Creating a Google My Business Listing When You Office in a Home Office

Order a Smart Google Review Card

Creating a Google My Business (GMB) listing from a home office is a great way to improve your online visibility and attract more customers locally. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

  1. Sign In to Google My Business: Go to Google My Business and sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create it.

  2. Add Your Business: Click on “Manage now” or “Start now” and enter your business name to see if it already exists. If it doesn’t, you’ll be prompted to add it.

  3. Enter Your Business Information: Fill in your business name exactly as it appears in the real world across signage, stationery, and other branding materials.

    For home-based businesses: When prompted for your address, you must enter your home address. This information is necessary for Google to verify your business, but you'll have the option to hide this address from the public later in the setup.

  4. Choose How You Want to Display Your Address: Google understands that some businesses operate from home and offers an option to hide your address and instead specify a service area. Choose “I deliver goods and services to my customers” if you go to your customers directly. You can then opt to hide your address and specify your service areas by city, postal code, or radius.

  5. Verification: Most businesses are required to verify their location to complete the setup. Google typically does this by mailing a postcard with a verification code to the address you provided. Once you receive it, enter the code in your Google My Business account to verify your business. There might be other verification methods available, like email, phone, or instant verification (the last one is often available for businesses that have used Google services extensively).

  6. Optimize Your Listing: After verification, complete your profile by adding a detailed description, operating hours, phone number, website, and photos. Photos are particularly important for home-based businesses as they add credibility and engage potential customers.

  7. Manage and Review Your Listing Regularly: Regularly update your listing with new photos, posts, offers, or events. Respond to reviews to engage with your customers and improve your visibility and ranking on Google.

  8. Privacy Considerations: For privacy, consider using a separate business phone number and email. This approach can help keep your personal information private and your business communications organized.

Google My Business is a powerful tool for local SEO and can significantly impact your business's visibility online. It's important to regularly maintain your listing to ensure it reflects your business accurately and to make the most of new features that Google regularly introduces.

For more detailed guidance or personalized advice, don't hesitate to get in touch with professional SEO consultants or digital marketing experts who can help you optimize your online presence.