Managing Google My Business for Multiple Locations

Imagine that someone in your area is craving a delicious meal, in urgent need of a haircut, or searching for the perfect gift. What’s the first thing they do? They grab their smartphone and search for it on Google! That’s when Google Business Profile can really help your business, as it acts like a digital storefront, complete with all the vital information that people need to find you.

Formerly known as Google My Business, Google Business Profile (GBP) is a powerful tool for businesses looking to make the most of their digital presence. Whether you’re running a cozy café, a bustling salon, or a thriving consultancy, having a strong online presence is key. And when it comes to expanding your horizons across multiple locations, GBP is your trusty guide.

Get ready to boost your visibility, engage with customers like never before, and take your business to new heights, all by using Google Business Profile to manage your multiple locations.

The Significance of Google Business Profile for Multi-Location Businesses

Google Business Profile acts as a digital business card that helps turbocharge your local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to boost your online presence across multiple locations.

Here’s how it works:

When someone in your area searches for products or services you offer, Google prioritizes businesses that have stronger GBP listings. This means your business is more likely to appear at the top of local search results if you fill it out more thoroughly, which lets you catch the eye of potential customers precisely when they’re ready to make a decision.

GBP listings also improve your online visibility by providing essential information like your business hours, contact details, customer reviews, and even photos. Along with making it easier for customers to find and select your company, this rich content lets search engines know that you are a reputable business. As a result, your business gains more visibility, trust, and clicks in the competitive online landscape.

For multi-location businesses, having an optimized GBP listing for each location is like having multiple storefronts strategically positioned to attract local foot traffic. It makes you a force to be reckoned with in the digital world by strengthening your entire online presence and increasing the likelihood that potential customers will find you!

Setting Up Google Business Profiles for Multiple Locations

Ready to use GBP for your multiple locations? Let’s break it down into easy-to-do steps:

Start with a Single Google Business Profile Account

To manage multiple locations on GBP, you’ll need to first create a centralized GBP account. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

• Sign In or Sign Up: Visit the GBP website and sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, sign up for free.
• Enter Business Details: Create a profile by entering the name of your business and selecting a business category. You can also enter the specifics of your physical location, including your service area if you have one. After entering your phone number and website address, click “Finish.”
• Verify Your Business: You will then be asked if you want to verify your business now or later. This can be done via mail, phone, email, or video. This is an important step, as your edits won’t appear on Google until you verify your business.
• Finish Your Profile: This is the stage where you add all of your additional information, such as services offered, pictures of your offerings, store hours, and opening date.

Creating your profile helps to streamline management tasks, ensures consistency across listings, and gives you a bird’s-eye view of your online presence. With a single GBP account, you can update business information, respond to reviews, and track performance metrics seamlessly, saving time and effort while maintaining a professional and cohesive online image across all your locations

Adding Additional Locations

Adding additional locations, once you have your account, is easy:

• Click on “Add Location,” where you will need to select “Add Single Location” from the menu.
• Enter information and details, including business name (if it has a slight deviation based on its location), address, phone number, website URL, and hours of operation.
• Click “Done.”

But what if you have 10+ locations to add? Luckily, there is a bulk upload feature, and such can be done by following the following steps:

• Start by creating a business group (which used to be called a business account) to help you manage all of your locations.
• After you select “Add Location,” select “Import business” directly below “Add Single Location.” This can be done easily by creating a spreadsheet with all the necessary information filled in (the template provided will tell you what you need to add).

Optimizing Google Business Profile Listings for Each Location

Optimizing your GBP listings for each location is the best way to attract local customers. By optimizing and managing location-specific information on your GBP listings, you create a personalized and compelling online presence that resonates with local customers and boosts your overall business visibility

Here are some tips to help you tailor each listing to its specific location:

Localize Contact Information

Make sure each of your GBP listings includes a local phone number and address for the respective location. This indicates to search engines that your company is relevant to local searches, which helps customers find you more easily. 

Update Business Hours

Keep your business hours accurate and up to date for each location. This is especially important during holidays or special events when your operating hours may vary. 

Highlight Location-Specific Services

If certain services or products are unique to a particular location, highlight them in the GBP listing. This can include promotions, specials, or exclusive offerings available only at that location.

Use High-Quality Photos

Showcase your business with high-quality photos that reflect each location’s ambiance, products, and services. Images of the exterior, interior, team members, and popular offerings can enhance your listing’s appeal to potential customers.

Optimize Descriptions

Craft compelling descriptions for each location that describe your business and also include relevant keywords and local phrases. This can improve your listing’s visibility in local search results.

Collect and Respond to Reviews

Encourage customers to leave reviews specific to each location. Monitor and respond to reviews promptly, addressing any feedback or inquiries to show that you value customer feedback and engagement.

Utilize Posts and Updates

Take advantage of GBP’s posts and updates feature to share news, events, promotions, and announcements tailored to each location. This keeps your listing fresh and engaging for visitors.

