Lesson 1 of 3 · Claim your profile
Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
What it is
Your business may already appear on Google Maps even if you never created a listing. Google builds profiles from public records, directories and customer suggestions, and anyone can suggest edits to an unclaimed one. Claiming means proving the business is yours so you control what customers see. 1. Search your exact business name and town on Google Maps. If a listing exists, open it and choose "Claim this business" or "Own this business?". 2. If nothing exists, sign in with a Google account you control long term and add your business with its real-world name, exactly as it appears on your sign, invoices and website. 3. Choose the verification method Google offers: phone, email, postcard, video recording or live video call. Availability depends on your business type and history. 4. For video verification, record one continuous clip showing your location, signage or equipment, and proof you manage the business, such as unlocking the door or opening the till. 5. Wait for confirmation before making big edits. Changing the name, category or address immediately after verifying can trigger a re-check.
Why it matters
Until you claim and verify, you cannot correct wrong hours, respond to reviews, add photos or publish posts. Worse, an unclaimed listing can be edited by the public, and a competitor or well-meaning customer can mark you closed or change your phone number. Verification is also what unlocks the performance data that shows how customers find you.
✓ Good example
Fictional Maple Leaf Plumbing & Heating in Canton, OH finds an unclaimed listing with old hours. The owner claims it, verifies by video showing the branded van and office, then corrects the hours and adds the real phone number.
✗ Common mistake
Creating a second listing because the first has a wrong detail, adding keywords to the business name to rank better, or using a virtual office address to appear in a city you do not serve. All three risk suspension.
You pass when: You own one verified listing, the name matches your real-world signage, and you can edit hours, photos and posts.
Check it now with our free Google Business Profile checker.