Having a strong online presence is important in the competitive self-storage industry. If your storage facility has multiple Google Business Profiles (GBPs) for the same location, it can confuse potential customers and negatively impact your visibility on Google Search and Maps. Merging duplicate profiles can provide a more accurate representation of your facility.
Why Should You Merge Duplicate Google Business Profiles?
Duplicate listings can dilute your online presence, leading to:
- Reduced Visibility: Google may suppress duplicate listings, making it harder for customers to find your facility.
- Inconsistent Information: Conflicting details across profiles can confuse customers.
- Split Reviews: Customer reviews may be scattered, weakening your overall reputation.
Consolidating your GBPs ensures that all information, reviews, and customer interactions are centralized, enhancing your credibility and search performance.
Three Steps to Merge Your Google Business Profiles
1. Confirm Eligibility for Merging
Before initiating the merge, ensure that:
- The duplicate listings represent the same business at the same address.
- You have ownership or management access to both profiles.
- The business names and other details are consistent across profiles.
Note: If the listings have different addresses or represent different businesses, merging may not be possible.
2. Locate Each Profile’s Unique ID
To merge profiles, you’ll need the unique ID for each listing:
- Sign in to your Google Business Profile Manager.
- Select the listing you wish to merge.
- Click on the three-dot menu in the top right corner and choose Business Profile settings.
- Navigate to Advanced settings.
- Copy the Business Profile ID displayed at the top.
- Repeat these steps for the other profile(s) you intend to merge.
3. Submit a Merge Request to Google
With the profile IDs in hand:
- Visit the Google Business Profile Help Center.
- Click on Contact Us.
- In the prompt, type “Merge duplicate profiles” and click Next.
- Follow the on-screen instructions, providing the necessary details and the profile IDs.
Google will review your request and, if approved, merge the profiles. This process may take a few days.
Benefits of Merging Your Google Business Profiles
- Enhanced Visibility: A single, consolidated profile improves your chances of appearing in local search results and on Google Maps.
- Improved Customer Trust: Consistent information and consolidated reviews build credibility.
- Simplified Management: Managing one profile streamlines updates, responses to reviews, and insights tracking.
While it’s generally a good idea to merge duplicate listings, there are some cases where deleting the second listing is a better option. If one of your listings is full of inaccurate information, negative reviews, or old images, you may consider deleting the duplicate listing(s) instead.
Need Assistance?
Merging Google Business Profiles can be a nuanced process. If you need guidance or support, the Google support page is full of helpful resources and articles. Google also has a community forum you can post to for advice.
Conclusion
By consolidating your Google Business Profiles, you present a clear and trustworthy image to potential customers, making it easier for them to choose your facility for their storage needs. If you’d like to learn more about reputation management, contact us to start the conversation!
