How to get your business on Google

1. The map results

The box of nearby businesses at the top of local searches comes from Google Business Profile. It is free, it is the fastest result to achieve, and for most local trades it brings more calls than anything else. Start here.

2. The ordinary search results

Below the map sit normal web pages. To appear there you need a website with real pages: your services, your area, your prices, your contact details. Google cannot show a business that has nothing to show.

A single clear page usually beats a large empty site. Make sure your town and your trade appear naturally in your headings and text.

3. Reviews and mentions

Reviews on your Google profile, plus mentions of your name, address and phone number on other sites, tell Google you are a real operating business. Keep those details written the same way everywhere.

4. Directories and social pages

Local directories and your Facebook page often rank for your business name. They are extra doors into your business and cost nothing but time.

The order that works

• Create and verify your Google Business Profile
• Build a simple website and add the link to the profile
• Collect your first five reviews
• List the business in two or three local directories
• Post updates and new photos monthly

How long it takes

A verified profile can show within days. Website pages usually take several weeks to settle in search. Nothing here is instant, which is why starting now matters more than starting perfectly.