- Two ways to put a business on Google Maps
- Using Add a missing place on Google Maps from a computer
- Adding a place to Google Maps on your phone
- Creating a Business Profile so your business shows on Google Maps
- Verifying a business you add to Google Maps
- What your business needs before you add it to Google Maps
- Why adding your business to Google Maps matters for local customers
- If your business still doesn't appear on Google Maps
- Frequently asked questions
To add a business to Google Maps, open Maps on a computer, search for its address and click Add a missing place, or use Contribute then Add place on Android. Business owners should create and verify a Business Profile instead, because that's the listing you can manage.
Picture a customer standing in the high street, typing your shop's name into their phone and getting nothing. For a lot of small businesses that's what Google Maps looks like until someone adds the place. The good news is that Google gives you two doors in, and picking the right one saves you a lot of faff.
One door is a quick public suggestion for any missing place. The other is a full Business Profile that you own and manage. I'll show you both, using the steps Google's help pages give, and explain which one a business owner almost always wants.
Two ways to put a business on Google Maps
Before you click anything, it helps to know the difference, because they sound similar and they're not the same job.
| What you want | The Google route |
|---|---|
| Add any missing place (a shop, a coffee shop, a landmark) | Add a missing place in Google Maps |
| Control the details of your own business | Create and verify a Business Profile at business.google.com/add |
| Fix a wrong address or pin on a place that exists | Suggest an edit, covered in a separate Google article |
If you own the business, I'd go straight to the Business Profile. Google's own help says places you can add include landmarks, coffee shops or other local businesses, and it notes that the place shows publicly once it's added. A profile you've verified is the one you can later edit, add hours to and respond to reviews on.
Using Add a missing place on Google Maps from a computer
This is the quickest public route, and Google's help article lists it in three steps:
- Open Google Maps on your computer.
- Search for the address of the missing place.
- Click Add a missing place.
From there Google asks for the details of the place. Search for the street address first, because the whole idea is that the map can't find a business at that spot. Google's article also points to a separate help page for correcting an address or pin that's merely wrong rather than missing.
Adding a place to Google Maps on your phone
On an Android phone or tablet, Google's help gives this route:
- Launch the Google Maps app.
- Select Contribute, then Add place.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
The iPhone route follows the same pattern, but menu names move around between app versions, so look for Contribute or an Add place option rather than hunting for an exact label.
Creating a Business Profile so your business shows on Google Maps
This is the version I recommend for owners, because it ties the listing to your account. Google's steps for a business with no existing profile are:
- Go to business.google.com/add.
- Click Add your business to Google.
- Enter your business details by following the on-screen instructions.
- Select a verification option and complete the steps shown.
Google states that you can add your business at no charge, that only businesses eligible for a Business Profile can do so, and that your address must be accurate and meet its address guidelines. That last point matters. A home-based business that doesn't want its address on view should read the guidelines before filling the form in.
Verifying a business you add to Google Maps
Adding the details isn't the end. Google asks you to verify, and it chooses the verification methods automatically, so the screen may offer a phone code, an email, a video call or a postcard depending on your business. Google's help says the methods can't be changed, reviews usually take up to 5 business days, and postcard codes expire after 30 days. If you request a postcard, keep your business name, address and category unchanged while you wait.
If you're not sure how verification works, my walkthrough of setting up and polishing a Google Business Profile covers what to do once you're through.
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What your business needs before you add it to Google Maps
A little preparation makes the form quicker. Have these ready:
- The exact business name as it appears on your sign and website.
- A full address that customers can find, written the way the postal service writes it.
- A phone number you can answer, because automated phone systems can't receive a verification code.
- Your category, opening hours and website address.
- Photos of the front of the premises, in case a video verification is offered.
Why adding your business to Google Maps matters for local customers
Maps is where people make quick local decisions: where to eat, which plumber to ring, who's open late. A listing with a correct pin, hours and phone number gets you into those moments. If you want the reasoning behind that, my piece on why local SEO still works for small businesses explains it in plain English, and my local SEO checklist lists what to do next.
If your business still doesn't appear on Google Maps
Don't panic if the place isn't visible straight away. Work through these in order:
- Search for the exact name and city again, in case it was added under a slightly different name.
- Check you finished verification. An unverified new profile may not be fully live.
- Make sure the address is one Google's guidelines allow.
- Look for a duplicate listing that someone else added earlier and claim that instead of creating another.
Google's help pages don't give a set time for a new place to appear, so I won't guess one. If it's been a while and something looks wrong, use the Business Profile community or Google's support options.
Related: coffee (this site).
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a business to Google Maps?
On a computer, open Google Maps, search for the address of the missing place and click Add a missing place. On Android, select Contribute, then Add place. Business owners should usually create a Business Profile at business.google.com/add instead.
Is it free to add a business to Google Maps?
Google's help says you can add or claim your business at no charge. Only businesses eligible for a Business Profile can do it.
What's the difference between adding a place and creating a Business Profile?
Add a missing place puts a location on the map for the public to see. A Business Profile is the verified listing you manage yourself, with hours, photos and replies to reviews.
Do I need to verify a business I add to Google Maps?
If you create a Business Profile, yes. Google offers verification options automatically, and its help says reviews usually take up to 5 business days.
Can I add a home-based business to Google Maps?
Eligibility depends on Google's guidelines, so read them before you submit. Your address must be accurate and meet Google's address guidelines.
