Are you Listed in Google Maps?
This post is part of the series Making the Most of Your Google Maps/Google Local Business Center Listing.
Are you Listed?
Is your business listed on Google Maps? Google populates its Map listings from various sources, but your business might be a new business, it might have undergone a name change, or maybe you were never listed in any of the directories Google sources its information from to begin with.
To find out if you are listed, try performing a local search for your business category. For instance, if you install carpet and are located in Sudbury Massachusetts, search Google for “Carpet Sudbury MA”. SEE ABOVE.
If you don’t find your business, try some searches in related categories, for instance “Flooring Sudbury MA” or “Carpet InstallerSudbury MA”. If you still don’t find yourself, you may have a listing but are not being shown in the ‘top-ten’. Click on the link at the bottom of the ‘ten-pack’ that says something like “More Results Near Sudbury MA >>”. After this, if you still can’t find yourself, chances are you need to add your business listing to Google.
On the other hand, if you are listed, skip to the second part of this series ’Most Google Map Listings are Inaccurate or Incomplete. Is Yours?’ If you need to become listed, keep reading.
Adding Your Business Listing
- First, sign up for a Google Account. SEE BELOW – click on ‘Create an Account Now’.
- After completing the account signup process, go to the Google Local Business Center. Make sure that you are signed in and then click ‘Add new business’.
- Enter Your Business Information. All of the fields are not required – if you don’t have a website and/or don’t want to be contacted via an email address, just leave those sections blank.
- Pay special attention to the description box. List all of the different services your firm offers. Think about how searchers might be searching for you.
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After submitting your business information, Google might find an instance where you are already listed and ask if you want to ‘Claim’ that listing. If the listing is indeed for your business, go ahead and claim it. It is a good idea to claim your business records and not have more than one business listing per company name per address.
- Next you will come to a screen where you can add additional details about your business. Enter relevant information including your operating hours, method of payment accepted, and other details. Of particular importance is the business categories that you select – SEE BELOW.
- Accurately filling these out helps Google classify your business and match you with the best searches. Try to be as specific as possible, using the Google suggested categories if you can, or if not, writing in your own categories. Fortunately, Google is very good at drawing inferences. If you are a flooring company and list a specific category such as ‘Wood Floor Installation’, Google knows that you also will be appropriate for the more general ‘Flooring’ searches. Google only allows 5 categories, so be specific with your choices and use your best judgment.
- Finally, after you submit this page, Google will validate your business listing by phone (immediately) or by postcard. Your new listing isn’t published until you complete the validation.
- Congratulations! You have a new business listing on Google Maps. If you don’t see it appear immediately when searching, give it a couple days. Now continue reading to get the most out of your listing.
Making the Most of Your Google Maps/Google Local Business Center Listing
1 – Are you Listed in Google Maps?
2 – Most Google Map Listings are Inaccurate or Incomplete. Is Yours?
3 – The Case of the Italian Restaurant that wasn’t an Italian Restaurant and the Dangers of Not Being Correctly Categorized In Google Maps (Coming Soon)
4 – Google Maps Alone is Not a Marketing Strategy. The Limitations of a Google Map Listing (Coming Soon)
5 – A Picture is Worth More Than a Thousand Words on Google Maps and other Secrets to Helping Your Listing Stand Out (Coming Soon)
6 – Who is Looking for You? Using Google Maps Analytics (Coming Soon)
7 – Can I Get to The Top of the Google Map Business Listings (Coming Soon)
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