How to Claim Your Business on Google Places

local_business

This tutorial will assist you with getting more exposure and traffic to your businesses. By adding or claiming your business on Google Places, you are increasing your opportunities to reach potential customers and clients.

When Google users make a search on Google for a certain type of business in your area, the “Places” results may appear. You want your business to be in that list. Here’s an example of what you might see. This is a search for “pizza New York.”

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 To get your business listed in Google Places, follow the instructions in this tutorial.

 

Step 1: Log into your Google account:  http://google.com/lbc

Be sure to use an account associated with your business. If you don’t have an account, you can create one for free using the sign up link.

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Step 2: Search/Edit a Business Listing

Select the country in which your business exists. Enter your business phone # & click “Find Business Information” button. This allows you see if Google Maps already has some of your business information in their records.

If you own 10 or more businesses and you are trying to claim all of them, you can save some time by using the “bulk upload” option.

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 If Google finds a listing, it will show up directly below the phone number search option. You can choose to edit the existing listing or add a new listing.

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Step 3: Add your business information

If nothing shows up from the search in Step 2, you will be redirected to a page where you can add the business listing. Here you will have several areas in which to enter information about your business.

This section is for the basic business information, including:

  • Country: From the dropdown, select the country in which your business resides.
  • Company Name: Your business name
  • Street Address: The physical address of the business (no P.O. boxes allowed)
  • City, State, Zip: The city, state and zip code for the business.
  • Main Phone Number: The main number for the business. You can include additional phone numbers as well.
  • Email address: NOT your personal email. This would be the email address for customer support.
  • Website URL: Enter the website URL for the business. If they do not yet have a website, select the “no website” box.
  • Description: Enter a short description for the business (up to 200 characters).
  • Category (up to five): You might have to play with this a bit. Type the first word for the category you think would best fit. The dropdown will show related categories to that word. 

You must choose at least one from the list of categories offered in the dropdown. I.E. If your business offers SEO services, you might start by typing “internet or online”. The dropdown categories will then give you an option of ‘internet marketing services” as well as others. Select the one that is closest to your business services.

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Step 4: Your service area and hours of operation

Choose whether business is conducted at your office location or at the customer’s location. If you offer services at the customer’s location, you will be required to enter your service area by distance or by list of areas served.

  • Service Area by Distance: Enter your city & choose how many miles from the location you service.
  • Service Area by List: You can list the exact cities/states/providences you service.

Enter your hours of operation.

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Step 5: Payment Options

Select the methods of payment you accept.

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Step 6: Add photos and videos

You can add up to 10 photos & 5 videos to display on your Google page.

Click the “Browse” button to search for your images on your computer. Then click the “Add Photo” button to upload.

Videos have to be uploaded to a 3rd party site such as YouTube. To add a video, enter the URL to the video and click the “Add Video” button.

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 Step 7: Additional Information

If you have additional information you’d like to add to your page such as parking, brands or types of products available, discounts, and so forth, you can add those here.

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Double check your information & click the submit button to create your listing.

Step 8: Confirm your location

If your phone # is already in Google’s system, you may be able to confirm your submission by phone. Otherwise, you will have to wait for a postcard to arrive at your address (can take up to 6 weeks) and then follow the instructions on the card to confirm.

Make your selection and click the Finish button.

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You will be presented with a thank you page that will look like this, only with your business information.

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If you confirm by mail this is what the confirmation card will look like.

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Done For You!  
Feeling overwhelmed? There’s no need to worry!
We can create local listings for you. You can check out our Local SEO services here.