Google Maps is of central importance to local businesses. The online business card service is part of the most successful search engine provider in the world’s product portfolio and is directly integrated into their search engine. Google is the internet starting point for most user’s research, and not just for searches that target specific information.
Searching for products, services and providers is also primarily done through Google, and not just at home on the PC but also with smartphones while on the go.
Business owners who want to provide potential customers with information about their business on Google Maps, Google Web Search or other Google products just need to create a Google My Business listing or claim an existing Google business listing entry for their company.
To sign into Google Maps using Google My Business listings, follow these steps:
Google My Business is a free tool that enables entrepreneurs to create and manage their company’s online presence on the entire Google product range.
Step 1: Call up Google My Business on your web browser.
Step 2: Click the “Start Now” button, either to the top right of the login button or at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3: Sign in with your Google Account or create a new account.
Step 4: Enter the name of your company in the designated field and confirm the entry by clicking on “Next”.
If your company is already registered with Google My Business, you will see the name as a suggestion when you’re typing.
Step 5: Choose where to enter your company on Google Maps. Type the address in the designated fields.
Select the “I Provide Goods and Services at the Customer Location” checkbox if you visit or deliver to customers at home.
If you are only working offsite or at customer’s homes, select the checkbox “Hide My Address” (no store).
If you provide goods or services at the customer location, Google My Business offers you three different ways to define your services.
Serve customers either by post or courier, within a radius as defined by you around the company’s physical location, or limit their offer to a specific region (city, zip code).
Step 6: Enter the category of business that most applies to you.
You can change the company’s category at any time, as well as add additional categories.
Step 7: Decide what contact details you want to make available to your customers in your Google Maps listing.
Step 8: Get Google marketing tips sent to you if needed.
Step 9: Confirm your entry for the Google Maps listing and complete the sign-up process by clicking “Finish”.
Step 10: Finally, select a confirmation option and confirm your affiliation with the company, proving your claim to the Google business directory entry.
The verification method depends on the type of business you want to do. The most common method is postal confirmation. This is done as follows:
Google will send you the confirmation postcard within two weeks. Make sure that you don’t change the address on Google My Business or the company category during this time, and do not request a new verification code either. If you still haven’t received a postcard from Google after two weeks, it’s best to get in touch with Google My Business’s support team directly.
Google offers confirmation by phone, text, email or the Google Search Console to selected companies. If you see any of these verification methods available on your Google My Business account, just follow the on-screen instructions to complete the confirmation quickly and conveniently.
If you already have a Google Maps listing for your business, Google will notify you of a conflict of ownership. Only one holder can be confirmed for each entry. In this instance, your entry will be considered a duplicate until you have the ownership transferred to you by the current owner.
Owner conflicts occur, for example, if another person in your organization or a contracted agency has already created an entry for your business.
To request access to the Google Maps listing, follow these steps:
The current owner now has seven days to respond to your request. Afterwards, Google will inform you by email whether your application has been granted or whether the current owner has refused to relinquish ownership.
If the current owner does not respond within the seven-day period, you may have the option to register as the owner yourself. In this case, you will see a corresponding option in your Google My Business account after logging in.
Google My Business is just one of many online business directories. Do you want to always be present on all relevant platforms with up-to-date information about your company? Then consider IONOS’ offer: List Local, which could be the service for you.
If you want to embed Google Maps on your website, you have two options: either you can integrate the software using a simple iFrame element and pre-determined HTML code, or you can explore Google Maps APIs, the official programming interface of the online mapping giant. We’ll take you through the benefits of embedding Google Maps and explain the differences between the two integration methods.
Small and medium-sized companies are often hesitant about taking their first steps into the world of online business: the competition is too big, they don’t have enough online experience, etc. Even if you’ve decided against selling online and have instead chosen to go for brick and mortar trade, you still can’t afford to neglect online marketing. An increasing number of people go online to look...
People all over the world use navigation apps on a daily basis to look for information and get to destinations safely. Google Maps, the map service by Mountain View’s infamous net giant is the undisputed market leader. It comes preinstalled on Android smartphones and is also used by countless PC users. Nevertheless, concerns about the privacy and objectivity of Google Maps are common. This article...
For local entrepreneurs and business owners, a Google business registration has become an indispensable marketing tool. But you don’t need to be an expert to take advantage of Google My Business. We’ve summarized the steps to register your business on Google My Business. Read on to find out how to get the most out of the platform.
You can add Google Maps on your WordPress site and all it takes is just a few easy steps. Choose between copy/pasting an embed code or using a plugin. We show you how to embed Google Maps in WordPress with and without a plugin, explain all about API keys, and review some of the best plugins available. Read on to find out more.
Provide powerful and reliable service to your clients with a web hosting package from IONOS.
