Learning how to create a Google My Business account is the single fastest way to get your company onto Google Search and Google Maps, win local customers, and start collecting reviews. This step-by-step guide walks you through setting up your Google business account in 2026 (now called a Google Business Profile), verifying it, claiming a listing that already exists, and the quick wins to make it work harder. It is free, takes about 15 minutes, and every business with customers should do it.
What is a Google My Business account in 2026?
A Google My Business account, now called a Google Business Profile, is the free business listing that controls how your company appears on Google Search and Google Maps. You create and verify it through your Google business account, then add your name, category, location, hours, and contact details so customers can find, trust, and contact you. Once verified, your profile can show in local "near me" results, the map pack, and your Knowledge Panel.
In 2018 "Google My Business" was rebranded to "Google Business Profile," and the standalone management app was retired in 2024. Today you manage everything either directly from your verified profile in Google Search/Maps or from the dashboard at google.com/business. The terminology has changed but the goal is identical: claim and verify your listing so you control your own information. If you want the full conceptual breakdown, read our companion guide on what Google My Business is and how it works — this page is the focused, do-it-now walkthrough.
| Term | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| Google Account | Your free login (Gmail/email + password) used to access all Google products. |
| Google business account | A Google Account you dedicate to managing your business presence. |
| Google My Business (GMB) | The old name (2014-2018) for the listing-management product. |
| Google Business Profile (GBP) | The current name (2021+) for the listing itself and its management tools. |
| Business Profile | The public listing customers see on Search and Maps. |
Why create a Google My Business account?
Before the how-to, it helps to know why this matters. A verified Google Business Profile is often the very first thing a potential customer sees — and for local searches it frequently appears above your website. Here is what a claimed, verified profile unlocks:
- Visibility in the local map pack — the three highlighted businesses shown for "near me" and city-based searches, which capture the lion's share of local clicks.
- A complete Knowledge Panel — your hours, photos, directions, calls, and website link presented cleanly on Search and Maps.
- Trust and credibility — verified businesses look legitimate. Industry research from BrightLocal consistently finds most consumers will avoid a business with incorrect or missing information online.
- Free customer actions — clicks to call, requests for directions, website visits, bookings, and messages, all without paying for ads.
- Reviews and reputation — a verified profile is where customers leave the Google reviews that influence both rankings and buying decisions.
- Performance insights — see how customers found you, what they searched, and which actions they took.
In short, if you skip this step you let Google (and your competitors) control your first impression. Claiming it puts you back in charge.
What you need before you start
Setting up a Google business account is quick when you have the basics ready. Gather these before you begin so you do not have to stop midway:
- A Google Account — ideally one dedicated to the business (e.g. info@yourcompany.com) rather than your personal Gmail.
- Your exact business name — spelled and capitalised exactly as it appears on your storefront, website, and other listings.
- Your primary business category — the single best description of what you do (you can add secondary categories later).
- A physical address — if customers visit you; or a defined service area if you travel to them.
- Phone number and website URL — for contact and verification.
- Business hours — including any special or holiday hours.
- Eligibility — your business must make in-person contact with customers (a store, office, or service area). Purely online businesses without customer contact are not eligible.
One rule above all: keep your name, address, and phone number (NAP) identical everywhere online. Inconsistent NAP is the most common reason local rankings stall, as we cover in our local SEO guide.
How to create a Google Business Profile account: step by step
Here is the current 2026 flow to create your Google My Business account from scratch. The whole process takes around 15 minutes plus verification time.
Step 1: Sign in to your Google business account
Go to google.com/business and click Manage now (or Sign in). Log in with the Google Account you want to own the profile. If you do not have one, create a free account first at accounts.google.com — use a business email you will keep long-term, because this account becomes the primary owner of the profile.
Step 2: Enter your business name and check for an existing listing
Type your business name. As you type, Google shows matching listings. If your business already appears, select it and skip to the "claim an existing business" section below. If nothing matches, click Add your business to Google (or "Create a business with this name") to start fresh.
Step 3: Choose your business category
Pick the category that best matches your core service (e.g. "Plumber," "Italian restaurant," "Marketing agency"). This is one of the strongest ranking factors for local search, so choose the most specific accurate option. You can add more categories after setup.
Step 4: Tell Google whether customers visit you
Google asks if you have a location customers can visit:
- Yes — enter your full street address. This is for storefronts, offices, and clinics.
