How To Delete And Merge GMB Listings For Better Local SEO

The best local SEO consultants make good use of Google My Business (GMB) to attain higher visibility on the search engine results pages. This tool is crucial for local SEO as it helps users find the top businesses offering products and services in their area.

For instance, if a person wants to find the best pizza in town, they can simply Google it, and a long list of pizza restaurants will show in the search results. Users can then look at the reviews of past customers, as well as several convenience factors such as the restaurant’s location, hours of operation, and delivery services.

All of these results are what SEO marketers call Google My Business listings. GMB allows companies to promote their website and Business Profile on Google Search and Google Maps. Not only that, but GMB also allows owners to see how their customers interact with their business in local search.

Though the GMB tool is useful for advertising a brand, some businesses forget to delete duplicates of their GMB account. It’s also possible that they’ve moved locations and have forgotten to update their Business Profiles.

It is crucial to either merge or delete duplicate GMB listings for various reasons. For example, let’s say a business has two GMB accounts. It’s possible for Google to rank an incomplete listing for the business and filter out the listing that has plenty of reviews and up-to-date information.

And although multiple listings can exist for a business, duplicate listings are against Google Guidelines.

Multiple GMB accounts may also harm one’s local SEO. For one, having more than one business listing may confuse future customers. It’s also possible for listings to contain conflicting information, and this can be a huge turn-off for some users.

For such issues, local SEO consultants have solid advice on what to do.

Merging Two GMB Listings

If two GMB listings are verified, one of them must be unverified first since the tool does not allow the merging of two verified listings. The duplicate listing’s address must also exactly match the business’s correct address.

If the address matches, you can contact Google and request to merge the two listings through the GMB Contact Form. However, if the address does not match, you can use the “Suggest An Edit” feature in Google to indicate that there is a mistake in the information displayed. From there, you can edit the hours, the location, and even the name of the business.

Deleting Duplicate GMB Listings

If merging is not an option, deleting the duplicate account works, too. Google says that before deleting a duplicate, businesses should make sure that they are not removing the verified location; otherwise, the location will need to be verified again. The search engine giant also reminds users that once the location is removed, it can no longer be recovered. Therefore, it is crucial to update the location you want to keep with any important information from the location you want to delete.

Afterwards, you can then sign in to your GMB account. On the Info tab, you can delete the duplicate listing by simply clicking Remove Listings.

Work With The Best Local SEO Experts

GMB is a huge help for anyone looking to promote their local business. By ensuring that all your GMB information is up-to-date and correct, you can make the most out of your local search presence. This would help build trust among your customers and help them find your business more easily.

Position1SEO is comprised of some of the best local SEO consultants who can help you not only with your GMB listings, but with your content creation, website optimisation, and more.

We will conduct an in-depth SEO audit on your website to determine the areas that we need to improve to drive your search rankings forward. Email us at office@position1seo.co.uk or call us at 0141 404 7515 if you are interested in our affordable SEO services.