Creating a New Listing
No existing listing was found for your business, so we'll create one from scratch. This is actually the cleanest path — you're starting fresh with no mistakes to fix.
Start Creating Your Listing
What to do
Go to Google Business Profile and begin adding your new business. Take your time here — getting the basics right from the start is important.
Step by step
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Go to business.google.com in your web browser. This is the official Google Business Profile Manager.
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Sign in with your Google account. Use the account you want to own this listing. Remember, this should be an account you control — not your web designer's or an agency's account.
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Click "Manage now" or "Add your business to Google" — Look for the main button to get started.
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Search for your business name first. Even though you couldn't find a listing before, search again just to be sure. If nothing comes up that matches, you'll see an option to "Add your business" or "Create a business with this name".
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Click to add your business as a new listing. This starts the creation process.
Enter Your Business Name
What to do
Type your business name EXACTLY as it appears in the real world. This is critically important — mistakes here cause major problems.
Step by step
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Type your business name exactly as it appears on your signage, business cards, or legal registration. If your shop sign says "Smith's Café", type exactly that. Not "Smiths Cafe" (missing apostrophe). Not "Smith's Café - Best Coffee in Town" (added keywords).
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Do NOT add anything extra to your name. No location ("Smith's Café Manchester"), no keywords ("Smith's Café - Breakfast Lunch Coffee"), no phone numbers, no taglines. Just the name.This is the single most common mistake businesses make. Adding keywords feels like it would help, but it violates Google's guidelines and can get your listing suspended.
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Use proper capitalisation. "Smith's Café" not "SMITH'S CAFÉ" or "smith's café". Write it how you'd want it to appear to customers.
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Check your spelling. You can change it later, but getting it right now saves hassle.
Examples by industry
✓ CORRECT: "Aquaflow Plumbing Services" | ✗ WRONG: "Aquaflow Plumbing Services - 24/7 Emergency Plumber Plymouth" | ✗ WRONG: "Aquaflow Plumbing" (if that's not your actual registered name)
✓ CORRECT: "The Corner Café" | ✗ WRONG: "The Corner Café - Best Breakfast in Exeter" | ✗ WRONG: "Corner Cafe Exeter" (missing 'The', no accent, added location)
✓ CORRECT: "Riverside Dental Practice" | ✗ WRONG: "Riverside Dental Practice - NHS Dentist Bristol Accepting Patients" | ✗ WRONG: "Riverside Dentist"
✓ CORRECT: "Harrison & Co Solicitors" | ✗ WRONG: "Harrison & Co Solicitors - Family Law Specialists Birmingham" | ✗ WRONG: "Harrisons Solicitors" (wrong punctuation)
Why is Google so strict about business names?
Google's guidelines state your business name should reflect your real-world business name. The reason is simple: keyword-stuffed names give an unfair ranking advantage and clutter up search results with spam. Google actively enforces this — they suspend listings with keywords added to names, and competitors can report you. It's not worth the risk. Your business name is for identification, not marketing. You'll have plenty of other places to add keywords (description, services, posts).
**Seriously: do not add keywords to your business name.** We know competitors seem to do it. We know it seems like it would help. But it violates Google's terms, risks suspension, and we've seen businesses lose their entire listing over this. Use your real name only. There are better ways to rank that we'll cover later.
Choose Your Primary Category
What to do
Select the category that best describes what your business IS, not everything it does. This is one of the most important ranking factors.
Step by step
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Start typing what your business is. Google will show suggestions as you type. For example, type "plumber" and you'll see options like "Plumber", "Plumbing Supply Store", etc.
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Choose the most specific category that accurately describes your PRIMARY business. If you're a plumber, choose "Plumber" not "Home Services". If you're an Italian restaurant, choose "Italian Restaurant" not just "Restaurant".
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Pick what you ARE, not what you DO. A plumber who also does heating work is still primarily a "Plumber" — you can add "Heating Contractor" as a secondary category later.
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You can only choose from Google's preset categories. You can't type in your own. If you can't find an exact match, choose the closest option available.
Examples by industry
Primary: "Plumber" — Not "Emergency Plumbing Service" (not a real category). You can add specifics like "Water Heater Installation Service" as secondary categories later.
Primary: "Cafe" or "Coffee Shop" — Choose based on your main identity. "Breakfast Restaurant" is an option if breakfast is your main thing. You'll add secondary categories like "Sandwich Shop" later.
Primary: "Dentist" or "Dental Clinic" — These are the main options. Specialties like "Cosmetic Dentist" or "Pediatric Dentist" can be added as secondary categories.
