How to Get Your Business on Google (and Rank Higher): 2026 Guide
Getting listed is free and takes a few days. Getting found — ranking in the Map Pack and the local results — takes a complete profile, real reviews and a fast website. Here is the whole process, step by step.
Jump to: Register Verify Optimise Get indexed Reviews Rank higher Bing FAQs
How to register your business on Google
- Go to business.google.com and sign in with a Google account you control (not a personal one you might lose access to).
- Enter your business name exactly as it appears on your van, signage and invoices. Adding keywords can get your profile suspended.
- Choose your category — pick the most specific primary category (e.g. “Electrician”, not “Contractor”).
- Add your location or service area — a real address if customers visit you, or the areas you drive to if you go to them.
- Add phone and website, then finish and request verification.
This is free. You do not need to pay anyone to “register” you on Google.
How to verify your business
Google needs to confirm you are real. Depending on your business, verification is by video (most common now), postcard, phone or email. Video verification asks you to record your premises, tools, van and signage — so have them ready. It usually completes within about 5 business days.
Optimise your profile so it actually ranks
Verification gets you on Google. Optimisation is what gets you to the top. Complete every field: description, hours, services with prices, attributes, booking links, and at least 10 real photos. Then post weekly and answer your Q&A.
We wrote the full playbook here: Google Business Profile optimisation — the complete guide.
Get your website indexed by Google
A brand-new website can sit invisible for weeks. Speed it up:
- Add your site to Google Search Console and verify ownership.
- Submit your XML sitemap.
- Use “URL Inspection → Request indexing” for your key pages.
- Link to your site from your Google Business Profile, social profiles and directories.
You can check whether a page is indexed by searching site:yourdomain.com.
Build reviews — the strongest local signal
Reviews drive both your ranking and your conversion. Ask every happy customer, every job, with a direct review link sent by text within an hour. Reply to every review within 48 hours. In our 372-site local search study, 21% of businesses had fewer than 50 reviews — a wide open door for anyone who asks consistently.
How to get your business to the top of Google
Once you are listed and optimised, ranking comes down to three things:
- Relevance — the right categories, complete services, and pages that match what people search.
- Prominence — reviews, citations and local links. This is the long game and the real differentiator.
- Proximity — you can’t change it, but service-area and location pages extend your reach.
That is local SEO. If you’d rather not do it yourself, that is exactly what we do.
Don’t forget Bing Places
Bing still powers a meaningful slice of desktop search (and some AI answers). Listing on Bing Places for Business is quick, free, and lets you import your Google Business Profile in a few clicks. Ten minutes for extra visibility.
How GSA Growth can help
We get local service businesses across the US and UK found on Google — Google Business Profile, reviews, citations, location pages and technical fixes.
- Free website audit — your score, speed and issues in 30 seconds.
- $99 Local Leak Audit — a ranked, prioritised fix list.
- Local SEO programme — from $499/month.
Frequently asked questions
How do I register my business on Google?
Create a Google Business Profile at business.google.com, enter your business name, category, address or service area, phone and website, then verify. Verification is usually by video, postcard or phone, and typically completes within 5 business days.
How much does it cost to get my business on Google?
Listing your business on Google is free. What costs money is ranking: professional local SEO to win the Map Pack starts at $499/month with GSA Growth, or a $99 Local Leak Audit for a prioritised fix list.
How long does it take to get on Google?
Your Google Business Profile can be live within days once verified. Getting your website indexed usually takes days to a few weeks after you submit your sitemap in Google Search Console. Ranking in the Map Pack typically takes 30–90 days.
How do I get my business to the top of Google?
Three things: a complete, active Google Business Profile; more (and better) reviews than your local competitors; and a fast, well-structured website with location and service pages. Authority from local links is the long game.
Do I need a website to get on Google?
No — a Google Business Profile works without a website. But a website lets you rank for service and location searches beyond the Map Pack, and it makes your listing look far more credible.