The card that appears when somebody searches for a shop near them is not something the map puts there by itself. The owner either creates it or claims one a passer-by already added, and then proves the place is theirs.
If the place is not on the map at all
Start at business.google.com/add, choose “Add your business to Google”, and work through the on-screen fields. At the end a list of verification options appears; pick one and finish it.
If it is there but unclaimed
On a computer, open Maps, search the name and the city, then select “Claim this business” followed by “Manage now”, and choose how to verify.
On the phone app, search the name, tap the right result, open “About”, then “Claim this business” and “Manage now”.
The four ways to verify
The help centre lists a phone call or text carrying a code, an email, a live video call with a reviewer who sees the premises, and a posted card with a code on it. Not every option is offered to every business or in every country; the screen shows only what applies to that listing.
How long the review takes
Once the steps are done the details go for review, which takes up to five working days. The one shortcut is a site already verified in Search Console, which can clear instantly.
When verification does not go through
Three outcomes are documented. The verify button coming back means the proof did not complete, so another method is needed if one is offered. A “Review issues” prompt means the video was not accepted. A request for more documents means the details on file have moved on and need matching before another attempt.
Photograph: Souk Al-Mubarakiya in Kuwait City. Photo by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Source: Google Business Profile Help.
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