Explore this guide to understand how merging duplicate Google Business Profiles can enhance your online presence, because a unified profile strengthens customer trust and improves local SEO.

Duplicate profiles are listings with the same business address, contact information, and other related details. These can happen for several reasons.

Nonetheless, without proper action, duplicates confuse or frustrate search users and potentially lessen your appeal to local customers.

SEO-wise, duplicate listings divide your ranking power, review counts, and other attributes.

Over time, these may affect your name, business growth, and revenue.

So, before reaching that point, we’ll show you how to identify duplicate profiles, what steps to take, and how to avoid them in the future.

Identifying Duplicate Google Business Profiles

Before merging duplicate Google Business Profiles, check whether you have this problem. You can manually do that by typing your business name on Google Search.

Next, look at the displayed results and see if there are duplicates. If there are, look them up on Google Maps to confirm.

Compare and contrast them based on their NAP details:

  • Name: check the registered business names and compare their cover photos (storefront, logo, etc.). Visit the websites as well.
  • Address: check if the profiles share one location. Locate the business locations on the map and see if they are on the same street or building.
  • Phone number: check contact details for any similarities. Verify this further by checking the contact pages on the websites.

Team Discussing How to Merge Duplicate Google Business Profiles

Why Identify Duplicate Google Business Profiles

Duplicate Google Business Profiles can limit the full potential of your operations. These affect your customers, traffic, rankings, and so on.

Here are the specific reasons why identifying and fixing duplicate profiles are crucial:

  • To avoid confusion. Double business profiles make it hard for search users to determine which listing is active or more accurate. They can frustrate potential customers, forcing them to do business somewhere else.
  • To build consumer trust. Inconsistencies in your business listings only cause customers to question your credibility. You can foster trusting relations with them instead by merging duplicate Google Business Profiles and maintaining one listing with accurate info.
  • To rank the correct profile. Google may mistakenly rank your duplicate profile with fewer reviews or outdated details, while the authoritative listing gets a lower ranking position. This cannibalisation effect only lessens your online presence and redirects potential customers.
  • To avoid penalty risks. Google favours fresh and unique content. However, it also penalises duplicate content. It may push your identical profile to the bottom of the search results or suspend your listing. Keeping duplicates also makes it hard to update your business details and maintain accuracy, increasing the risk of error or penalty.

Steps to Merge Duplicate Google Business Profiles

We have established that promptly fixing duplicate listings protects your business from avoidable problems. It streamlines your online presence and enhances customer experience, too.

Next is to start checking and consolidating your business profiles. Here are the steps.

Verifying Ownership of Both Profiles

First things first: you must own and have access to both listings. This verification process ensures that Google recognises you as their rightful owner.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Check the verification status of the duplicate profiles using Google’s verification checker. Note that Google cannot merge two verified Google Business Profiles. So, if that is your case, keep the verified main profile, then un-verify the other.
  2. You can manually check the status of your profiles by looking for your business on Google Search or Maps.
  3. Check if the business profile has a “Claim this business” option below. If it’s not there, that listing is unverified, which you can merge into a verified profile.

If you need to claim ownership of a business profile, Google’s verification guidelines can help.

Verifying Listing Ownership Through Google Search and Maps

Updating and Consolidating Information

Google does not consider business profiles as duplicates if they do not have exact addresses and business names.

So, make sure to update both listings and make their business details match.

When checking the name and address, look for and correct any discrepancies. For example, fix punctuation differences, spelling forms, and truncations like Street vs St or Incorporated vs Inc.

If there are no discrepancies, proceed to the next step.

Otherwise, look for the business contact information on your profile, then click “suggest an edit” to make the necessary changes.

Also, consider applying these tips to avoid business information inconsistencies in the future:

  • Apply profile changes across the board. For example, a change in business address must be present in your other sites, channels, or platforms. You can also use NAP consistency or profile syncing tools for this.
  • Limit your Google Business Profile access. The fewer people accessing your profile, the lesser the chance for errors or inconsistencies.
  • Follow the Google Business Profile guidelines. Provide business details according to Google’s rules and standards. Check its guidelines occasionally for updates.

Requesting a Merge from Google Support

It’s time to unite the duplicate profiles.

Just a heads up, though. Google cannot undo a merge, so make sure every detail is correct before you proceed. Also, an unsuccessful merge has a potentially long-lasting impact on your online presence.

To ensure success, follow the steps in this post and read Google’s guidelines on merging duplicate business profiles.

When ready:

  1. Contact Google Business Profile’s help team to request to merge the duplicates. You can do that by filling out this form. Be ready to provide all the necessary info about the profiles in question.
  2. Once done, submit the merge request. While the team reviews it, regularly check your Google Business Profile dashboard for updates or additional information requests.

Note that there is no fixed timeframe or guaranteed reply time for merge processing. However, 24 hours is a reasonable waiting period. It’s also their maximum target response time for standard support.

Contact Form to Merge Duplicate Google Business Profiles

Monitoring and Verifying the Merge

You will get a confirmation message from Google when the merge is complete and successful. Review your new merged listing and check if all pertinent details are correct.

Note that some elements of your business profile, like Google posts and photos, may not be automatically transferred.

So, always have a backup of your files before making significant changes to your listing.

It’s also important to regularly monitor your merged profile from this point forward to avoid any other issues.

You should optimise your listing to maximise its visibility and impact. For example, you can:

  • Create a compelling business description with relevant keywords, highlighting your unique selling points
  • Select the primary and secondary categories that best describe your business
  • Upload high-quality photos showcasing your products or services, store premises, or staff
  • Encourage customer reviews and promptly reply to feedback
  • Share new products or services, seasonal offers, or upcoming events to keep your audience engaged
  • Regularly review your Google Business Profile insights and analytics
  • Monitor and answer customer queries promptly

Preventing Duplicate Profiles in the Future

Understanding how to merge duplicate Google Business Profiles is easy. However, there are best practices for avoiding double listings.

Here are some of them.

1. Find all your NAP variations before creating a new profile.

One usual cause of duplicate listings is creating a second listing by mistake without checking if an old one exists.

If your business relocated or had a merger, search the database first, then edit the existing profile to prevent duplicate creation.

This practice can also address the issue when a Google Maps user adds a listing for a business he does not own.

2. Keep track of your Google Business Profile access.

Sometimes, owners forget how to access their profiles, prompting them to create a new one. There are also instances when the new owner fails to claim the listing from the previous marketer.

Have a record of your business account details. Also, limit the number of people accessing your profile.

3. Follow the rules for Google Business Profile creation.

Some owners may unknowingly or intentionally create duplicate profiles for better search visibility.

For example, a plumbing company may create one listing for pipe repairs and another for declogging services. They would keyword-stuff these listings or tick various business categories to widen their reach.

Having multiple listings like this to represent one business is a Google Business Profile violation. To avoid serious problems, know and follow Google’s guidelines.

Also, regularly check or optimise your listing and apply future updates.

Sample Google Business Profile Account

Conclusion

A Google Business Profile is crucial to any service-based business owner. It boosts your online presence and improves your local SEO performance.

However, problems like duplicate business listings can occur. Without prompt action, this issue can frustrate your potential customers, affect your rankings, and reduce your competitiveness.

Through the steps outlined in this post, you should be able to merge duplicate Google Business Profiles and establish a unified listing with accurate details.

Once merged, don’t forget to optimise your profile, apply best practices from now on, and regularly monitor for Google updates.

With a well-consolidated Google Business Profile, you’ll enhance your presence, strengthen customer relations and, ultimately, keep your digital operations thriving.