Google Business Profile

Before you start: check eligibility

1. 1Your business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours, at an office or at the customer's address.
2. 2Online-only businesses, lead generators and PO box addresses are not eligible.
3. 3Only the owner or an authorised representative can verify and manage the profile.

Step by step

1. 1Sign in to a Google Account. If you create a new one, use your business domain email.
2. 2Go to business.google.com/add.
3. 3Enter your brokerage's name. If it appears in the suggestions, select it.
4. 4If you see a message that someone has already verified the business, follow "Recover a profile" below.
5. 5Search for and choose your business category. Click Next.
6. 6Say whether you have a location customers can visit. With an office open to the public: Yes, and enter the address. Without one: No, and enter your service area (up to 20 areas).
7. 7Enter your phone number and website. Click Finish.
8. 8Choose a verification method and follow the on-screen instructions.

Important: Your profile only becomes visible to customers once verification is complete. Available methods are set by Google and cannot be changed. If video verification is offered, Google recommends it.

Route A: the person or agency still responds (fastest)

1. 1Ask them to add you as an owner under Business Profile settings > People and access. Use your own Google Account; never share passwords.
2. 2Ask the primary owner to transfer primary ownership to you: select your user, Access > Edit > Primary owner > Save.
3. 3Wait 7 days. During that time, a new owner cannot remove other users or change the primary owner.
4. 4Then remove the freelancer's or agency's access, or keep them as managers only.

Important: Transferring primary ownership keeps all profile information, including reviews.

Route B: the person or agency does not respond

1. 1Go to business.google.com/add and enter your brokerage's name and address.
2. 2Select the business from the list. You will see "Someone may already manage this Business Profile".
3. 3Select Request access, complete the form and click Submit.
4. 4You will get a confirmation email. The current owner has 3 days to respond.
5. 5Approved: you can manage the profile. Denied: you can appeal. No response: you may get the option to claim the profile (not always available).

Important: If you work without an office open to the public (service area business), the request is made by contacting Google support with the description "Transfer ownership of listing".

After recovery: protect the profile

1. 1Give access only to people who need it. Remember that owners can transfer the profile.
2. 2Remove former staff and suppliers who no longer work with you.
3. 3If you hire an agency, add them as a manager and always keep ownership on the brokerage side.