How to get your church on Google Maps

When someone searches for "church near me", the first thing they usually see isn't a list of websites. It's a map with a handful of pins, each showing a name, a rating, opening hours and a button for directions. Those listings come from Google Business Profile, a free service from Google.

If your church doesn't have a profile — or has one that nobody looks after — you may be invisible to the very people looking for you. Here's how to fix it.

Check whether your church already has a listing

Many churches already appear on Google Maps without knowing it. Google sometimes creates listings automatically, and members or visitors can suggest them.

1. Open Google Maps on a computer or phone.
2. Search for your church's name and town.
3. If a listing appears, look for a link that says something like "Own this business?" or "Claim this business".

If there's a listing that nobody at your church controls, claiming it is the first step. If there's no listing at all, you can create one.

Who should do it

Choose someone who will still be around in a few years, and use a shared church email account to set it up rather than someone's personal Gmail. If the person who set up your listing leaves, you don't want the church locked out. You can add other people as managers later.

Create or claim your profile

1. Go to google.com/business and sign in with the church's Google account.
2. Search for your church name. Select it if it appears, or choose to add a new business.
3. Choose a category. Google has categories for churches and many specific ones for different traditions, such as Baptist, Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal and so on. Pick the one that best describes you.
4. Enter your address exactly as it appears on post to the building.
5. Add your phone number and website address.

Verify that you're really the church

Google needs to check that you genuinely represent the church before it lets you manage the listing. It will offer one or more verification methods. Depending on your location and listing, that might be:

• a short video showing the building, its signage and something that proves you manage it (such as unlocking the door)
• a postcard with a code, sent to the church's address
• a phone call or text message
• an email

Follow the instructions Google gives you. Verification can take a few days, and occasionally longer. If you're asked for a video, plan it in advance: show the street and signage, then the building, then something only someone from the church could show.

Fill in everything

Once you're verified, complete as much of the profile as you can. Each part helps people decide to visit.

Hours. Google calls them "opening hours", which doesn't fit a church perfectly. Many churches add their service times as the hours, so Sunday shows "10:30–12:00". You can also add special hours for Christmas, Easter and other one-off services, which is very useful.

Description. Write a short, warm paragraph about who you are, your style of worship, and what a visitor can expect. Avoid insider language.

Photos. Add a clear photo of the outside of the building (so people recognise it when they arrive), the entrance, the inside, and — with permission — people gathered together. Avoid photos where children can be identified unless you have proper consent.

Accessibility. Google lets you mark features such as wheelchair-accessible entrances, toilets and parking. Fill these in honestly.

Website. Link to your website's home page or, better still, a "Plan your visit" page.

Keep it up to date

A profile is only as good as its last update. Put a reminder in the church diary to check it:

• whenever service times change
• a few weeks before Christmas and Easter, to add special services
• when the phone number or contact person changes

Members of the public can suggest edits to your listing, and Google sometimes accepts them automatically. Checking it every month or so means you'll spot anything incorrect quickly.

What about reviews?

Visitors can leave reviews on your profile. Many churches feel unsure about this, and that's understandable. The most important thing is to reply graciously to any review you receive — thank people for kind words, and respond calmly and briefly to criticism. A gentle, humble reply often says more about your church than the review itself.

Make sure your details match everywhere

Google trusts information that's consistent. Make sure your church's name, address and phone number are written the same way on your website, your Google profile, your Facebook page and any directories you're listed in. If your website says "St John's Church" and Google says "Saint John the Baptist Parish Church", it can cause confusion.

Why this is worth an hour of your time

A Google Business Profile costs nothing. For many churches, it's seen by more people than the church website itself — and it's often the very first impression a newcomer gets. An hour spent setting it up properly is one of the most worthwhile things a church can do online.