1
Open business.google.com/add
Sign in with your business Google account. Select “Add your business to Google”.
Google Business Profile · Malaysia · free
How to put your business on Google Maps for free
A Google Business Profile puts your shop on Google Maps and Search. Google says you can add or claim it “at no charge”. Setup takes six steps.
Google's own words were read from its Help Center on 30 September 2026. Our own reads are labelled.
Six steps, free
Google Business Profile setup, step by step
2
Your name as on the signboard
The real name customers know. Leave out slogans, phone numbers, places and services.
3
Category and address
Go to customers, like aircon service? Remove the address and set up to 20 service areas instead.
4
Phone and website
A number someone answers. Add your website if you have one.
5
Verify the business
Pick one of the methods Google offers you. Review takes up to 5 business days.
6
Finish the profile
Opening hours, services, and real photos of your shop and your work.
Already on Google Maps? Search your business name and city in Google Maps. Select “Claim this business”, then “Manage now”, and verify.
Verification
How Google verifies your business
Google chooses which methods you see, from your business type, region and public info. The list is Google's call.
| Method | What you do |
|---|---|
| Phone or SMS | Enter the code Google sends |
| Open the link or code Google sends | |
| Video recording | Record one live clip on your phone, 30 seconds or longer |
| Live video call | Show the same things to a Google staff member on a call |
| Postcard | Enter the code printed on a card Google posts to your address |
The video: three things to show, in one take
| Show | Shop with a counter | You go to customers |
|---|---|---|
| Where you are | Street signs, building number, shops next door | The area you work in |
| That the business exists | Signboard with the same name as your profile | Your tools, equipment or branded van |
| That you run it | Open the cash register, storeroom or POS | Unlock the branded van, or show business papers |
Google asks for an unedited clip with no breaks, recorded and uploaded from the phone inside your Business Profile. Keep other people's faces out. Review takes up to 5 business days.
Cost
Is Google Business Profile free?
Yes. Google's own words: “You can add or claim your business at no charge.”
Google also says it “will never try to convince you to pay to maintain your Business Profile. This includes having your Business Profile verified or reinstated.”
A caller who asks for money to verify your profile is someone else. Hang up.
After setup
How long do edits take?
To edit later, go to business.google.com and select Edit profile, or open the Google Maps app and tap Business. Sign in with the Google account linked to the profile.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pending | Google is reviewing. Usually 10 minutes, sometimes up to 30 days |
| Accepted | The new info shows on your profile |
| Not approved | Google could not confirm the change is accurate |
Google's name rule
Your business name: what to write, what to leave out
| Write | Leave out |
|---|---|
| The name on your signboard | “Cheap”, “best”, “No. 1” |
| The same name as on your website and name card | A city or taman, unless it is part of the real name |
| One profile for one premises | Phone numbers or web addresses in the name |
Google says a name with extra words “could result in the suspension of your Business Profile”.
Why it matters now
ChatGPT shows your Google stars
Ask ChatGPT for the best aircon service in Penang and it answers with a map of shop cards. In our own reads on 28 and 30 September 2026, each card's stars and review count matched that shop's Google profile, 3 of 3.
Profile done? Rank higher on Google Maps, with a 30-day plan.
Then get more Google reviews, inside Google's rules.
Profile missing, unverified or suspended? Start with the four checks.
Questions owners type
Google Business Profile: questions and answers
How do I put my business on Google Maps for free?
Go to business.google.com/add, select Add your business to Google, fill in your details and verify. Google says you can add or claim a business at no charge.
Can I hide my home address?
Yes, if you serve customers at their place. Google asks you to remove the address and set service areas instead, up to 20, within about 2 hours' drive.
How long does verification take?
Google says verification reviews take up to 5 business days, and rarely longer. The methods you see depend on your business and region.
Does ChatGPT use my Google Business Profile?
In our own reads on 28 and 30 September 2026, ChatGPT's map cards in Malaysia showed each shop's Google stars and review count, 3 of 3 matched.
Sources, read 30 September 2026, Google Business Profile Help:
- Add or claim your Business Profile
- Verify your business on Google
- Verify your business with a video recording
- Manage your service areas
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google
- Edit your Business Profile
- Understand what happens to your Business Profile edits
- Help protect your Google Business Profile
- The ChatGPT map-card check is Dijumpai's own read, 28 and 30 September 2026