Google Business for Multi-Location Brands

These days when someone asks a question, a frequent response is “Google It”. As such, this has become the primary port of call for anyone looking for information on a given subject. This includes the opening hours of their nearest store, or perhaps a phone number to make a direct inquiry, or even the reviews left by other patrons. 

All this information and more can be found on a Google Business Listing, that is the window to the right side of your search results that displays information for a given business. But how do you access your business listing so you can update your business information? Well, by claiming it. 

To start, you’ll need a google account (a gmail) and go to business.google.com where you can add a business. There’s three ways a single listing can be claimed, but what options are available to you will vary depending on what information Google has. All of the following options deliver a verification code to you.

1. An automated call to the phone number listed for your business. 
2. An email to an email address that shares the same domain as the website listed for your business. 
3. A physical letter, posted to your business address. 
   

Once you have your code, enter it, and you’ll be able to update your listing and respond to reviews, among a few other things.  But if you have dozens or hundreds of listings, what can you do?

Managing all these contact points and codes would be tough. But Google is ahead of the pack on this issue, with an option to bulk claim listings.

This is done through the “Import Businesses” option, under where you would add a single location. Google will give you the option to download a template of a .csv file and an example sheet for reference. 

You’ll need to enter all the relevant information for each individual store, as requested. Once that sheet is completed, you can upload it to Google for processing. This may take time, depending on the number of listings. If done correctly you’ll be granted access to all your listings, allowing you to keep information up to date for your customer base. It’s especially important to respond to reviews, which can help your business’ ranking in search results.

So, that's how to claim your Google Business Profiles. Why not check out our advice on managing multiple Facebook pages for your brand too?

Chat soon,

SL