Primary: "Solicitor" or your specialty like "Family Law Solicitor", "Conveyancing Solicitor" — Check what categories are available for your specific type of law.
Why does category matter so much?
Your primary category is one of the strongest signals Google uses to decide when to show your listing. If someone searches "plumber near me", Google primarily looks at businesses with "Plumber" as their category. A plumber categorised as "Home Improvement" will barely appear for plumbing searches. You can add secondary categories later (up to 9 more), but your primary category should be the main thing you want to be found for.
Choose: Physical Location or Service Area?
What to do
Google will ask if customers visit your business location, or if you go to customers. Choose the option that matches how your business actually works.
Step by step
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"Yes, I have a location customers can visit" — Choose this if you have a shop, office, restaurant, or any premises where customers come to you. You'll enter your full address and it will be shown publicly on your listing.
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"No, I deliver goods and services to my customers" — Choose this if you're a service-area business like a plumber, cleaner, mobile hairdresser, etc. You go to customers, they don't come to you. Your address will NOT be shown publicly.
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Some businesses are both. A bakery might serve customers in the shop AND deliver cakes. A dentist sees patients at the surgery AND does home visits. If customers CAN visit your location, choose the first option. You can add service areas later.
Examples by industry
Choose "No, I deliver goods and services" — Customers don't visit your home/office; you go to their homes. Your home address stays hidden, but you'll define the areas you serve.
Choose "Yes, I have a location" — Customers visit your café. Your address will be shown publicly, and a pin will appear on Google Maps.
Choose "Yes, I have a location" — Patients visit your surgery. Even if you do some home visits, your main business is at your practice address.
Choose "Yes, I have a location" — Clients visit your office for consultations. Your office address will be shown publicly.
Enter Your Address
What to do
Enter your business address accurately. For service-area businesses, this is still required but won't be shown publicly.
Step by step
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Type your full address including postcode. Use the format Google suggests — usually this means letting their autocomplete help you find the exact address.
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Make sure it matches exactly. The address should match what's on your business correspondence, utility bills, etc. Google may check this during verification.
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If you're in a building with multiple businesses, include your unit number, floor, or suite. For example: "Suite 3, 42 High Street" or "First Floor, Oak House".
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If Google can't find your address, you may need to place a pin on the map manually. Zoom in and drop the pin exactly where your business entrance is located.
Define Your Service Areas (If Applicable)
What to do
If you're a service-area business, you'll specify which areas you serve. Be realistic — only include areas you actually cover.
Step by step
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Add the areas you genuinely serve. You can add cities, towns, counties, or postcodes. Start typing and select from the suggestions.
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Be honest about your range. Don't add areas you wouldn't actually travel to. If a customer from that area calls, would you go? If not, don't add it.
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You can add up to 20 service areas. But more isn't always better. Focus on your main areas where you want to rank.
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You can always adjust this later. Start with your core areas and expand if needed.
Examples by industry
If you're based in Plymouth and cover a 20-mile radius, add: Plymouth, Saltash, Ivybridge, Tavistock, etc. Don't add Exeter if you wouldn't actually drive there.
Not applicable — cafés have physical locations, not service areas. Skip this section.
Usually not applicable — patients come to you. Unless you specifically offer home visits as a service, skip this.
Usually not applicable, but if you advertise serving clients across a region (e.g., all of the West Midlands), you could add service areas.
Add Your Contact Details
What to do
Enter your phone number and website. These will be displayed prominently on your listing.
Step by step
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Enter your main business phone number. This is the number customers will click to call you, so make sure it's one you actually answer. Mobile or landline — either is fine.
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Enter your website address (if you have one). Include the full URL with https:// — for example, https://www.yourbusiness.co.uk. Make sure there are no typos.
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No website? That's okay. You can leave this blank or come back and add it later. Your Google Business Profile will work without a website.
Verify Your New Listing
What to do
Just like claiming an existing listing, you'll need to verify you're the legitimate owner. The process is the same as described in the previous section.
Step by step
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Choose your verification method. You'll typically be offered postcard, phone, or video verification — the same options covered in "Claiming an Existing Listing".
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Complete the verification. Follow the steps for your chosen method. Postcard takes 5-14 days; phone is instant; video takes 1-5 days for review.
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Once verified, your listing is live. It will start appearing in Google Search and Maps, and you'll have full control to edit and optimise it.
If phone verification is offered, take it — it's by far the fastest option. You can be fully verified and live within minutes instead of waiting nearly two weeks for a postcard.