with a Video Recording
Google’s recommended option if you’re eligible. One continuous, unedited video — at least 30 seconds — recorded live from your phone through your Business Profile. No pre-recorded videos, and you can’t record it offline and upload it later.
What your video has to show
- Your location — street signs, building numbers, nearby businesses.
- Proof the business exists — your storefront or signage with your business name on a permanent fixture, matching your profile name.
- Proof you manage it — employee-only areas like a cash register, kitchen, storage room, or point-of-sale system.
No storefront? Service-area businesses (a plumber, a locksmith) show where they operate — street signs or landmarks near the address, or your neighborhood if you work from home — plus tools, equipment, or a branded vehicle, and proof of management: doing a service, unlocking a branded van, or business documents like a permit, invoice, or utility bill that matches your profile name.
Keep these out of the video: bank account, tax, or ID numbers; private info about you or anyone else; other people’s faces.
To submit: on your phone, go to your Business Profile, tap Get verified, then Business video, then Next, then Start recording. Review it, then tap Upload video. Google reviews it — up to 5 business days. If it fails, tap Review issues, fix what’s missing, and record again.
Note: online-only businesses aren’t eligible for a Business Profile at all. Google’s guide: Verify your business with a video recording.
Verify with a Live Video Call
A Google support rep verifies your business live, on a video call. It’s only available during your business hours, and not for all businesses.
Be ready before the call
- A device that does live video, and be at your business.
- Your location — outside signs, nearby businesses, a street sign.
- Your business or equipment — products, branded equipment, marketing materials, tools.
- Proof you manage it — employee-only areas, cash register, kitchen, storage room, non-sensitive business documents, or your keys to open the facility.
When a support rep is ready, they help you join the video call. Then you show your business with your device camera.
Verify by Postcard
Google mails a 5-digit code to your business address. Most codes arrive within 14 days. Not available for all businesses.
Request it — then hands off
- Go to your Business ProfileSelect Get verified, then Postcard.
- Check the mailing addressMake sure it’s correct before you request the code.
- Request the codeThen wait for the mail.
- When it arrivesGo back to your Business Profile, enter the 5-digit code in the Code field, and select Submit.
While you wait, two don’ts: don’t edit your business name, address, or category — the code won’t work if you do. And don’t request a new code — that invalidates the one already in the mail. Codes expire after 30 days.
Instant Verification with Search Console
This one isn’t a method you pick. Sometimes Google verifies a profile instantly — here’s why it happens, and the one thing that makes it possible.
The short version
- You can’t request instant verification — Google decides.
- It can happen when you’ve already verified your website with Google Search Console using the same Google account.
- It can also come through bulk verification, for businesses with 10 or more locations.
So the practical takeaway: if your website is verified in Search Console under the same account you use for your Business Profile, Google may simply hand you the verification. For adding a website property, see Google’s Search Console help.
Stuck, or would rather not do this yourself? This course is from Reputation Reactor — we set up and manage Google Business Pages for local service businesses, and we’re happy to help. Verified and wondering what’s next? A complete page is the starting line: reviews, photos, and regular updates are what keep customers choosing you.