- No — you are a service-area business (plumber, cleaner, consultant). Your address stays hidden and you define where you serve instead.
Step 5: Add your service area (if applicable)
If you deliver to customers, list the cities, regions, or postal/ZIP codes you cover. You can add up to 20 areas. Keep it realistic — Google may limit how far the radius extends from your base location.
Step 6: Add your contact details
Enter your business phone number and website URL. Both are optional, but adding them dramatically increases the actions customers can take. No website yet? Google can generate a free basic one from your profile information, or click Skip for now.
Step 7: Set your hours and finish
Add your regular opening hours so the profile shows "Open" or "Closed" accurately. Then accept Google's terms and click Continue / Finish. Your Google Business Profile is now created — but it will not be publicly visible until you complete verification.
If you are setting up several profiles or want to come back later, your draft is saved to your account, so you can pick up exactly where you left off. At this point Google may also prompt you to add early details such as a business description and your first photos — it is worth doing them now while you are in the flow, because a fuller profile both ranks better and earns trust from the first impression.
| Step | Action | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sign in at google.com/business | Sets the owning account |
| 2 | Enter business name | Checks for duplicates |
| 3 | Choose primary category | Top local ranking factor |
| 4-5 | Add address or service area | Controls map placement |
| 6 | Add phone + website | Enables customer actions |
| 7 | Set hours & submit | Creates the profile |
| 8 | Verify | Makes it public |
How to verify your Google business account
Verification proves you own the business and unlocks public visibility plus editing rights. Google offers different methods depending on your business type, location, and history — you may be shown one option or several. Pick the most convenient.
| Verification method | How it works | Typical timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Phone / text (SMS) | Google calls or texts a code to your business number; enter it in the dashboard. | Instant |
| Google emails a verification link or code to your business email. | Minutes | |
| Postcard (mail) | Google mails a postcard with a code to your business address. | 5-14 days |
| Video verification | You record a short video showing your premises, signage, and tools/equipment. | Up to 5 days (reviewed) |
| Live video call | A Google agent guides you through a live walkthrough on a video call. | Scheduled slot |
| Search Console | If your website is already verified in Google Search Console, you may verify instantly. | Instant |
A few tips: do not edit your business name, address, or category while a postcard is in transit, as it can reset the process. If you skip verification, you can finish entering details, but your profile stays private until you complete it — so verify as early as you can. Need the website-verification route? Our Google Search Console verification walkthrough covers it step by step.
Which method you are offered is not random — Google chooses based on your category, location, and how much it already knows about your business. High-risk categories (such as financial services, locksmiths, or anything fraud-prone) more often require video or live-call verification, while established businesses with a consistent online footprint frequently get instant phone or email options. If video verification is your only route, prepare in advance: have your signage, any branded equipment, and proof of address (a utility bill or business license) ready to show, and film in good lighting so the reviewer can read everything clearly. Getting it right the first time avoids a frustrating cycle of rejected attempts.
How to create an account for a business that already exists on Google
Sometimes Google has already auto-generated a listing for your business from public data, or a previous owner created one. In that case you do not create a new profile — you claim the existing one. Here is how.
Claim it from Google Search or Maps
- Search for your business name on Google Search or Google Maps.
- On the listing, click Claim this business or Own this business?
- Click Manage now and sign in with the Google Account you want as owner.
- Confirm the details and complete the verification method Google offers.
If the profile is already verified by someone else
If a listing is already claimed and verified by another account, you will see an option to Request access. Submit the request; the current owner has 3-7 days to respond. If they do not reply, Google may grant you access after a review. This is common when an agency, former employee, or supplier originally set up the profile.
Found two listings for the same business? Report the duplicate so Google can merge them — duplicate profiles split your reviews and confuse customers.
Managing your Google Business Profile after setup
Since the standalone GMB app was retired, you manage your verified profile in two main ways:
- Directly on Google — search your own business name (while signed in) and a merchant menu appears with Edit profile, Read reviews, Add photo, Promote, and more.
- From the dashboard — the Business Profile manager at google.com/business is best when you run several locations from one account.
You can add additional managers and owners under settings so colleagues or a marketing partner can help without sharing your password. Always keep at least one trusted owner on the account.
