How to Use Google My Business for Multiple Locations
If your brand has multiple locations, you need to manage the physical location, as well as the digital presence for each. You need to create unique separate online profiles for each location, and that starts with using Google My Business for multiple locations.
What Is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free local marketing tool that allows business locations to create profile pages on Google Maps and Search.
The profiles are highly searchable on Google. Businesses with profiles are more likely than businesses without profiles to show in search if a nearby customer searches for the brand name or a category term related to the business. A business with a profile will show up as rich search results and appear on a map.
If a business wants to be found via search, they should use the free tool to create a profile. Additionally, any business with multiple locations should create a unique profile for each individual location.
Why You Need Google My Business for Each Location
The primary benefit of Google My Business is that it helps a brand show up in search.
New customers can discover brands via search, and existing customers can gather information to plan their visit. Searches can use profiles to find the location’s phone number, address, and hours in addition to reading reviews about the business and viewing photos of the location.
One Google My Business location page can begin to establish a brand, but it is not enough to have one single profile if your business has multiple locations.
You need a profile for each business location.
Having a page for each unique location supports local SEO which helps a business show up more often in nearby searches. It also helps with regional marketing and allows a brand to better establish their business in a specific market.
Related: Guide to Managing Social Profiles for a Multi-Location Business
Tips for Using Google My Business For Multiple Locations
Now that you know what Google My Business is and why you need profiles for each of your locations, use these tips to set up your profiles.
Avoid using unique logins for each location account. One of the biggest local marketing mistakes that brands make when using Google My Business for multiple locations is creating separate accounts for each location. Creating unique profiles for each location is not only confusing for users (you have to manage multiple logins), it is also confusing for Google. When you have separate, unique accounts, Google will have a more difficult time understanding the groupings of your business and may negatively impact search visibility.
Create one account using an admin email address. Instead of having multiple logins for pages, create one master account with an admin email account associated with your business. Avoid tying the account to an individual’s email (such as sarah@mybusiness.com), and instead, create it with a generic account (info@mybuisness.com). That way, if a person leaves your business or an email is shut down, you will keep access to the pages.
Verify one location before adding other locations. When using Google My Business for multiple locations, start with one location first. Go through the entire process of verifying the location before adding other pages. Once you verify one location, it will be easier to add other accounts under that primary account.
Related: How Regional Brands Can Use Location Pages to Boost Local Marketing Efforts
Use bulk verification if you have ten or more locations. If you have many locations, it can be tedious to create profiles for each. Google offers a bulk upload option for brands that have more than ten locations. Create a spreadsheet with details for each location and easily upload to create multiple pages at once.
Create a document to track all of your pages and related information. Even if you have less than ten locations, you can benefit from creating a spreadsheet with all of your page information. Easily keep track of your pages and ensure that all information is correct by creating a master sheet that includes details for each location (such as phone, number, hours, and links to the live page).
Transfer any floating pages to the primary account. Many multiple location businesses decide to take control over their business directory profiles once some profiles have already been created. If your brand has multiple pages created under different accounts, conduct an audit and transfer all pages to one primary account. It might require some upfront work, but the organization that comes out of it will be worth it.
Add managers to the primary account. Once you have your primary brand account established, you can begin to include other people to help you manage the pages. Add managers to the primary account, and assign settings so people tied to individual locations can make updates when needed.
Create a plan for updating and managing. When assigning managers to the account, include clear guidelines about their role for using the account. Clearly state responsibilities for:
- Responding to customer reviews.
- Creating posts and updates.
- Updating hours and location information.
- Updating holiday hours.
- Adding photos.
Use data to identify themes at specific locations. A benefit of using Google My Business for multiple locations is that you can begin to collect data about each location. You can also compare data across your locations. For example, if one location has great reviews, you can look closer at that location to see what they are doing right. On the flip-side, you can identify problem locations by looking at low-rated businesses. Download insight reports for multiple locations to compare data such as number of calls, discovery searches, map views, and website activity to see which locations are performing best and which need work.
Related: Succeed at Multi-Location Marketing by Following These 7 Best Practices
Get Help Marketing Multiple Locations Online
When you have multiple business locations, you have various physical businesses to run as well as multiple digital presences to control. Use these tips to simplify your online profile management and get more out of your online footprint.
Then for more tips on how to successfully market multiple locations, talk to MyArea Network.
We specialize in helping brands both big and small reach more customers in their local community. We can help you set up and optimize Google My Business for multiple locations and create multiple profiles on your local MyArea Site so you can reach more nearby customers.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your multi-location brand.
