How-to: Creating An Account With Google

TL;DR - Takeaways for the impatient

• This is a How-To guide: step by step instructions for creating a Google business account follow
• Creating a Google account for your business is quick and easy and free
• Your business Google account provides access to all your Google tools, including Analytics, Search Account, Webmaster Tools, YouTube and Google+ page
• Creating your Google account will also create a Google+ page for your business
• There are several kinds of Google+ pages, and you need to select the right one for your business

Creating a Business Account

Why Have A Separate Google Account For Your Business?

Google has both personal and business accounts. You will want to create a business account to manage your business website and other Google resources, separate from your personal account, if you have one. A business account will also allow you to add additional managers, which you can define to give people like us or your employees access to the data collected for your website.

About Google+ Pages and Business Accounts

Google+ pages are automatically created and linked to Google business accounts when they are created. Originally Google's entry into social networking, Google+ pages grew out of Google Buzz, Google Friend Connect and Orkut. Launched in 2011, Google+ pages were originally somewhat similar to Facebook, in that page owners could post videos, images, and information for sharing. Although slow to gain user acceptance, Google+ pages underwent a redesign in late 2015, and now provide a user profile (for person or business), post articles, videos, etc., Circles (which permit sharing with users you choose) and Hangouts, live video conference sessions. However you feel about Google+, or how it changes in the future, you will have a Google+ page created when you create your Google account, so read the next paragraph to select the right kind of page for your business.

What Kind of Business Account Should You Choose?

Google offers two basic kinds of Google My Business accounts, each with a different sort of Google+ page-one for businesses with business addresses, the local Google+ page and for those without, the Google+ brand page. The difference is that Google+ brand pages do not include address or physical location information that appear in Google Maps. Google suggests Google+ brand pages for brands, organizations or artists, entertainers and sports. There are special processes for organizations with multiple locations

Create a Google My Business Account

The following images show one of our test sites set up with a Google account. To begin, open your browser (Google Chrome works best with Google) and point it to business.google.com/manage. Click on "Create account".

Your browser will be connected to the Google My Business > Add your business page. When you type in your business name, you will see a list of similar business names from Google Maps. If your business name is on the list, you can select it.

Otherwise, you will be given a form to complete with your business information. If you work from a store, office or other location where you meet with, serve or otherwise deliver goods and services to your customers, and if this location is under your control (not a coffee house, internet cafe, etc.), be sure to click on the "I deliver goods and services... box".

Once you have provided your business information, you will be prompted to verify your site ownership.

Once you have confirmed business ownership, you will be informed how your verification will be delivered by Google.

After you click on the verification notification butt, you will be taken to the Welcome screen for your Google+ page. We recommend that you click on the "Get Started" button, and upload your logo, a business photo if you have one, and the URL of your website. If you do nothing further with your Google+ page, at least that data will be present.

When you receive your verification, follow the instructions and verify your site with Google.

References:

Google: "Show people you're open for businesss", https://www.google.com/business/?gmbsrc=us-en-ha-se-z-gmb-s-z-h~bk-help&ppsrc=GMBS0&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4J-6BRD3h_KIoqijwvkBEiQAfcPiBRwNWhHm3uk66as4R4qRkviv85b2OCOCSC_bSWChnqwaAmJq8P8HAQ

Google: "Create a business account", https://support.google.com/business/answer/6085339?hl=en&ref_topic=6085325

Google: "Create a brand page on Google", https://support.google.com/business/answer/4570248

Google: "About Google+ pages", https://support.google.com/plus/answer/1710600?hl=en

Google: "Google+ Pages and Google My Business", https://support.google.com/plus/answer/6004997?hl=en

Wikipedia on Google+ Pages: "Google+", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google%2B

Ryan Hanley, "How Perception Became Reality and I Had to Breakup with Google+", http://www.ryanhanley.com/how-perception-became-reality-breakup-with-google-plus/

MarketingLand, Mark Traphagen, "Why Google Plus Will Not Die (But May Change), http://marketingland.com/google-plus-will-die-may-change-82377