The Afternoon Sign-Up Plan: Getting a U.S. Business Onto Maps, Directories and Review Sites

Getting your business onto the major maps, directories and review sites isn't hard, but it is fiddly. Each platform wants a slightly different account, a slightly different verification step and the same details typed in again. Owners who try to do it between customers usually end up with half-finished profiles and three different versions of their phone number.

A better approach: block one afternoon, gather everything first and work through the platforms in an order that saves time. Google, Bing, Apple, Yelp and Facebook don't charge for a basic profile. Here's the plan.

Before you start: the prep kit

Put all of this in one document so you can copy and paste instead of retyping:

• Business name, written exactly as it appears on your sign and paperwork
• Address, including suite number and ZIP, or the list of towns you serve if you travel to customers
• Main phone number, preferably a local number, and the same one everywhere
• Website address, tested to make sure it loads
• Business email you check regularly
• Main category, the most specific one that fits, plus two or three secondary ones
• Description, 150 to 300 words on what you do, where and for whom
• Hours, for every day, plus your usual holiday schedule
• Photos: at least five good ones, including the storefront or vehicle, inside, your work and your team
• Logo, as a square image

Identical details matter more than most owners realize. Search engines compare your information across sites, and small differences make them less sure about you. This guide on matching business details explains why.

The accounts you'll need

Several platforms sign you in with an account you may already have:

If you can, create these with a business email you'll keep long term, so it's easy to hand access to a partner or employee later.

The order that saves time

Hour one: Google, then Bing

Hour two: Apple and Listings Junkie

3. Apple Business Connect. It controls how you appear in Apple Maps and to Siri, which matters if many of your customers use iPhones. Add your details and verify.
4. Listings Junkie. Create your account, choose the category that fits, and add your name, address, phone, email, website, description and logo. Confirm your business email when prompted; listings are reviewed before they go live.

Hour three: review and social platforms

5. Yelp. Search first to see if a page already exists for your business. If it does, claim it; if not, add it and verify.
6. Facebook business page. Create a page for a local business, fill in the category, address, phone and hours, and add a profile photo, cover image and a few more pictures.
7. Foursquare. Its location data is used by a number of other apps and services, so a correct entry here can travel further than you'd expect.

Then add your industry's platforms

Once the general platforms are done, add the ones your customers use for your type of business. A few examples:

• Home services: Angi, Houzz, Nextdoor
• Restaurants: Tripadvisor and reservation platforms
• Healthcare: Healthgrades and other provider directories
• Legal: Avvo and attorney directories
• Everyone: the Better Business Bureau and YellowPages

Our list of directories worth claiming has more detail on each.

How many is enough?

Start with the core set above and your industry's main platforms. A dozen or so complete, accurate profiles beat a hundred half-finished ones on sites nobody visits. Add more gradually, one or two a month, as part of your upkeep. Local SEO for small businesses explains how these profiles fit into the bigger picture.

Mistakes that undo the work

• Stuffing keywords into your business name. "Smith Plumbing" should be "Smith Plumbing," not "Smith Plumbing Best Emergency Plumber Dallas." That breaks Google's guidelines and can get you suspended.
• Skipping verification. Unverified profiles often can't be fully edited and may not show up well.
• Leaving the description blank. It's your chance to say what you do and where.
• Using a P.O. box or mailbox store as your address. Most platforms don't accept them. If you work from home or travel to customers, hide your address and list a service area; here's how.
• Mixing up phone numbers. Pick one and use it everywhere.
• Setting up and walking away. Profiles need occasional attention: new photos, current hours and replies to reviews.

Quick answers

What if a platform already has a page for my business that I didn't create?

That's common. Claim it rather than creating a second one, then correct the details. Duplicates split your reviews and confuse customers.

Do I need a website before I start?

No. Profiles work without one, and you can add the link later. If you do have a site, make sure it loads on a phone and shows the same name, address and phone as your profiles.

What if verification takes a while?

Some platforms verify instantly; others take days or send mail. Note what's pending on your list, move on to the next platform and come back to finish.

After the afternoon

• Reply to any existing reviews on every platform, especially the critical ones; this guide helps
• Ask your recent happy customers for reviews
• Put a monthly reminder on your calendar to check hours, add photos and post an update
• Keep a simple list of every platform, the login email and the date you last checked it

The listing checklist has the full routine, and this piece on growth from listings shows what steady upkeep adds up to. One focused afternoon now saves a lot of confusion later, and it means customers who search for you will find the same, accurate business everywhere they look.