Is my business on Google Maps?

Three ways to check

1. Use the checker above. It runs the same Google Maps search a customer would and shows your listing, whether it's claimed, your rating and your review count.
2. Search Google Maps yourself. Open maps.google.com (or the app), type your exact business name and town, and look for your listing in the results or as a pin on the map.
3. Check the account you manage it with. Search your business name on Google while signed in to that account. If you manage it, a "Your business on Google" panel appears above the results, or you can open business.google.com.

Tip: Searching your own name only tells you the listing exists. It doesn't tell you whether customers searching "plumber" or "pool cleaning" three miles away can see you. That's a different question, covered below.

What your result means

How to add your business to Google Maps

Adding your business is free. From Google's help page:

1. Go to business.google.com/add and sign in with the Google Account you want to manage the business with (use a business account, not a personal one you might lose).
2. Choose Add your business to Google.
3. Enter your business name exactly as it appears on your sign and paperwork, then pick the most specific category for what you do.
4. Add your address if customers visit you. If you go to customers instead, add the area you serve and hide your address.
5. Add your phone number and website, then choose a verification option and follow the steps.

Google only shows verified businesses on Maps and Search, and says new businesses can take up to a month to appear. See Google's verification guide.

How to claim a listing that already exists

If your business shows on Maps but nobody manages it, claim it. On a computer:

1. Open Google Maps and search for your business name and town.
2. Select your business, then Claim this business, then Manage now.
3. Choose a verification option and follow the on-screen steps.

In the Google Maps app, open the listing, tap About, then Claim this business and Manage now.

If someone else already manages it

This is common when a former employee, a previous agency or a family member set it up. From Google's help page:

1. Go to business.google.com/add and enter your business name and address.
2. Pick your business. If you see Someone else may manage this Business Profile, continue.
3. Choose Request access, fill in the form and send it.

The current owner gets an email and has 3 days to answer. If they don't, you may be able to claim it from the link in your confirmation email. Service-area businesses with no address have to contact Google support instead.

On Google Maps, but customers can't find you?

This is the most common situation we see. The listing exists, the owner can find it by name, but customers searching for the service don't see it. Google ranks local results by relevance, distance and prominence, so where you show up changes from street to street.

• Check your real ranking from many points across your area, not just from your desk. See how to check your Google Maps ranking, or run our free 81-place scan.
• Look for a problem with the listing: unverified, suspended, recent edits under review, or the wrong category. See why your business isn't showing on Google Maps.
• Close the gap with the businesses above you: reviews, categories, photos and a complete profile. Start with getting more Google reviews.

Keep your listing showing

• Keep it verified, and keep the account that manages it safe (add a second owner you trust).
• Use your real business name, with no added keywords or towns. Google can suspend listings that do.
• Keep your hours, phone number and website right, including holiday hours.
• Pick the most specific primary category, plus a few relevant extras.
• Get new reviews every week and reply to all of them.
• Add recent photos of your work.

Google's own advice is in tips to improve your local ranking.