You must gain control of your online presence. If you don’t take control of your online presence, others can, and they can use the listing to hurt your ministry. They could create a Yelp listing, which they now have total control over, and say what they want about your church.
The video tutorials used are for your assistance. We are not endorsing a product or company. BCPM has no control of any ads or videos that follow the tutorial.
You will need the following things before you register these listings:
• Church name
• Address (city, state, zip)
• Main phone number
• Website
• Service times
• A description of your church, minimum 250 characters.
• Business categories – your category would be Religious Organization
• Logo and pictures – If you haven’t had your first service yet, insert pictures of the meeting place and your family.
How do you set-up your online listings?
I. Google
This is a help when people do a search according to geography. For example, “Baptist churches in Toledo, OH”.
How to get set-up in Google
1. Visit Google My Business
2. Click the Start Now button
Follow the steps to input all of your church’s information.
Make sure you use your church's meeting address and not mailing address. When someone searches your church, the map will direct them to your church meeting place.
To prevent fake businesses from being started, they will send you a verification via a postcard. This card will be sent to your meeting location. You might need to give them a heads up that this is coming if, for example, if you meet at a school.
Get the verification code from the postcard, log back into your My Business account, and verify your listing.
Video Tutorial
II. Apple
This is important to claim this listing for all the Mac and IOS users.
How to get set up with Apple:
1. Go to Apple Maps Connect
2. Select the Sign In button. You will need to have an Apple ID account or sign up for a free one.
3. Use the search feature to look for your church’s listing
4. Select your listing and claim your place. If it is not listed, you can add a new place.
5. Make sure to use the address you are meeting as your address.
6. You can have Apple call you to confirm the listing or you can do this my mail.
7. Make sure to enter as much information about the church as possible.
Video Tutorial
III. Bing Places
This is a platform for those who use Bing instead of Google as there search engine.
How to get set-up with Bing Places:
1. Go to Bing Places
2. Select New User
3. Follow the steps to input all of your information
4. Make sure you are using the address to your meeting place and not your mailing address.
5. You can verify the listing by use of Bings app or by mail.
6. Once you get your verification code, log back into Bing Places and enter the code.
Video Tutorial
IV. Yelp
Yelp is an online rating service. You might not care about what they think, however, many people take these reviews seriously.
How to get set-up with Yelp
1. Visit Yelp for Business Owners
2. Select “Manage My Free Listing”.
3. Enter your zip code and Church Name
4. Fill out the form and select “Add Business”. Make sure you use your meeting address.
5. Fill in any particulars
6. To verify the listing Yelp will call you. This can take a couple of days.
Video Tutorial
V. Important Notes
1. Keep track of all the login information that you use for each site. These need to be verified. Therefore, you do not want to lose relevant data that will help you make any updates for future changes such as a new meeting place or changes to times of services.
2. Once you get started, encourage members to give reviews.
VI. Other Possible Listings
Others online listings to consider are:
Yellow Pages
Yahoo Local
Foursquare for Business
The video tutorials used are for your assistance. We are not endorsing a product or company. BCPM has no control of any ads or videos that follow the tutorial.
You will need the following things before you register these listings:
• Church name
• Address (city, state, zip)
• Main phone number
• Website
• Service times
• A description of your church, minimum 250 characters.
• Business categories – your category would be Religious Organization
• Logo and pictures – If you haven’t had your first service yet, insert pictures of the meeting place and your family.
How do you set-up your online listings?
I. Google
This is a help when people do a search according to geography. For example, “Baptist churches in Toledo, OH”.
How to get set-up in Google
1. Visit Google My Business
2. Click the Start Now button
Follow the steps to input all of your church’s information.
Make sure you use your church's meeting address and not mailing address. When someone searches your church, the map will direct them to your church meeting place.
To prevent fake businesses from being started, they will send you a verification via a postcard. This card will be sent to your meeting location. You might need to give them a heads up that this is coming if, for example, if you meet at a school.
Get the verification code from the postcard, log back into your My Business account, and verify your listing.
Video Tutorial
II. Apple
This is important to claim this listing for all the Mac and IOS users.
How to get set up with Apple:
1. Go to Apple Maps Connect
2. Select the Sign In button. You will need to have an Apple ID account or sign up for a free one.
3. Use the search feature to look for your church’s listing
4. Select your listing and claim your place. If it is not listed, you can add a new place.
5. Make sure to use the address you are meeting as your address.
6. You can have Apple call you to confirm the listing or you can do this my mail.
7. Make sure to enter as much information about the church as possible.
Video Tutorial
III. Bing Places
This is a platform for those who use Bing instead of Google as there search engine.
How to get set-up with Bing Places:
1. Go to Bing Places
2. Select New User
3. Follow the steps to input all of your information
4. Make sure you are using the address to your meeting place and not your mailing address.
5. You can verify the listing by use of Bings app or by mail.
6. Once you get your verification code, log back into Bing Places and enter the code.
Video Tutorial
IV. Yelp
Yelp is an online rating service. You might not care about what they think, however, many people take these reviews seriously.
How to get set-up with Yelp
1. Visit Yelp for Business Owners
2. Select “Manage My Free Listing”.
3. Enter your zip code and Church Name
4. Fill out the form and select “Add Business”. Make sure you use your meeting address.
5. Fill in any particulars
6. To verify the listing Yelp will call you. This can take a couple of days.
Video Tutorial
V. Important Notes
1. Keep track of all the login information that you use for each site. These need to be verified. Therefore, you do not want to lose relevant data that will help you make any updates for future changes such as a new meeting place or changes to times of services.
2. Once you get started, encourage members to give reviews.
VI. Other Possible Listings
Others online listings to consider are:
Yellow Pages
Yahoo Local
Foursquare for Business