Managing more than one location
If you run multiple branches, you can manage them all from a single Google business account using business groups (location groups). This keeps ownership consolidated, lets you bulk-edit hours or attributes, and makes it easy to hand access to a team or agency. For franchises and chains, Google also supports bulk verification once you have ten or more locations under one account. Our walkthrough on adding locations to your GMB listing covers the exact steps.
What to do after creating your account: quick optimization wins
A bare profile ranks poorly. Spend 30 minutes on these high-impact wins right after verifying:
- Complete every field — description, attributes, opening date, secondary categories. Completeness is a ranking and trust signal.
- Add real photos — exterior, interior, team, products. Profiles with photos get far more clicks and direction requests.
- Write a keyword-aware description — up to 750 characters describing what you do and where, naturally.
- Turn on messaging and set up the Q&A section with your own common questions.
- Post weekly updates — offers, events, and news keep the profile active.
- Earn and reply to reviews — respond to every review, positive or negative; review volume and recency strongly influence local rankings.
Treat these as a recurring routine, not a one-time task. The businesses that win the map pack are the ones that keep posting, keep replying to reviews, and keep their information accurate month after month. Even 15 minutes a week compounds into a meaningful local-search advantage over competitors who set their profile and forget it.
For a deeper checklist, see our guides on Google Business Profile optimisation and how to fully optimise your GMB listing. If you sell services locally, you may also want to layer on Google Local Services Ads to appear above the map pack.
Troubleshooting common Google business account issues
- "This business is already verified." Use Request access from the listing and wait for the current owner, or escalate via Google support if you get no response.
- Postcard never arrived. Request a new code (do not edit your details meanwhile), or ask Google whether another method is available for your account.
- Profile suspended. Usually triggered by policy issues such as keyword-stuffed names or address mismatches. Fix the violation, then submit a reinstatement request.
- Duplicate listings. Report the extra profile through the "Suggest an edit" or support flow so Google merges them.
- Profile not showing yet. New profiles can take a few days to appear after verification; ensure category and address are accurate.
Common mistakes to avoid when creating your account
A few avoidable errors cause most of the headaches we see when businesses set up a Google business account. Steer clear of these:
- Keyword-stuffing your business name. Use your real-world name only. Adding "Best Plumber London" to your name violates Google's guidelines and risks suspension.
- Using a virtual office or PO box. Your address must be a real location where you operate or where you can show in-person customer contact.
- Choosing a vague primary category. Be specific. "Restaurant" ranks worse than "Sushi restaurant" for the searches that matter.
- Creating a duplicate. Always check for an existing listing first; a duplicate splits reviews and can get your profile suspended.
- Using a personal Gmail as the only owner. If that person leaves, ownership leaves with them. Use a business account and add backup owners.
- Letting information go stale. Wrong hours or an old phone number erode trust fast — keep everything current.
Frequently asked questions
Is creating a Google My Business account free?
Yes. Creating, verifying, and managing your Google Business Profile is completely free. Google never charges to list or verify a business — anyone asking for payment to "register" you is not Google.
What is the difference between a Google account and a Google business account?
A Google Account is your personal login for Gmail, Drive, and other services. A Google business account is simply a Google Account you dedicate to managing your business — including your Business Profile. We recommend a business email address rather than a personal Gmail so ownership stays with the company.
How long does it take to set up a Google business account?
Entering your details takes around 10-15 minutes. Verification can be instant (phone, email, or Search Console) or take 5-14 days if you verify by postcard.
Do I need a physical address to create a Google Business Profile?
No. Service-area businesses can hide their address and define service regions instead. But you must make in-person contact with customers to be eligible — purely online businesses without customer interaction cannot create a profile.
Is Google My Business the same as Google Business Profile?
Yes — they are the same product. Google renamed "Google My Business" to "Google Business Profile" in 2021 and retired the separate app in 2024. You now manage your profile directly on Google Search and Maps or via google.com/business.
Can someone else manage my Google business account?
Yes. You can invite additional owners and managers in your profile settings, so an employee or a trusted SEO agency can help manage it without ever seeing your password.
Get expert help setting up and growing your profile
Creating your Google My Business account is the foundation; ranking in the local map pack and turning views into customers is where the real work begins. D'Marketing Agency helps businesses create, verify, optimise, and grow their Google Business Profile alongside a complete local search strategy. Ready to dominate "near me" searches? Use the quote form on this page to request a free consultation — we will audit your profile and map out your next wins.
