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Creating and verifying a Google Business Profile account is an important milestone every business should meet. When your GBP account has been verified and properly updated with all the details of your business, it can boost your visibility on Google, and allows online users to discover and connect with your business more easily.

However, creating and verifying your Google Business Profile account can be confusing if you aren’t familiar with the process. It involves creating multiple accounts and utilizing two separate platforms on Google, so keeping track of where you are and what you need might be difficult. This guide takes you step-by-step from creating your own Google Account to verifying your GBP account and optimizing your business profile.

Benefits of a Google Business Profile Account

Having a verified and optimized GBP account opens up new paths by which consumers can view and access your business. Not only can it help improve your company’s online visibility, it can also boost customer acquisition, build your online reputation, and rank you above your competitors on the search engine result page (SERP).

Think of your Google Business Profile account as a virtual storefront. If online users can see pictures of your business, positive reviews, and proper contact information, there is a greater likelihood they will engage with your business. Google also wants to showcase the best businesses that will satisfy their users’ needs. By building out your profile, this demonstrates to Google that you have the resources and authority to meet the needs of these users. This can influence Google to rank your website higher on its SERP.

What You Need to Verify Your Google Business Profile Account

As mentioned earlier, there are several different accounts through various platforms you need to verify your GBP account. Here, we describe each type of account so you understand the difference between them and why you need all three.

Standard Google Account

This is what many people refer to as their Gmail account. It is the free account you can set up in Google that provides access to Gmail as well as Google Docs, Google Drive, and more. Most have a personal Google account set up, but business owners will need to create a secondary account used for their business.

Business Profile

This is the local listing users see when they search either directly for your business or by entering relevant keywords into the search box. All relevant information including your business’s address, phone number, hours of operation and more will be shown. The highest-ranking business profiles will appear in what is known as Google’s 3-pack. A business profile can exist even if the owner has not verified their GBP account and claimed their listing.

Google Business Profile Account

This is another free account on Google that allows you to manage your business profile. It is on this account that you can add in the relevant information that is shown on your business profile.

Steps to Verifying your Business on Google

Now that you understand what different Google accounts you need, you can begin the process of verifying your business on Google.

Step 1: Create a Standard Google Account for your Business

While you may have a personal Google account already set up, you will need to have a separate account created specifically for your business. Start by going to accounts.google.com/signin and click “Create Account”. You will then have to choose “To manage my business” and fill in the required details.

Step 2: Confirm you have a Business Profile

You need to have a business profile set up so that you can connect it with your Google Business Profile account. As mentioned previously, business profiles can exist without the owners claiming their listing, so there is a chance your business profile is already out there. In this situation, your business profile will need to have information added to it. A business profile is simply a place on Google Maps, which any person or computer can add.

To confirm you either have a business profile or need to create one, start by going to Google.com/maps. Here, you can search for your business. If your business shows up with an address, that means another party has already created your profile for you.

If your search shows no results, it is up to you to add your business to Google Maps.

If this happens, click “Add a missing place” and enter the necessary information. There will be an option to claim your business; you will have to skip that option until you have created a Google Business Profile account.

Step 3: Create a Google Business Profile Account

Now you can create a Google Business Profile account by using the standard Google account you have created for your business in Step 1. Log into your standard Google account for your business and go to google.com/business. Here, you will click “Manage now” and fill in the required information, such as address, phone number, website, and more.

Step 4: Request to Claim your Business Profile

Now that your GBP account is set up, you need to claim your business profile (from Step 2) so that Google knows you own that business and can connect the profile with your Google Business Profile account.

To do so, search for your business either through Google Maps (like in Step 2) or directly through Google search. If you search directly through Google, you should see “Own this business?” underneath your business profile.

If you search using Google maps as in Step 2, you will see “Claim this business” appear under your business profile.

Either method works. Clicking on those buttons will take you to a screen where you will see “Manage now”. Fill in the information required by Google. Always be sure that you are logged in with your standard Google account you created for your business when completing this step.

Step 5: Verify your Google Business Profile account

After entering all the needed information in Step 4, there are different ways Google might verify your business. You may get verified instantly depending on the type of business you own and if you have created the business profile for it. If your business profile already existed, you will be sent a verification code either over the phone, email, or regular mail. Entering the verification code will give you complete ownership of your business profile and will allow you to manage and edit it through your Google Business Profile account.

Growing your Business After Verifying your Google Account

Managing your business’s online presence can be just as critical to its success as managing the physical location. With an optimized business profile on Google, you can rise above your competitors and engage with a wider range of potential customers. The process to verify your GBP account may seem confusing, but by following these five easy steps, you can be on your way to enhancing your business. For help with managing your Google Business profile, do not hesitate to reach out to our skilled and dedicated online marketing team!