--- title: "Getting Started: How to Add Your Business - Buy it Local.US" author: webiedesign url: https://buyitlocal.us/support/business-owner-help/getting-started-how-to-add-your-business --- # Getting Started: How to Add Your Business ## Getting Started: Adding Your Business Buy it Local.US is a community directory that helps neighbors find and support the businesses around them. Getting listed takes about fifteen minutes, and you can start at no cost. This guide walks you through the whole process, one step at a time. You do not need any technical skills. ### What You Will Need Before You Start - Your business name, street address, and phone number, written exactly the way you want customers to see them - An email address you check regularly - Your logo and a few good photos, saved on your computer or phone as JPG or PNG files - A short description of what your business does - Your website address and social media links, if you have them - Your regular opening hours Gathering these in one folder before you begin saves a lot of back and forth later. ### Step 1: Check Whether You Are Already Listed Some businesses are already in the directory because a customer or neighbor suggested them. Before you create a new listing, search for your business name from the home page. If you find it, do not create a second listing. Instead, follow the steps in our article on claiming an existing listing, which lets you take ownership of the page that is already there. ### Step 2: Open the Add Your Business Page From the main menu, choose **Add Your Business**. You will see a four step wizard across the top of the page: Pick a package, Account information, Listing info, and Payment. The wizard remembers where you are, so you can see your progress at any time. ### Step 3: Pick a Package Choose the plan that fits your business. The free plan covers the essentials, such as your phone number, map location, website link, logo, images, and description. Paid plans add tools like offers, events, videos, testimonials, menus, and quote requests. You are not locked in, and you can change plans later. See our article on choosing the right package for a full comparison. Click **Choose** under the plan you want. ### Step 4: Create Your Account Next you will create an account, or sign in if you already have one. This account is how you will manage your listing from now on, so use an email address you will keep. 1. Enter your name and email address 2. Create a password and write it down somewhere safe 3. Submit the form and watch for a confirmation email If the confirmation email does not arrive within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder. ### Step 5: Fill In Your Listing This is the part customers actually see, so it is worth slowing down. At minimum, complete the following: - **Business name** as it appears on your sign and paperwork - **Category** and, where it applies, a subcategory. Pick the one a customer would look under, not the one that sounds most impressive - **Address and map location.** If you do not serve customers at your address, you can still list your city so you appear in local searches - **Phone number and email** - **Description.** Two or three short paragraphs explaining what you do, who you serve, and what makes you worth choosing - **Logo and photos.** Real photos of your work, your storefront, and your team do far better than stock images - **Opening hours,** so visitors can see at a glance whether you are open right now You can save and come back later. Nothing is lost if you need to go find a photo. ### Step 6: Payment, If You Chose a Paid Plan If you selected a paid package, the last step is payment. Free listings skip this step entirely. Payment is handled securely through our payment processor, and you will receive a receipt by email. See the PayPal and Stripe help articles if you want to know more about how those services work. ### Step 7: We Review Your Listing New listings are reviewed by a person before they appear publicly. This keeps the directory clean and trustworthy for everyone. Review usually takes a day or two. You will get an email once your listing is live. If we need something clarified, we will email you rather than reject the listing outright. ### After Your Listing Is Live - Visit **My Business** in the menu to reach your control panel, where you can edit your listing at any time - Add your first special offer to give people a reason to click - Share your listing link on your own social media so customers can find and review you - Check your messages and quote requests regularly, since those are real customers waiting on an answer ### Common Questions **Do I have to pay to be listed?** No. The free plan is genuinely free and does not expire on you in a month. **Can I list more than one location?** Yes. Paid plans let you add other locations to the same listing. **Can I change my package later?** Yes, and you can upgrade or downgrade at renewal time. **What if I make a mistake?** Nothing here is permanent. Log in, open your control panel, and edit. ### Getting Help If you get stuck at any point, take a look at the other articles in the [Support](https://buyitlocal.us/support) section, or contact the Buy it Local.US team. We would much rather help you finish than have you give up halfway.