Start with the business as it operates today, rather than with whatever a directory happens to remember. Record the approved name, physical address or service area, public telephone number, primary website and current opening arrangements in one source document. The directory form then becomes a translation of that record, not the place where the facts are invented.
A new profile often passes through several hands. One person supplies the details, another selects categories and a third approves publication. Give each field a source and a named owner before anyone presses submit. That small decision makes later corrections much easier to investigate.
01 / ScopeDefine the right business record
Confirm that the business does not already have a public profile on the platform. Search its current and former names, phone number and address. If an entry already exists, work through the platform's claim or correction process; a second profile can divide reviews and send visitors to conflicting contact details.
For a multi-location organisation, treat each real customer-facing location separately. Write down which address, hours, telephone route and services belong to this location. A shared corporate description may be useful background, but it must not override the details a visitor needs for the specific branch.
02 / ProofKeep the source beside the field
Use current operating records to verify the public name, a recent location record for the address, the active telephone system for contact numbers and the official site for service and booking links. Note when each source was checked. A screenshot without a date can become misleading after a relocation or a seasonal change.
Choose the primary category according to the business's principal activity. Secondary categories should describe real services, not every keyword a team hopes to rank for. If the platform offers attributes such as accessibility, delivery or appointments, confirm each one with the people who deliver the service before adding it.
The test is simple: could another team member reproduce every important field from the saved evidence?
03 / SubmissionReview the whole visitor journey
Read the draft as a customer would. Call the public number, open the website on a phone, follow the booking link and check that the stated hours match actual availability. Confirm the map pin or service-area boundary rather than relying on an address string alone. Read the description for specific services and plain language.
Save a copy of the submitted values and any confirmation message. Submission is not the final check: some platforms edit, delay or reject individual fields. Once the profile is live, compare the published page with the approved record and log any difference for follow-up.
04 / ExceptionsHandle conflicts without guessing
Old invoices, previous websites and third-party aggregators may disagree with current operations. Do not resolve the conflict by choosing the most common version. Ask the owner of the business record to confirm the fact, document the decision and update connected profiles that carry the old value.
If a field is uncertain, leave it out when the platform allows, or hold the listing for review. A plausible but unverified opening time or booking route can send a visitor to a closed door. Keep rejected edits visible in the task log until the live result is correct.
05 / MaintenanceGive the entry a future owner
Assign responsibility for changes in hours, staff contact, location and service scope. Recheck the live page after any material business change and on a regular schedule. Keep the platform login in an organisation-controlled account so that a staff departure does not leave the profile inaccessible.
The profile is complete when its public details match the approved record, the links and contact paths work, and the next reviewer can find the supporting evidence. That standard is more durable than a one-time “published” status.