Managing Reviews and Customer Interactions Across Multiple Locations

Effectively managing reviews and customer interactions across multiple locations on GBP requires a balance of consistency and personalization. You can effectively manage reviews and customer interactions across GBP locations by implementing strategies that provide a consistent brand voice while personalizing responses to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

Here are some strategies to help you maintain a consistent brand voice while personalizing responses to each location:

• Establish Brand Guidelines: Develop brand guidelines that outline your company’s tone, language style, and values. This ensures that all responses, regardless of location, align with your brand identity.
• Train Your Team: Provide training to team members responsible for managing GBP listings and responding to reviews. Emphasize the importance of consistency in tone and messaging while allowing room for personalization based on location-specific feedback.
• Use Templates Wisely: Create response templates that incorporate your brand voice and key messaging points. Customize these templates as needed to address location-specific feedback or inquiries while avoiding generic responses that may appear impersonal.
• Monitor Reviews Proactively: Regularly monitor reviews across all GBP listings to stay informed about customer feedback and address any issues promptly. You can do this by setting up alerts or notifications to stay updated.
• Personalize Responses: Tailor responses to each location’s reviews by acknowledging specific feedback, mentioning location-related details, and expressing appreciation for customer feedback. This personal touch shows you value individual experiences while maintaining a consistent brand presence.
• Address Concerns Professionally: Maintain a professional and empathetic tone when responding to negative customer reviews or concerns. Acknowledge the problem, offer solutions or remedies, and invite further offline communication, if necessary, to resolve it privately.
• Encourage Positive Interactions: Engage with positive reviews by expressing gratitude, highlighting specific compliments, and encouraging repeat business or referrals. This reinforces positive experiences and fosters a sense of community around your brand.

Leveraging Google Business Profile Insights for Multiple Locations

GBP Insights provides valuable data and analytics that can help you, as a business owner, gain deeper insights into customer interactions across different locations. This includes metrics such as views, clicks, calls, and direction requests, which give you a comprehensive view of how customers are engaging with your business across various locations. By leveraging GBP Insights, you can understand which locations are performing well and where there may be opportunities for improvement based on customer engagement metrics.

Here are some tips on analyzing data from GBP Insights so that you can improve your business strategies and customer engagement:

• Regularly Monitor Performance: Make it a habit to regularly check GBP Insights for each location to track performance trends over time and identify areas for optimization.
• Segment Data by Location: Analyze Insights data for each location separately to understand location-specific trends, customer preferences, and engagement metrics. This helps tailor strategies to the unique needs of each location.
• Identify High-Performing Areas: Identify locations that are performing exceptionally well in terms of customer engagement, conversions, and visibility. Use these insights to replicate successful strategies across other locations or make targeted improvements where needed.
• Adjust Strategies Based on Data: Use GBP Insights data to inform strategic decisions such as adjusting business hours, updating services or products, optimizing keywords, and refining marketing campaigns to better align with customer preferences and market demand.

Advanced Tips for Managing Multiple Locations on Google Business Profile

One of the fundamental aspects to keep in mind when managing multiple locations on GBP is to keep the information up-to-date across all locations. This includes regularly reviewing and updating business hours, contact details, services offered, and any other pertinent information. By keeping your listings up to date, you can provide accurate information to customers and reduce the risk of confusion or dissatisfaction. 

It is also important to keep an eye on how special hours, temporary closures, and other location-specific updates are managed. GBP provides a “Special Hours” feature that allows you to update information for specific events, such as holidays or renovations. Proactively managing these updates keeps your customers informed in advance, lowering the likelihood of negative experiences caused by unexpected closures or changes in operating hours. 

Using location-specific updates is another effective strategy. GBP allows you to create location-specific announcements, promotions, and events. Tailoring your messaging to each location’s unique offerings and customer interests improves customer engagement and drives targeted interactions. It also showcases the diversity and value of your business across different locations, enhancing the overall customer experience and satisfaction. 

Monitoring and responding to reviews is an ongoing task that significantly impacts your reputation and customer relationships. Regularly monitor reviews across all locations, acknowledge positive feedback, and address negative reviews professionally and promptly. Use insights from customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and implement changes to enhance the customer experience across all your business locations.

Integrating Google Business Profile with Broadly

Integrating GBP with Broadly provides a powerful solution for businesses looking to improve management and online presence in multiple locations. Our platform was designed to simplify the process of managing GBP listings, making it easier to maintain accurate and engaging information across all locations. With features like centralized dashboard management that allows you to track multiple locations, Broadly can easily empower your company to manage your online reputation and customer interactions while ensuring consistency and visibility across all GBP listings. 

By integrating GBP with Broadly, you can save time, increase customer satisfaction, and drive growth by leveraging a comprehensive platform that improves your company’s online presence while streamlining management tasks across multiple locations.

Take Control of Your Online Presence

By effectively managing your GBP listings, you can increase visibility, attract more customers, and build a strong online reputation. Simplify the management of multiple GBP listings even further with the comprehensive services offered by the team at Broadly. We offer solutions that can streamline management tasks, automate updates, monitor reviews, and engage with customers seamlessly across all locations! 

Enhance your online reputation, improve customer engagement, and drive business growth with Broadly. Don’t let the complexity of managing multiple locations hold you back—empower your business with Broadly and contact us for a free demo today!